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The History of Witchcraft and Demonology
Vividly detailed and highly readable, this classic history of witchcraft and demonology provides a thorough exploration of sorcery, Satanism, and every variety of the black arts. Reflecting popular folklore and theological opinions of the late medieval and early Renaissance periods, this survey of necromancy traces witchcraft from ancient times to the twentieth century, describing the link between heresy and the occult. Threaded with dramatic accounts of witch trials and devil's pacts, this time-tested reference offers a compelling look at The Worship of the Witch, Demons and Familiars, the Sabbat, and Diabolic Possession and Modern Spiritism. It also offers fascinating insight into the role of the Witch in Dramatic Literature.
A prolific occult historian, Montague Summers wrote numerous books, and he edited and translated such important early demonology and witchcraft texts as the Malleus Maleficarum . An intriguing perspective on the development of the black arts and their heretical interpretations by society, church, and state, The History of Witchcraft and Demonology will capture the attention of the general reader as well as the occult enthusiast. Eight meticulously reproduced illustrations from the original publication are included in this unabridged edition.
A prolific occult historian, Montague Summers wrote numerous books, and he edited and translated such important early demonology and witchcraft texts as the Malleus Maleficarum . An intriguing perspective on the development of the black arts and their heretical interpretations by society, church, and state, The History of Witchcraft and Demonology will capture the attention of the general reader as well as the occult enthusiast. Eight meticulously reproduced illustrations from the original publication are included in this unabridged edition.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1926
55 people are currently reading
2225 people want to read
About the author
Montague Summers
184 books107 followersAugustus Montague Summers was an Anglican priest and later convert to Roman Catholicism known primarily for his scholarly work on the English drama of the 17th century, as well as for his studies on witches, vampires, and werewolves, in all of which he professed to believe. He was responsible for the first English translation, published in 1928, of the notorious 15th-century witch hunter's manual, the Malleus Maleficarum.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
January 23, 2010
More pseudo-academic religious quibble from Montague. This man writes about the supposedly lewd practices of the devil-worshiping diabolical witch as though he wishes he could have been there. He tends to wander a bit in his writing. One begins to wonder exactly what his point could be, other than "I wish I could attend a Black Mass!"
I rate it high simply by merit of its entertainment value. Having read his entry on werewolves before picking up any of his other works I find it impossible to take anything he says seriously.
I see that some other readers on here have it tagged as belonging in Wiccan reference? This book's subject has absolutely nothing to do with the Wiccan religion, its beliefs or its practices. It's Christian propogated folklore, amusing and at one time dangerous.
I rate it high simply by merit of its entertainment value. Having read his entry on werewolves before picking up any of his other works I find it impossible to take anything he says seriously.
I see that some other readers on here have it tagged as belonging in Wiccan reference? This book's subject has absolutely nothing to do with the Wiccan religion, its beliefs or its practices. It's Christian propogated folklore, amusing and at one time dangerous.
January 23, 2010
More pseudo-academic religious quibble from Montague. This man writes about the supposedly lewd practices of the devil-worshiping diabolical witch as though he wishes he could have been there. He tends to wander a bit in his writing. One begins to wonder exactly what his point could be, other than "I wish I could attend a Black Mass!"
I rate it high simply by merit of its entertainment value. Having read his entry on werewolves before picking up any of his other works I find it impossible to take anything he says seriously.
I see that some other readers on here have it tagged as belonging in Wiccan reference? This book's subject has absolutely nothing to do with the Wiccan religion, its beliefs or its practices. It's Christian propogated folklore, amusing and at one time dangerous.
I rate it high simply by merit of its entertainment value. Having read his entry on werewolves before picking up any of his other works I find it impossible to take anything he says seriously.
I see that some other readers on here have it tagged as belonging in Wiccan reference? This book's subject has absolutely nothing to do with the Wiccan religion, its beliefs or its practices. It's Christian propogated folklore, amusing and at one time dangerous.
July 19, 2016
Are you suffering from insomnia?
Has excessive exercise of logic, based on facts, made you irritable, and made everybody else look like simpletons?
Is the most mind-boggling summer read failing to ensnare you in the trap of narrative offered by the unreliable narrator?
In short, are you feeling bored, but failing to simply doze off?
Look no further.
This book, that pretends to be one of the most erudite one on the subject, but which structures itself around thoughts that might make the village-idiot guffaw, is the ideal remedy.
After reading it, either you would start appreciating the nicer things in life again, or else simply fall asleep, which is also rather refreshing, let me assure you.
