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The Witch

A History of Fear, from Ancient Times to the Present

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The Witch

By: Ronald Hutton
Narrated by: Gildart Jackson
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Why have societies all across the world feared witchcraft? This book delves deeply into its context, beliefs, and origins in Europe's history.

The witch came to prominence - and often a painful death - in early modern Europe, yet her origins are much more geographically diverse and historically deep. In this landmark book, Ronald Hutton traces witchcraft from the ancient world to the early modern state. This book sets the notorious European witch trials in the widest and deepest possible perspective and traces the major historiographical developments of witchcraft. Hutton, a renowned expert on ancient, medieval, and modern paganism and witchcraft beliefs, combines Anglo-American and continental scholarly approaches to examine attitudes on witchcraft and the treatment of suspected witches across the world, including in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, Australia, and North and South America, and from ancient pagan times to current interpretations. His fresh anthropological and ethnographical approach focuses on cultural inheritance and change while considering shamanism, folk religion, the range of witch trials, and how the fear of witchcraft might be eradicated.

©2017 Ronald Hutton (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Anthropology Customs & Traditions Europe Other Religions, Practices & Sacred Texts Social Sciences World Magic Magic Users Witchcraft Middle Ages Ancient History Tradition Middle East Africa
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Enjoyed this but had to listen in small snippets as it contained so much information and research. That said it is an easy listen as written in plain English.

Enjoyed this

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I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it really put to bed alot of unproven theory's which I had inadvertently picked up from new age sources. Great to be informed by such a brilliant mind.
The nuration and tone of voice was perfect for the subject matter and really gave a tricky subject at points great staying power.
I Higly recommend this to anyone with an interest in anything like witchcraft and or neo paganism.

Brilliantly challenges previous ideas.

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Huge and wide ranging subject matter, very broad and deep
Interesting, a bit turgid in sections where it becomes too academic in tone
Hutton does the voice acting? If so it's impressive, he has a lively and engaging voice.

A scholarly work of immense magnitude

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It's not that this is bad as such, it's just misrepresented. This is, for the most part, a history of the study of OTHER studies on witchcraft, rather than itself an original study. So, so many citations and quotations and references that it stopped being engaging (although you have to respect the author's study of said studies). Just too dry for me.

Not engaging

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I thought this was a story rather than a history of The Witch well read

well read great story full of lovely descriptions

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