BOOK OF ENGLISH MAGIC on Wonders & Marvels!

Here's a wonderful piece on one of our favorite history blogs, Wonders and Marvels, by the authors of THE BOOK OF ENGLISH MAGIC on alchemy. Philip Carr-Gomm and Sir Richard Heygate discuss this theme from their book here:

There is something enduringly romantic about the image of the alchemist in their laboratory. It is no wonder that J.K.Rowling said “I’ve never wanted to be a witch, but an alchemist, now that’s a different matter.” Alchemy emerged into recorded history in Alexandria, in the West, and in China and India, in the East, at about the same time: the fourth to the third century BC. No one is sure whether this happened independently, or whether it first arose in one part of the world and was then carried by travellers to the other, which would certainly have been possible, since the Silk Route was already in operation.

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By the sixteenth century alchemy was flourishing in England, and although most alchemists were male, one of the most unusual and talented women in England’s history – Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke – maintained an alchemical laboratory, assisted by Sir Walter Raleigh’s half-brother Adrian Gilbert, who also created an elaborate magical garden in the grounds.

Mary Sidney is remarkable for being one of the few women whose names appear in the history of alchemy in England and, indeed, the world. She was also the first English woman to achieve a significant literary reputation.

Go here to read the article in its entirety, and to enter to win a copy of THE BOOK OF ENGLISH MAGIC!



And here's a clip from Monty Python about witches. Just because.

Halloween Week: A Glance at the Book of English Magic!

Looking for a book Harry and Hermione might have studied at Hogwards, or interested in the history of occult practices in England? Look no further--it's Halloween week, and we're bringing you some excerpts from THE BOOK OF ENGLISH MAGIC.

Here's a history of how the detection of witchcraft used to occur. Scary. For more, check out the book, or check back to the blog this week--we'll be posting additional spells and excerpts!

Some physicians and surgeons, as well as gypsies and exorcists—both lay and clerical—offer to unbewitch clients. But cunning-folk provide the widest range of techniques to combat witchcraft, including preventative charms and the identification of the offending witch, as well as cures for their ‘maleficium’ (evil-doing).

For diagnosis, some wizards used the herb vervain, known since classical times as the ‘Enchanter’s Herb’ and reputedly used by the Druids. A decoction of vervain is used to wash the patient. If the run-off from this washing was filled with hairs or changed colour, witchcraft was clearly afoot!

Bubbles in urine were often taken as signs of bewitchment, and urine-crying can be used to determine the culprit. In the seventeenth century, for example, Joan Peterson, a cunning-woman from Wapping, used the following method to determine whether a client’s cow had been bewitched: she boiled some of the animal’s urine and scryed one of the bubbles produced in this way, seeing within it the face of the woman the cow-keeper already suspected.
As well as diagnosing bewitchment, many cunning-folk offer protection from witches’ spells and the influence of evil spirits. To do this they often made ‘witch bottles,’ which they buried outside a property, under the hearth, or plastered into the walls. The bottles were usually small—3 inches high and made from blue or green glass—but larger bottles were also used, known as ‘Greybeards’ or ‘Bellarmines,’ which were about 9 inches tall, and made from glazed stoneware decorated with fierce bearded faces designed to ward off evil. Inside the bottles, the hair and urine of the person who needed defending are mixed with nails, thorns and pieces of sharp glass. The idea is that the witch or spirit will be attracted to the hair and urine in their search for their victim, and would then be injured by the sharp objects. In addition, the bottle is symbolic of the witch’s bladder, and through sympathetic magic it is designed to inflict excruciating pain on the offending witch.

To treat the results of witchcraft, the most common cures are a combination of written charms and herbal medicine. Fumigants of bay, rue, sage and rosemary are sometimes used, and for internal consumption concoctions of marigold, rosemary, angelica, true-love and St John’s wort. In 1854 it was recorded that a Somerset wizard prescribed an unbewitching ointment of sage, wormwood, jack-in-the-hedge and lard, to be applied to the back of the ear.

New titles from The Overlook Press!

Happy birthday to seven wildly different but equally intriguing titles that hit shelves yesterday from the Overlook warehouses. We hope you all grow up to be bestsellers! Or at least find wonderful homes with people who will love you as much as we do.

Looking for reading material or getting a jump-start on your holiday shopping? This might be the perfect place to start. Our very newest titles:

FORBIDDEN PLACES, by Penny Vincenzi: The "doyenne of the modern blockbuster" (Glamour) is back with another historical romance--this time set in World War II-era England. Three women find their lives and relationships--with their husbands and each other--forever changed by war. (My grandmother, a huge Penny fan, thinks this is her best book since No Angel. I trust her expert opinion!).



THE GENIUS OF DESIGN, by Penny Sparke: The modern history of design told by renowned professor Penny Sparke. This comprehensive tome focuses on design as both a process and product of industry, with numerous illustrations. Even if you're not an industrial designer, this is a completely new way of looking at the world surrounding you and the designers who influence it.


MARITIME DOMINION: NAVAL CAMPAIGNS THAT SHAPED THE MODERN WORLD, by Peter Padfield: Perhaps the greatest naval historian of our day, Peter Padfield explores the difference between land power and sea power and how strong navies have shaped the histories of smaller merchant countries. This volume focuses on 1850 through the present, looking at how the U.S. stepped into the void of naval power in the 20th century. Fascinating and tightly focused military history.


WALLPAPER: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE, by Charlotte Abrahams: 300 years of wall-covering history in one outstandingly gorgeous and richly textured book. As interior designers (both professional and amateur!) see its resurgent popularity, learn about what's happening in the design world now, the history of styles and trends, key designers and manufacturers of wallpaper, and how to use each type of wallpaper in a variety of ways to achieve different affects. (We think this might be the most beautiful book Overlook has ever produced. We love it!)

THE BOOK OF ENGLISH MAGIC, by Philip Carr-Gomm & Richard Heygate: Looking for a Hogwarts-style reading list in time for the Halloween season and the next Harry Potter movie? Look no further than modern druid Carr-Gomm's encylopedia to all things mystical on the British Isles. A comprehensive history and guide to the occult sciences in England, this is a tome that's both educational and entertaining and looks properly wizardly on one's shelf.


WE WERE THERE: AN EYEWITNESS HISTORY OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, edited by Robert Fox: We love this testament to the personal impact the turning points of the 20th century had on the citizens who experienced them, told as a collection of first-person accounts by people including Orville Wright, George Orwell, Ernest Hemingway, Neil Armstrong, and Ernest Shackleton. (We also think it would make an excellent Christmas gift for parents or modern history buffs!)

THE GILDED STAGE: A SOCIAL HISTORY OF OPERA, by Daniel Snowman: An absolute must-read for opera fans with beautiful illustrations, this global social history of the world's most romantic, flamboyant, glamorous and politically influential art-form and the passions it inspires is a wonderful survey of opera through the centuries.


All of these titles are on sale now. Check with your favorite indie bookstore for availability, or if you're a journalist or blogger looking for review copies, email us!