Therefore, this book is only for those suffering from above-mentioned ailments, and NOT for those who actually want to study the various facets of witchcraft and demonology.
You've been warned.
Has excessive exercise of logic, based on facts, made you irritable, and made everybody else look like simpletons?
Is the most mind-boggling summer read failing to ensnare you in the trap of narrative offered by the unreliable narrator?
In short, are you feeling bored, but failing to simply doze off?
Look no further.
This book, that pretends to be one of the most erudite one on the subject, but which structures itself around thoughts that might make the village-idiot guffaw, is the ideal remedy.
After reading it, either you would start appreciating the nicer things in life again, or else simply fall asleep, which is also rather refreshing, let me assure you.
Therefore, this book is only for those suffering from above-mentioned ailments, and NOT for those who actually want to study the various facets of witchcraft and demonology.
You've been warned.
April 26, 2010
I had the oppurtunity to read this book at my community college. It was an original first printing...it was behind a glass door...I needed to ask for a key!
In short, I detest this man but found this book very interesting because of how extreme his views were and how far this man was willing to go in the name of the church. When you read this book, you have to remind yourself that its content was written with the intention of 'teaching' the reader how to detect/prosecute a witch...He is very serious about what is written in this book. To him, this was not a work of fiction. There are long rants in this book. It is a historically interesting book written by a man who claimed to know much about the occult but knew nothing at all.
In short, I detest this man but found this book very interesting because of how extreme his views were and how far this man was willing to go in the name of the church. When you read this book, you have to remind yourself that its content was written with the intention of 'teaching' the reader how to detect/prosecute a witch...He is very serious about what is written in this book. To him, this was not a work of fiction. There are long rants in this book. It is a historically interesting book written by a man who claimed to know much about the occult but knew nothing at all.
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February 10, 2020Where did I stop reading? Page 51
Why? I’m researching a rather witchy book I want to write and this sounded like something that would give me some solid background information about witchcraft. I was wrong. So incredibly wrong. I didn’t know until I actually picked up the book from the library that it actually came out in 1926 and was presented as is from that time. And it’s written by a dude who was all like, “Those Inquisitors were just and intelligent and were ridding the earth of heresy.” And I’m over here like . . . what. All the while he’s shitting on a woman who had the sack to write a history on witchcraft from an anthropological perspective and, from what Summers quoted, appeared far more accurate than this guy, because of just how wrong she got witchcraft. So in reality, this is not an actual history on witchcraft. This is a history of the false hysteria of witchcraft perpetuated by bros like Summers who bought into the stories and supported the genocide of women. Pass.
Why? I’m researching a rather witchy book I want to write and this sounded like something that would give me some solid background information about witchcraft. I was wrong. So incredibly wrong. I didn’t know until I actually picked up the book from the library that it actually came out in 1926 and was presented as is from that time. And it’s written by a dude who was all like, “Those Inquisitors were just and intelligent and were ridding the earth of heresy.” And I’m over here like . . . what. All the while he’s shitting on a woman who had the sack to write a history on witchcraft from an anthropological perspective and, from what Summers quoted, appeared far more accurate than this guy, because of just how wrong she got witchcraft. So in reality, this is not an actual history on witchcraft. This is a history of the false hysteria of witchcraft perpetuated by bros like Summers who bought into the stories and supported the genocide of women. Pass.
November 15, 2015
Written in a terribly distracting, archaic academic style. The one saving grace (ha!) was the author's (a Catholic priest) seeming literal belief in The Devil, devil worship, and so on--which was disturbing, sad and comical. It read like something from the medieval era, although the 20's Catholic Church probably wasn't very far removed from that, anyway. An interesting point in that regard was the author's blatant anti-Semitism, in which he connected devil worship with Jews.
September 4, 2019
I still remember when I was 11 years old and this book accidentally fell from the school library shelf starting my life long journey into the occult. It was just a very limited and “elementary” library after all. So what the hell was this doing in it? Maybe there were only 200 books in it total. I was just looking for books on magic tricks on the shelf below when it oddly fell out from above on it’s own. They were sturdy shelves.
I remember reading it all night, I slept on the third story all alone from my family, window facing a vast wood with owls hooting by my window. I was scared witless with my hair standing up but I couldn’t stop, I was obsessed.
