The Encyclopedia Of Superstitions

“For the expert investigation of the human will to believe, we recommend The Encyclopedia of Superstitions.”—The New York Times Why is it said that breaking a mirror or walking under ladders will bring bad luck and misfortunate? Ever wonder why so many people throw salt over their shoulders after spilling it, or wish on shooting stars? The Encyclopedia of Superstitions holds the answers to these questions and more. This classic and captivating reference book catalogs the origins of hundreds of superstitious beliefs and includes a rich history of charms, spells, folklore, and rural remedies drawn from cultures around the world used to commemorate births, marriages, deaths, to ward off evil, or invite good fortune. Edwin and Mona A. Radford uncover why catching a falling leaf in autumn is believed to stave off colds all winter and explain the traditional Norse mythological roots of kissing under the mistletoe at Christmas. They explore the myriad of beliefs surrounding the moon or what spotting a rainbow portends and why. This thought-provoking collection provides a wealth of entertaining entries—stories that have the power to thrill, intrigue, and perhaps send a chill down the spine of even the most skeptical of readers.

Have you ever rubbed a frog on your freckles? Trivia fans and fun fact fanatics will adore this fascinating, flickable encyclopedia of superstitions! Richard Webster presents over five hundred of the most obscure, curious, and just-plain-freaky superstitions of the Western world. Discover batty beliefs about baldness, beans, and the Bermuda Triangle, and peculiar practices regarding hiccups, hearses, and hunchbacks. From modern myths to centuries-old lore, The Encyclopedia of Superstitions offers a wealth of wonderfully weird beliefs on just about every topic you can imagine: Holidays Birth Death Weddings Colors Gemstones Trees Flowers Fairies Weather Numbers Animals Birds Insects Household Items Zodiac Signs Gambling The Human Body Food Praise: "[T]his reference makes for compulsive browsing."—Publishers Weekly

Superstitions can be effective ways of handling the anxieties and stress of everyday life, anyone who reads straight through will likely develop a nervous twitch; still, this referencemakes for compulsive browsing

Explains the meanings of thousands of signs, omens, spells, charms, cures, rituals, and taboos; arranged alphabetically by topic.

Broken up into categories such as Animals, Astrology, Dreams, and Flowers, this fascinating dictionary will alert you to thousands of beliefs, omens, and proverbs that you may never have known. Many other subjects range from Clothing to Food to Marriage numbers.

"If you've ever wanted the definitive answers on subjects such as black cats and white heather, look no further than this classic dictionary. Entries are illustrated by quotations that trace their development through the centuries. A work of reference for anyone with an interest in superstitions and their history." "Entries give real examples of usage, illustrating the meaning, history, and origin of superstitions. Subjects covered include spells, cures, rituals, taboos, charms, and omens. The dictionary is fully cross-referenced for easy browsing."--BOOK JACKET.

Are black cats lucky or unlucky? What should you do when you hear the first cuckoo? Since when have people believed that it's unlucky to shoot an albatross? Why does breaking a mirror lead to misfortune? This fascinating collection answers these and many other questions about the world of superstitions and forms an endlessly browsable guide to a subject that continues to obsess and intrigue.