A Supernatural War
Magic, Divination, and Faith during the First World War
Price: 795.00 INR
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ISBN:
9780198862659
Publication date:
24/08/2022
Paperback
320 pages
222.3x130mm
Price: 795.00 INR
We sell our titles through other companies
Disclaimer :You will be redirected to a third party website.The sole responsibility of supplies, condition of the product, availability of stock, date of delivery, mode of payment will be as promised by the said third party only. Prices and specifications may vary from the OUP India site.
ISBN:
9780198862659
Publication date:
24/08/2022
Paperback
320 pages
Owen Davies
A comprehensive study of the major revival of supernatural beliefs, superstition, and spiritualism during the First World War and its aftermath.,A look at what the beliefs, practices, and contemporary opinions on magic can tell us about broader issues in early twentieth-century society, the experience of war, and the psychology of belief.,Relates how the prophecies of Nostradamus were used as propaganda by both sides, a diverse range of talismans and charms were carried by soldiers, and the myriad tales of battlefield ghosts came to be.,Includes previously unpublished accounts from soldiers and fortune-tellers on their faith and practices, for a remarkable insight into the nature of popular belief.
Rights: OUP UK (INDIAN TERRITORY)
Owen Davies
Description
A Supernatural War reveals the surprising stories of extraordinary people in a world caught up with the promise of occult powers.
It was a commonly expressed view during the First World War that the conflict had seen a major revival of 'superstitious' beliefs and practices.
Churches expressed concerns about the wearing of talismans and amulets, the international press paid considerable interest to the pronouncements of astrologers and prophets, and the authorities in several countries periodically clamped down on fortune tellers and mediums due to concerns over their effect on public morale. Out on the battlefields, soldiers of all nations sought to protect themselves through magical and religious rituals, and, on the home front, people sought out psychics and occult practitioners for news of the fate of their distant loved ones or communication with their spirits. Even away from concerns about the war, suspected witches continued to be abused and people continued to resort to magic and magical practitioners for personal protection, love, and success.
Uncovering and examining beliefs, practices, and contemporary opinions regarding the role of the supernatural in the war years, Owen Davies explores the broader issues regarding early twentieth-century society in the West, the psychology of the supernatural during wartime, and the extent to which the war cast a spotlight on the widespread continuation of popular belief in magic.
About the author
Owen Davies, Professor of History, University of Hertfordshire
Owen Davies is Professor of Social History at the University of Hertfordshire. He has published widely on the history of witchcraft, magic, ghosts, and popular medicine, including Grimoires: A History of Magic Books (2009), Paganism: A Very Short Introduction (2011), Magic: A Very Short Introduction (2012), and America Bewitched: The Story of Witchcraft after Salem (2013), and was the editor for The Oxford Illustrated History of Witchcraft and Magic (2017).
Owen Davies
Table of contents
1:Introduction: A War Full of Wonder
2:Prophetic Times
3:Visions, Spirits, and Psychics
4:Telling Fortunes, Telling Tales
5:Battlefield Luck
6:Trench Faith and Protection
Epilogue
Notes
Index
Owen Davies
Description
A Supernatural War reveals the surprising stories of extraordinary people in a world caught up with the promise of occult powers.
It was a commonly expressed view during the First World War that the conflict had seen a major revival of 'superstitious' beliefs and practices.
Churches expressed concerns about the wearing of talismans and amulets, the international press paid considerable interest to the pronouncements of astrologers and prophets, and the authorities in several countries periodically clamped down on fortune tellers and mediums due to concerns over their effect on public morale. Out on the battlefields, soldiers of all nations sought to protect themselves through magical and religious rituals, and, on the home front, people sought out psychics and occult practitioners for news of the fate of their distant loved ones or communication with their spirits. Even away from concerns about the war, suspected witches continued to be abused and people continued to resort to magic and magical practitioners for personal protection, love, and success.
Uncovering and examining beliefs, practices, and contemporary opinions regarding the role of the supernatural in the war years, Owen Davies explores the broader issues regarding early twentieth-century society in the West, the psychology of the supernatural during wartime, and the extent to which the war cast a spotlight on the widespread continuation of popular belief in magic.
About the author
Owen Davies, Professor of History, University of Hertfordshire
Owen Davies is Professor of Social History at the University of Hertfordshire. He has published widely on the history of witchcraft, magic, ghosts, and popular medicine, including Grimoires: A History of Magic Books (2009), Paganism: A Very Short Introduction (2011), Magic: A Very Short Introduction (2012), and America Bewitched: The Story of Witchcraft after Salem (2013), and was the editor for The Oxford Illustrated History of Witchcraft and Magic (2017).
Table of contents
1:Introduction: A War Full of Wonder
2:Prophetic Times
3:Visions, Spirits, and Psychics
4:Telling Fortunes, Telling Tales
5:Battlefield Luck
6:Trench Faith and Protection
Epilogue
Notes
Index
Mike Cronin
John W. Arthur
John Guy
Balmiki Prasad Singh
Nisha P R
Philip Dwyer
Ambika Aiyadurai
Pink Dandelion
Nick Groom