Things were different back in the 80’s in a way post millenials may never experience, there was still a real fear of hell and the supernatural and the devil (I’m still very interested in all of these, though certainly not as a modern exoteric Christian like this fellow). In the 80’s though it was like the world was still going through it’s early psychic teenage years after it’s innocent flowering 60’s and 70’s youth and man was still afraid of the dark in a way that might actually start connecting you with things actually in the dark (like when a person 13 years of age can experience odd things). They are said by many ancient cultures to be the most mediumistic then.
Even modern materialist scientists recognize a continuum between strange claims of psychic phenomena and there being statistically a 13 or 14 year old in the house. So many of them began saying children chemico-physiologically give off the strongest emotions at this point in their life and can effect objects magnetically or vibrationally around them (dark matter makes up 95% of the universe and it is not physically observable, so these studies are just beginning).
Whatever is the case I know this period was one of magnetic attraction to the unknowable for me and this started it. Now I should really like to read it again in my 40’s and give a totally different review than this one I am giving basically as an 11 year old and going so faintly from memory.
If I recall, once having seen this book again in my 20’s, the author truly does seem delighted to know of the ways of magic but then condemns it as of the devil (yet seems half skeptical of all of it!)- a dangerously bad trifecta of a place to be in and pretty near the mentality of the inquisitors in medieval times who were some of the most revolting people. As Jesus said in the Gospel of Thomas: “They either condemn the tree but love the fruit or hate the fruit and praise only the tree, such are the misguided Pharisees.” To understand this, one must read my review on Thus Spake Zarathustra, particularly on Virility or Vril being a whole per Nietzsche but very different from popular morality.
Yes this book does go through some good examples of the history of witchcraft, but it focuses more on the medieval period overmuch. There have been many kinds of magic in every culture and in every century as far back as history goes and further. And as an esoteric historian by profession I can tell you magic becomes more predominant and central to all cultures in every corner of the globe the further back you look.
So this book is just the tip of an iceberg rising out of the sea; yet the old rest of the iceberg is still quite buried in the waves of modernity; so I suppose there is some value to this work even presently. For as connection to the noumenal was lost over time, superstitious attachment to the mere mundane, the peripheral and chthonic dense phenomenal (modern increasing materialists identified with their senses) became the way of the day until now. A stilted, stagnant, stasis came over man slowly toward his own super-mundane and the super-mundane in all this “corpse of a world” (- Thomas the Contender). Man became “deannoyia” (Greek), paranoid and fragmented in mind instead of light seeing inner light. Super-stitious eytmologically originally meant stilted, irrational, static, fear of the unknown/the noumenal/the supra. This is what moderns have, not the ancients.
Moderns think the further back one looks the more superstitious and savage man was; primordial gnostic archaicists say the opposite: man began as light in touch with light experiencing the shamanic super-mundane noumenal in all: in themselves and in life. Then slowly man became dead to all this as they became more modern, which gave rise to their superstitious paranoic fears of any of those claiming to experience the invisible. Now the medieval witch hunt inquisitions (not ending till Napoleon officially shut their foul branch down) could rise up again easily in our age and become doubly worse if the new modern skeptics one step further dead than the inquisitors get fully in charge and wish to start plaguing the noumenalists even worse as “woo woo dangerous people.”
Indeed Kissinger’s biographer laughed on a C-span recorded lecture when he said K. always realized to bring progress to any society one has to first kill all it’s priests, as they are the most dangerous to rousing men again.
So I recommend this book but more to those looking into just the medieval period and starting in a very elementary way in their search for magic. There are hundreds of books on the history of magic far better and more in depth than this half misguided and overly superstitious but intriguing work.
I remember reading it all night, I slept on the third story all alone from my family, window facing a vast wood with owls hooting by my window. I was scared witless with my hair standing up but I couldn’t stop, I was obsessed.
Things were different back in the 80’s in a way post millenials may never experience, there was still a real fear of hell and the supernatural and the devil (I’m still very interested in all of these, though certainly not as a modern exoteric Christian like this fellow). In the 80’s though it was like the world was still going through it’s early psychic teenage years after it’s innocent flowering 60’s and 70’s youth and man was still afraid of the dark in a way that might actually start connecting you with things actually in the dark (like when a person 13 years of age can experience odd things). They are said by many ancient cultures to be the most mediumistic then.
Even modern materialist scientists recognize a continuum between strange claims of psychic phenomena and there being statistically a 13 or 14 year old in the house. So many of them began saying children chemico-physiologically give off the strongest emotions at this point in their life and can effect objects magnetically or vibrationally around them (dark matter makes up 95% of the universe and it is not physically observable, so these studies are just beginning).
