Great read, doubles as a horror writer's resource

books:

	• Encyclopedia of Superstitions Edwin and Mona A Radford Philosophical Library, 1949 - 272 pages average customer review:based on 3 reviews view larger image
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Great read, doubles as a horror writer's resource

This is a fun, rather small book (in respect to superstitions in general, this could have been a mammoth of a book) that includes various bizarre and funny superstitions both old and current. Some are given instances when the superstition held true. For example, apparently it is unlucky for a three cigarettes to be lit off the same match. Three men, after doing this, one remarked "One of us will die by the end of the year" in jest, and then died three days later of a monkey bite (that last line made me howl...a monkey bite, of all things). Also, if you're a horror writer there's plenty of material here to help you base a story around. Four stars only because I wish it were longer, but it's a bargain and if you're into this kind of thing highly recommended. Very easy and fun to read.

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Did you know...

...that Shetland fishermen considered "persons deformed at birth" good luck because they were considered God's poor and that if they had good luck they gave the person some of their catch?

...Rubys prevent all evil?

...that if a burgular has coal in his pocket he'll be able to evade capture?

I have the version of this book that was published in 1949--found it in the giveaway pile at my local library. This book is fantastic for dipping, fun or for ghost stories. We had an electrical outing, and I read snippets by candlelight to my family. My little brother (who was 15) was terrified and made me stop.

At this price you can't say no to this book. It's fun and pretty scary at the same time.
Highly recommended.

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Kind of fun and kind of creepy too.

This is a fascinating little book, it works like a dictionary, find the word you hope to look up and it will tell you of the the historical powers, magic and superstitions behind that object. All the ideas are reseached from ancient folklores around the globe but Europe in the main.
You wiil discover the luck, wisdom and power of objects as diverse as besoms (brooms), juniper berries or socks and stockings. Fun indeed, but the historical angle is quite spine shuddering at times.

Containing more that two thousand supersitions of Britain ranging over the past six hundred years, and extending down to the present day,this book demonstrates that superstitions are world-wide and inherent in all peoples of the world in exactly identical forms of fear and avoidance.

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