How did our ancestors use the concept of demons to explain sleep paralysis? Is that carving in the porch of your local church really what you think it is? And what's that tapping noise on the roof of your car..?The fields of folklore have never been more popular – a recent resurgence of interest in traditional beliefs and customs, coupled with morbid curiosities in folk horror, historic witchcraft cases and our superstitious past, have led to an intersection of ide...

This is Zoinks!, the critically-acclaimed book about Scooby-Doo by well-known folklorist and podcaster Mark Norman. Recognised internationally for his expertise in folklore and known by many for his Folklore Podcast, Mark is the perfect guide for a tour through the myths and legends that have inspired the iconic cartoon. For over half a century, a gang of teens - Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy - and their dog, Scooby, have captivated audiences with their supernatural sleuthing, operating unde...

As featured in The New York Times...Throughout the history of civilisation, traditional crafts have been passed down from hand to skilled hand. Blacksmithing, brewing, beekeeping, baking, milling, spinning, knitting and weaving: these skills held societies together, and so too shaped their folklore and mythology.Exploring the folklore connected with these rural crafts, Telling the Bees examines the customs, superstitions and stories woven in...

Witchcraft and witches throughout history have long captured the imagination, yet hidden away in archives are records of long forgotten cases. Many of these are tragic, some are unusual – perhaps even inexplicable – but all are fascinating in their own right.Devon's Forgotten Witches 1860–1910 takes a deep dive through these records, bringing to the surface accusations of witchcraft in the county that have languished, unacknowledged, in the British Newspap...

Requested for the Wolfson History Prize 2024.Devon has a long and rich folkloric heritage which has been extensively collected over many years. This book consolidates more than a century of research by eminent Devon folklorists into one valuable study and builds on the vital work that was undertaken by the Devonshire Association, providing insightful analysis of the subject matter and drawing comparisons with folklore traditions beyond the county.The first ...

How do we know if magick is real?Wherever you find people, there are stories about magick. Some are myth or folklore, others are tales meant to thrill and intrigue us, and others still are accounts of actual magick, real spirits, and the energetic properties of our natural world. The question is whether or not any of it is true. Mind Over Magick by Tracy Nicholas tackles this complicated—and often personal—inquiry by picking apart what we know, what we don...

Parole officers (POs) support rehabilitation and desistance but face mental health challenges and occupational stressors. Parole Work in Canada provides novel insight into the occupational routines, mental health impacts, and identities of this oft-overlooked group of correctional workers. The authors conducted 150 interviews with POs employed in Canada’s federal correctional system and traverse prison and community spaces in their analyses. They also examined how workplace cultur...

Hallowed Ground examines the surprising traditions, customs, superstitions, and secular imagery found in Christian churches and churchyards, with a particular emphasis on the traditional rural protestant church.Beginning with stories associated with the construction of church buildings themselves and the role that they played in the community, the book moves through a number of subjects where everything might not be as it would seem it should be in the Christian church and...

The Australasian region is home to the greatest diversity of cephalopods — squid, cuttlefish, octopuses — in the world. Yet, we know very little about these fascinating marine animals. This book provides insights into the biology and behaviour of more than 60 species. From the Giant Squid to the deadly Blue-ringed Octopus, the secret lives of cephalopods are revealed in a highly readable form with outstanding colour images and informative text. For each species there is a distribution map and...

We might think of sponges as bathroom objects but the real living animals are far more interesting.They come in all shapes and sizes, occur in all oceans of the world, and have amazing lives.Sponges have lived in our oceans for 600 million years. Ancient forms even built reefs bigger than theGreat Barrier Reef. Today, sponges help clean our oceans, are experts are chemical warfare and canrebuild themselves after being torn apart. Some even live for 2000 years. There is still much to learn ...

Ben and Leila wanted to be parents for so long, but the beautiful little girl that they brought in the world is no ordinary girl. Phoenix sees children that aren’t there, appears in places that she couldn’t possibly be, and seems to know things that she shouldn’t. As the years go by, her unique destiny is revealed.Phoenix Kassim is destined to be the protector of the human race. The fate of the human world and all benevolent Jinn, are in the hands of this young child, the direct de...

It is hard to find an island on the map more central than Sicily. Located at the crossroads between Europe and Africa, and between the Eastern and Western Mediterranean, Sicily has rarely been governed as an independent, unified state. Nonetheless, the island has always occupied a front-row seat to some of the most important events in history, and nowhere is this more obvious than during antiquity.After the Punic Wars, Sicily would remain a Roman domain until the end of antiquity, ...