Whatever is the case I know this period was one of magnetic attraction to the unknowable for me and this started it. Now I should really like to read it again in my 40’s and give a totally different review than this one I am giving basically as an 11 year old and going so faintly from memory.
If I recall, once having seen this book again in my 20’s, the author truly does seem delighted to know of the ways of magic but then condemns it as of the devil (yet seems half skeptical of all of it!)- a dangerously bad trifecta of a place to be in and pretty near the mentality of the inquisitors in medieval times who were some of the most revolting people. As Jesus said in the Gospel of Thomas: “They either condemn the tree but love the fruit or hate the fruit and praise only the tree, such are the misguided Pharisees.” To understand this, one must read my review on Thus Spake Zarathustra, particularly on Virility or Vril being a whole per Nietzsche but very different from popular morality.
Yes this book does go through some good examples of the history of witchcraft, but it focuses more on the medieval period overmuch. There have been many kinds of magic in every culture and in every century as far back as history goes and further. And as an esoteric historian by profession I can tell you magic becomes more predominant and central to all cultures in every corner of the globe the further back you look.
So this book is just the tip of an iceberg rising out of the sea; yet the old rest of the iceberg is still quite buried in the waves of modernity; so I suppose there is some value to this work even presently. For as connection to the noumenal was lost over time, superstitious attachment to the mere mundane, the peripheral and chthonic dense phenomenal (modern increasing materialists identified with their senses) became the way of the day until now. A stilted, stagnant, stasis came over man slowly toward his own super-mundane and the super-mundane in all this “corpse of a world” (- Thomas the Contender). Man became “deannoyia” (Greek), paranoid and fragmented in mind instead of light seeing inner light. Super-stitious eytmologically originally meant stilted, irrational, static, fear of the unknown/the noumenal/the supra. This is what moderns have, not the ancients.
Moderns think the further back one looks the more superstitious and savage man was; primordial gnostic archaicists say the opposite: man began as light in touch with light experiencing the shamanic super-mundane noumenal in all: in themselves and in life. Then slowly man became dead to all this as they became more modern, which gave rise to their superstitious paranoic fears of any of those claiming to experience the invisible. Now the medieval witch hunt inquisitions (not ending till Napoleon officially shut their foul branch down) could rise up again easily in our age and become doubly worse if the new modern skeptics one step further dead than the inquisitors get fully in charge and wish to start plaguing the noumenalists even worse as “woo woo dangerous people.”
Indeed Kissinger’s biographer laughed on a C-span recorded lecture when he said K. always realized to bring progress to any society one has to first kill all it’s priests, as they are the most dangerous to rousing men again.
So I recommend this book but more to those looking into just the medieval period and starting in a very elementary way in their search for magic. There are hundreds of books on the history of magic far better and more in depth than this half misguided and overly superstitious but intriguing work.
February 17, 2012
An historical curio which buys into a lot of the Christian fiction surrounding witchcraft and demonology; likely the same hysteria which prompted Anton LaVey to later say: "The Devil is the best friend the Church has ever had, as it has kept it in business all these years."
November 18, 2017
I read this book as part of my research for a fictional book I'm working on. I was hoping to gain some more insight into Witchcraft. While I did learn a few interesting facts from this book, for the most part, it was a little boring.
October 15, 2016
Last year, I found this book on my bookshelf and began reading it as background research for the third novel in the Baglady Series: BAGLADY AT LARGE. In that context, I intended merely to employ the witchcraft theme in a light and humorous vein. However, the premise of the History of Witchcraft, was unexpected and thought-provoking. Montague Summers, a pious English clergyman and accomplished writer, truly believed in the existence of witchcraft and refuted the notion that it was nothing more than folklore or ignorant superstition. The History of Witchcraft is extremely well written in a Dickensian literary style. It delves methodically into a trove of detailed information from Biblical times, through to the Mediaeval era and modern times, repeatedly affirming the author's literal belief in witchcraft as a genuine and evil phenomena even in our day.
October 19, 2011
Although this book was very informative it was very repetitive. The book was strictly from the church standpoint, It does not include any sources that are not either partially or directly related to the Church. From the Church of the time it seems that historically the church condemns all peoples pf different views who are made to be called witches. Although this was rather disappointing to read the book is completely correct in that sense of how the church acted making it a valuable resource. But it in not a adequate source if you are reading in order to learn about how witchcraft was used. When the book does mention "witch" practice it is very vague and evasive. It was a decent book to read if you wish to learn about the history of the fear of witchcraft.
