Cassell Dictionary of Witchcraft

by David Pickering

This dictionary is a guide to the subject of witchcraft which has exerted its influence on the popular imagination for centuries. It looks at the history of witchcraft, traces its development in countries such as Britain, Germany and the US, and explains the rituals and objects associated with it, from black sabbaths to covens, and from hands of glory to pentagrams. In addition, it provides biographies of key figures, such as the 17th-century "Witch-Finder General", Matthew Hopkins, and the "Great Beast" Aleister Crowley and gives detailed accounts of notorious witch trials, drawing on contemporary documents and eye-witness views.

Genres: Reference, Occult, Nonfiction, Witchcraft

320 pages, Paperback

First published December 12, 1991

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a book to read but one to dip into. Good source of obscure reference.

[Diana Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had a well loved, and well worn out, hardcover copy of this book for many years now and I am thrilled to see it's finally been made available in an affordable ebook format!

There are many books that claim to be dictionaries or encyclopedias of witchcraft out there, and very few of them are exactly that. This is one of those that are exactly that. I've found it to be a valuable resource over the years and I highly recommend it for any witch's bookshelf!

[Noelle Walsh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was quite good. Looking at it from a historical standpoint it was incredible! I learned a lot that I didn't know about pre-modern witchcraft and I have already taken the liberty of recommending it! This book is really worth reading!

[Robert Bagnall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m never quite sure how to tackle these sort of reviews: I’ve been reading this because I’m not an expert, so what exactly do I measure it against? It’s eminently readable, detailed, and appears thoroughly researched, but maybe there’s an enormous witch-shaped hole in the entries I’m not seeing? Maybe it’s all made up? The last one is quite plausible because, let’s face it, on one level or another, it largely is. Favourite nugget: sleeping with a wolf’s head under your pillow prevents nightmares. Yeah, if you get any sleep at all…

[Christina Widmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

In der Mittelstufe musste ich ein Referat über Hexenverfolgung im Mittelalter halten. Eine glatte 1 mit diesem Buch als einziger Quelle.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although there are some interesting entries about witch trials and other thing, there is an undercuurent in the text. This man does not like witches and thinks they were justly burned. Sometimes he seems to sympathize with the victims and at other times he thinks they are crazy. The modern day witchcraft/wicca movement isn't taken seriously by him and he generalizes all the modern day practitioners. It makes me wonder why someone who has such a prejudiced view of witches (old and modern)would even write aa book about it.

[Ben]

In Half-Price Books, it looked good enough to me. I didn't get a chance to look at it carefully; something to look into.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive collection of information about witches and their persecution in times past.