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#Post#: 58-------------------------------------------------- |
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The Cunning Man's Handbook: The Practice of English Folk Magic, |
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1550-1900 |
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By: Alfred Raeburne Date: October 27, 2014, 3:35 pm |
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http://www.amazon.com/The-Cunning-Mans-Handbook-1550-1900/dp/1905297688/ref=pd_… |
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"The desire to understand magic in any specific cultural context |
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is an intellectual puzzle not only for scholars but believers." |
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- Jim Baker The Cunning Man's Handbook is a monumental work of |
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phenomenal scope and scholarship,a comprehensive and challenging |
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exploration of the practices and beliefs of Cunning Folk in |
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Britain and America between 1550-1900, their heyday. Exploring |
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the social and theological milieu of the period, the author |
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demonstrates the essentially Christian nature of Cunning |
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practices, presenting an illuminating discourse on the concept |
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of magic and its perceived methodologies. Operating at the |
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boundaries of the law and society, between medicine and magic, |
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Cunning men and women occupied a liminal role as healers, |
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charmers and magicians. Drawing from a huge range of sources, |
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the range of services offered by Cunning Folk is thoroughly |
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expounded, from divination through astrology and geomancy to |
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dream interpretation, from charms, spells and curses to |
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conjurations and treasure hunting. As author Jim Baker states, |
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"The focus here is on the practice of folk magic and divination |
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for access to the preternatural". The evolution of Cunning |
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practices as a living tradition over a three hundred and fifty |
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year span is explored in depth, illustrating their practical and |
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contemporary nature. The analogous practices of African-American |
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conjure and root work are also discussed and offer insights into |
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oral fragments of Cunning practices lost to history, presenting |
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a compelling example of how modernity modifies |
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tradition."~Amazon Review |
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