October 27, 2014
Montague Summers seems entirely convinced that witchcraft happened, but he overlooks the fact that these demonic activities and black magic rituals were largely conceived out of irrational fear. I don't agree with his views on witchcraft at all (I've always been more favourable to magical practice and sorceresses), but I am always amazed with his impressive bibliography and findings. I enjoyed the bits about Pythagorean treatment of demons and his inclusion of the rite of exorcism, as well as the rooster's relationship with witches. I don't know how accurate his information is, and I could argue with him all day long , but this book is very entertaining, to say the least, and introduces the reader to the vast realm of demonological scholarship.
February 23, 2009
My copy is titled just 'The history of witchcraft'. Summers is of the holy Roman church and defends the church sponsored mass murders of the 16th,17th and 18th centuries.
All classes were concerned, he writes, from Pope to peasant, from Queen to cottage gill. Yes, Montague, but what class was put in the flames and by whom?
All classes were concerned, he writes, from Pope to peasant, from Queen to cottage gill. Yes, Montague, but what class was put in the flames and by whom?
October 28, 2012
Very interesting but often a dry read.
January 3, 2012
Montague Summers is almost hilariously credulous, but this does not stop it from being an entertaining or educational, as long as taken with many grains of salt.
October 27, 2012
Very cool book.
January 18, 2013
A BRIEF HISTORY OF WITCHCRAFT AND DEMONOLOGY WHICH IS GOOD TO READ AND UNDERSTAND!
January 11, 2014
A decent history of Witchcraft, not the modern variant but the medieval.
January 19, 2016
The author's contribution to the subject earns him a five by providing rich content and perspective, but the abhorrence of his perspective takes his rating down a notch.
January 20, 2024
At best, this book should be learned from and enjoyed as a time capsule for studying the papish pearl-clutching of the 1920s. To say he researched a lot does not mean it is well-researched, but it’s definitely chockfull of bizarre cherrypicked church ‘facts’ dating back to BCE. It's certainly a choice to base a thesis on the argument that the best (all male, all Christian) minds of their time knew these things to be true, so they must have been and still are today; "these things" including demonic possession (which can only be cured by a Catholic priest), the existence of vampires, equating Judaism with cannibalism, dildos as a gateway to hell with a capital H (the female orgasm acting as a portal to it), and witches confessing because of their obvious guilt and not because of the torture involved in obtaining the confession. It reads as if an AI bot was asked to write a history of the Catholic church in which all priests, especially those of the Inquisition, are Superman.
Poor rating for this edition because it was obviously a copy and paste job and would have been vastly improved with literally any editing, to possibly include translations of the countless Latin, German, etc. quotes or annotations to provide context for any number of his ravings.
Poor rating for this edition because it was obviously a copy and paste job and would have been vastly improved with literally any editing, to possibly include translations of the countless Latin, German, etc. quotes or annotations to provide context for any number of his ravings.
March 31, 2025
If you ever want to read a hilarious book chock full of religious paranoia, look no further, you found it.
Let me make this as simple as possible. Are you jewish? You're evil. Muslim? In league with the devil. One of those asian religions? Blasphemers. Low protestant? Devil worshiper. High protestant? Probably attended at least one black mass. Non-catholic christian? Probably attended at least one black mass and met the devil. Catholic? You are blessed, forgiven, loved, cared for, you've suckled at Mary's breast, ...
There are some passages in this book where I literally burst out laughing. Other passages left me scratching my head; did you really believe what you wrote, Montague?
While thinly - near anorexically - disguised as an anthropology text, the book's one good feature is as a research tool for people writing about persecution from the early days of the RC church in Europe up through approximately 1930. In many ways it reads like an English Malleus Malefircarum with its many descriptions of what the persecutors determined who were persecutees. As noted earlier, good research tool, that.
Let me make this as simple as possible. Are you jewish? You're evil. Muslim? In league with the devil. One of those asian religions? Blasphemers. Low protestant? Devil worshiper. High protestant? Probably attended at least one black mass. Non-catholic christian? Probably attended at least one black mass and met the devil. Catholic? You are blessed, forgiven, loved, cared for, you've suckled at Mary's breast, ...
There are some passages in this book where I literally burst out laughing. Other passages left me scratching my head; did you really believe what you wrote, Montague?
