Did you know that it used to be the custom to fight at Scottish funerals until blood was drawn? If you've ever wanted the definitive answers on subjects such as black cats, magpies and spilt milk, look no further than this classic, critically acclaimed dictionary. Hundreds of superstitions and beliefs, including spells, cures, rituals, taboos, charms, and omens are covered, and illustrated by quotations that trace their development through the centuries. Subjects include advice on the signs to observe when getting married, the significance of animals, plants, stones, colours, food and drink, the elements and heavenly bodies, precautions to be taken after a death in the house, and many more. Superstitions are arranged alphabetically by subject, and fully cross referenced for easy browsing. In addition to providing quotations illustrating references to superstitions in everyday life , the dictionary also contains a wealth of information illustrating the history of popular superstition. For example, the lucky horseshoe was protection against witches in the sixteenth century, and touching wood may be a lingering memory of the veneration attached to the relics of the cross. Both informative and accessible, this dictionary is a browser's delight, and a fascinating work of reference for anyone with an interest in superstitions and their history.
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From Library Journal
This one-volume reference work on superstitions does not compare favorably with such works as Edwin & Mona A. Radford's Encyclopedia of Superstitions (Greenwood, 1969. reprint). Its two major flaws are a failure to spell out clearly at the beginning of each entry exactly what superstition is being covered and a tendency to plunge immediately into ancient examples of folk wisdom or incidents on the subject. This is not so much a dictionary as a trove of historical examples of superstitious behavior. As such, it has a very limited appeal to advanced scholars and limited appeal to libraries. It could, however, serve as a back-up for those who want further information not found in works like that of the Radfords.
- Gordon Stein, Univ. of Rhode Island Lib., Kingston
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
- Gordon Stein, Univ. of Rhode Island Lib., Kingston
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
`Review from previous edition a browser's delight' Sunday Times
`wholly admirable, highly readable ... a memorable piece of work' Literary Review
`for thos who presumed they had little but magpies and spilt milk to worry about, it offers a whole new insight into the potential terrors of everyday life' Books
`Touch wood, cross-fingers, this book will be a success ... it certainly deserves to be' Scotsman
`wholly admirable, highly readable ... a memorable piece of work' Literary Review
`for thos who presumed they had little but magpies and spilt milk to worry about, it offers a whole new insight into the potential terrors of everyday life' Books
`Touch wood, cross-fingers, this book will be a success ... it certainly deserves to be' Scotsman
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4.6 out of 5 stars
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Why are Four-Leaf Clovers Lucky?
Nov 21 2004
By nansee555
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
According to _A Dictionary of Superstitions_, the answer to that one goes back to 1507. The book is filled with page after page of the interesting stories behind close to any superstition one could imagine. As its title suggests, the superstitions are presented in a dictionary format, something that I found very helpful. The definitions include--to different extents--histories, dates, publications, locations, and sometimes even related poetry or bits of songs. There are fifteen different entries for "Eggs," if this gives you any idea as to the scope of book! More than anything, it's a fun read (and to be taken with a "grain of salt" perhaps). It's entirely possible to sit down and read the letter "C," for example, all of the way through, from "Cabbage Stalk: divination" to "Cutlery falls=visitor." One of the best aspects of the text is the sometimes bizarre anecdotes included by the editors, and the conversational and often entertaining manner in which the entries are written. Wonder why it's bad luck to have a clock facing a fire or to crack a mirror, why it's a good idea to rub a dead mouse on your cheek, or where the first references to the cricket as an omen appeared? There's a lot more (494 pages worth), and I definitely recommend it.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best for the serious researcher AND mere browser...
Oct 25 2009
By Dennis Hendrix
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
This is an excellent book for both serious folklorists and the mere browser of strange beliefs of old. Under each key word it lists various beliefs stretching back centuries and cites the source there as well. This may not be as lengthy a text as Hyatt's "Folklore From Adam's County Illinois" or the two-volume "Frank C. Brown Collection of North Carolina Folklore" -- but it certainly is one of the more serious efforts of cataloging superstitions that has been produced in the past quarter century. Of all the books I own on the topic (over 25), this one would be in the top five, both as a reference book and a great book for merely dipping into.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A no-nonsense, definitive reference to superstitions ranging from spells, cures, and rituals to taboos, charms and omens
May 1 2006
By Midwest Book Review
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Oxford Dictionary Of Superstitions is a no-nonsense, definitive reference to superstitions ranging from spells, cures, and rituals to taboos, charms and omens. Entries are arranged alphabetically by subject; each listing presents a handful of historical citations that offer evidence of the belief. A select bibliography and analytical index round out this exemplary and easy-to-use quick reference.
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4.6 out of 5 stars
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