Easter: A Pagan Goddess, a Christian Holiday, and their Contested History

by Richard Sermon

Genres: History

196 pages, Hardcover

Published September 5, 2024

Reviews

[Tim O'Neill]

A very useful scholarly work that debunks the common pop history myths about "the pagan origins of Easter", while also adding to what we can likely surmise about the very lightly attested goddess Eostre who (indirectly) gives the feast its English name. Hopefully something of an antidote to the masses of online nonsense on this subject, or at the very least a solid piece of scholarship those of us who try to debunk bad history can point to when assailed by those who insist on the "pagan origins" fakelore.

[Andrew Higgins]

Finished this morning! A timely and in-depth exploration on the origins of #Easter which offers a careful philological reassessment of the evidence surrounding Eostre and the development of Easter. I think Sermon’s strength lies in his disciplined reading of primary sources—particularly Bede—and his refusal to project later assumptions onto sparse early medieval texts. He situates linguistic forms, etymological claims, and antiquarian interpretations within their proper historical contexts, demonstrating how modern narratives often exceed the textual record. Good exploration of how the easter egg and Bunny became associated with Easter (read that chapter while having my one allowed Cadbury Egg!) The result is a measured, scholarly study and another great volume from @UppsalaBooks https://uppsalabooks.com (two new titles to order!)

[Reordberend]

For me this is a wonderful window to the medieval calendar, a rich and informative investigation of the cultural histories behind and beyond the holiday. It also reminds me of the book Winters in the World.

[Deorwynnnnnnn]

“Chasing down the bunnies and delving deep inside the dark spaces that lurk within the chocolate eggs,” this book embarks on an Arthurian quest into the rich, beguiling history of the Easter festival.
I love the cover and the content!

[Reader]

It's great to learn so much about Easter (and beyond Easter).

[Mild]

Beautiful cover, well-designed, informative! Recommend strongly for those who are interested in learning more about Easter.