While thinly - near anorexically - disguised as an anthropology text, the book's one good feature is as a research tool for people writing about persecution from the early days of the RC church in Europe up through approximately 1930. In many ways it reads like an English Malleus Malefircarum with its many descriptions of what the persecutors determined who were persecutees. As noted earlier, good research tool, that.
July 18, 2022
This is an odd book written by an odd fellow. It's a fascinating document that collects and examines original sources, making it an invaluable resource for anyone interested in European witchcraft, but Summers' own analysis is completely singular, and very interesting in its own right.
He was a (possibly fake) priest from the early 20th century who believed in actual witches, demons, vampires, and so on, all of which were part of a literal Satanic conspiracy. In fact, he essentially argued that all heretical movements, from the Bogomils to the Waldensians, were the same movement, and were all satanic in original, and all basically identical to witchcraft. Summers was possessed of one of the finest minds of the 17th century - it's just a shame he was born so many years after his time (also, he was deeply anti-Semitic, which is not cool).
He was a (possibly fake) priest from the early 20th century who believed in actual witches, demons, vampires, and so on, all of which were part of a literal Satanic conspiracy. In fact, he essentially argued that all heretical movements, from the Bogomils to the Waldensians, were the same movement, and were all satanic in original, and all basically identical to witchcraft. Summers was possessed of one of the finest minds of the 17th century - it's just a shame he was born so many years after his time (also, he was deeply anti-Semitic, which is not cool).
May 14, 2019
Montague Summer's book was probably one of the most interesting books I have read thus far in 2019. When I skimmed this book several months ago, I thought I would have some difficulty understanding the text, but as I read through the book it was not as difficult as I had surmised.
As this is the first book I have read concerning the history of witchcraft, I cannot compare this book to anything else I have read. I found Summer's treatment of witches and demonology in the Scriptures and in the dramatics to be very insightful and it has me motivated to read other works of literature that focus specifically on witchcraft.
As this is the first book I have read concerning the history of witchcraft, I cannot compare this book to anything else I have read. I found Summer's treatment of witches and demonology in the Scriptures and in the dramatics to be very insightful and it has me motivated to read other works of literature that focus specifically on witchcraft.
July 3, 2019
An interesting and at times entertaining read. Montague Summers had such hilarious logic - he seemed to think that contemporary seances were proof of levitation conducted by witches in the past. For a book that's supposed to be about the history of witchcraft and demonology, it relies an awful lot on heresay and even the portrayal of witches in fiction. I'm tempted to read up on Margaret Murray's stuff since he was so scathing of her work.
That said, there's a great bit on exorcism formats if anyone wants that sort of thing for inspiration when writing a novel.
That said, there's a great bit on exorcism formats if anyone wants that sort of thing for inspiration when writing a novel.
September 7, 2023
Gosh, this was difficult to finish.
Mr. Summers certainly has a talent for making everything sound dry and boring.
Plus, it was frustrating not being able to understand half the quotes that he added in Latin, French, and Greek. Some were translated, and I am Greek, so those I got, but the rest, nope.
At least this book gave me the incentive to do some research on several people and topics that interested me, so it was not a total loss.
Mr. Summers certainly has a talent for making everything sound dry and boring.
Plus, it was frustrating not being able to understand half the quotes that he added in Latin, French, and Greek. Some were translated, and I am Greek, so those I got, but the rest, nope.
At least this book gave me the incentive to do some research on several people and topics that interested me, so it was not a total loss.
March 28, 2024
This is hard to review since I’m reading more to learn about its author and his worldview (in which case it’s very helpful), as a general history it has strong biases which are obvious in the text. A weird and fascinating survey or history but also a window into a strange figure in Christian history.
October 18, 2018
A fascinating and informative survey by a Catholic priest. He has a lively style. He relishes the details of the evil practices, and laughs at the follies of atheists and Protestants.
Sometimes the long lists get tiresome, but this book is well worth reading.
Sometimes the long lists get tiresome, but this book is well worth reading.
September 7, 2020
Just a scan of book
This review is nothing against the book itself, which is an interesting take on the subject. This Kindle edition is a waste of time and money. It is simply a scan. No TOC. No highlighting.
This review is nothing against the book itself, which is an interesting take on the subject. This Kindle edition is a waste of time and money. It is simply a scan. No TOC. No highlighting.
May 10, 2023
Useful only in academia to explore the perspective of a Catholic priest from the 19th/20th century on the history of the witch trials. It is apparent that the author wishes he could have partaken in that history and if that is not evident of reincarnation I don’t know what is!
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October 23, 2019it was a hard read but it was okay
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