--- product_id: 12237235 title: "A History of Witchcraft: Sorcerers, Heretics, & Pagans" price: "FREE" currency: TND in_stock: false reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.tn/products/12237235-a-history-of-witchcraft-sorcerers-heretics-and-pagans store_origin: TN region: Tunisia --- # A History of Witchcraft: Sorcerers, Heretics, & Pagans **Price:** FREE **Availability:** ❌ Out of Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** A History of Witchcraft: Sorcerers, Heretics, & Pagans - **How much does it cost?** FREE with free shipping - **Is it available?** Currently out of stock - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.tn](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/12237235-a-history-of-witchcraft-sorcerers-heretics-and-pagans) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description "It separates centuries of supernatural nonsense from documented fact spellbinding."― Los Angeles Times For nearly thirty years, Jeffrey B. Russell's authoritative book has been the one illustrated history to which anyone interested in this subject could turn with confidence. Now, in collaboration with Brooks Alexander, who has himself conducted innovative research in the field, this classic book has been fully revised, with an updated introduction and bibliography, new information throughout, and an extended account of witchcraft from ancient times to the present day. Drawing comparisons between modern sorcery and that of the ancient world, the book shows how the European witch craze in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries developed out of a combination of ancient sorcery and medieval Christian heresy, paganism, folklore, scholastic theology, and inquisitorial trials. Whether the diabolical witchcraft for which men and women went to the stake ever existed is open to question. What matters more is that it was believed to exist by intellectuals and peasants alike. 110 illustrations Review: Excellent Work - Those who seek knowledge of history on this topic will not be disappointed. This book is by no means light reading. Every page is packed with historic information that was obviously thoroughly researched. The book begins as far back as written history can reach and reaches as far forward as present day. There is a somewhat heavier emphasis on the witch-craze that began in continental Europe and ended in the N.A. colonies, but the periods before and after the witch-craze are thorough. I was impressed with the balance of lack-of-bias and entertainment the author delivered. They did a rather good job at presenting a lot of information and very little opinion, yet the writing style flowed well and did not have a dull 'textbook' feel, so to speak. Furthermore the history presented is more than historical facts, dates and pronouns. The book is littered with summaries of stories, some of which are rather interesting for better or worse, and also strewn throughout are black-and-white images and photos. There were some surprises for me throughout the book, as well. There are certain aspects of modern witchcraft that have been a little distorted, especially in common presentation of Wicca, and the author set about to present the facts available, while rarely making broad claims. It is clear that the author had no intention of trying to 'disenchant' the religion, as they also include a lot of interesting and almost endearing facts about the development of Wicca that are not commonly mentioned. Ultimately the reader is left to take the available information and draw their own conclusions. I would highly recommend this book not only to those with an interest in history, but also to those with an interest in neopaganism, Wicca or simply the practice of witchcraft in whatever form or path they choose. The history may have been twisted a little here and there, but it is still quite charming and valid in the movement's desires. Review: DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS SIZE - My first thought on receiving this book was, "Wow, what a small book!" My second thought was, "Half of this book is pictures!" My third thought was, "How could a book with only 100 pages of text possibly cover the history of witchcraft?" As I started reading though, my fears got knocked out, one by one. A quick glance at the Contents pages shows how thorough this book is: 1 Sorcery 2 The Roots of European Witchcraft 3 Witchcraft, Heresy and Inquisition 4 The Witch-Craze on the Continent of Europe 5 Witchcraft in Britain and America 6 Witchcraft and Society 7 The Decline of Witchcraft 8 Survivals and Revivals 9 Neopagan Witchcraft: The Sources 10 Neopagan Witchcraft: The Movement 11 The Role of Witchcraft Pretty self-explanatory, but I was glad to find that this book also mentions sorcery/witchcraft in not just Europe, but countries like Africa, as well. On the coverage of American witchcraft, I was pleased to see that there was a quick but sufficient history on the Salem witch trials and not a repetitive drawn-out version. What I liked most about this book was how it came across as very unbiased --the authors frequently call out authors by name and criticize their "unscholarly" research. They also viewed witchcraft from different perspectives, to include economic, such as on page 111, where it says: "Nor did declining economic conditions necessarily correlate with witchcraft. Macfarlane observed that in Essex prosecutions were at their height in the 1580s and 1590s, a period of relative prosperity." The only bad thing I can say about this book is a small one: Because the pages are so glossy they are often prone to a glare that makes reading indoors a matter of finding the right spot/sitting position. One other small thing I just noticed: The desertcart picture for this book shows the title as "A NEW history of witchcraft", however, when I received my book the title is merely "A history of witchcraft: Second Edition". I assume both are the same book, just different covers. A very fascinating book (this coming from a person who does not normally read non-fiction). If only textbooks could be this interesting . . . ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #669,642 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #256 in Witchcraft Religion & Spirituality #296 in Magic Studies (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.6 out of 5 stars 247 Reviews | ## Images ![A History of Witchcraft: Sorcerers, Heretics, & Pagans - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61x3dTuv9qL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent Work *by W***E on April 11, 2012* Those who seek knowledge of history on this topic will not be disappointed. This book is by no means light reading. Every page is packed with historic information that was obviously thoroughly researched. The book begins as far back as written history can reach and reaches as far forward as present day. There is a somewhat heavier emphasis on the witch-craze that began in continental Europe and ended in the N.A. colonies, but the periods before and after the witch-craze are thorough. I was impressed with the balance of lack-of-bias and entertainment the author delivered. They did a rather good job at presenting a lot of information and very little opinion, yet the writing style flowed well and did not have a dull 'textbook' feel, so to speak. Furthermore the history presented is more than historical facts, dates and pronouns. The book is littered with summaries of stories, some of which are rather interesting for better or worse, and also strewn throughout are black-and-white images and photos. There were some surprises for me throughout the book, as well. There are certain aspects of modern witchcraft that have been a little distorted, especially in common presentation of Wicca, and the author set about to present the facts available, while rarely making broad claims. It is clear that the author had no intention of trying to 'disenchant' the religion, as they also include a lot of interesting and almost endearing facts about the development of Wicca that are not commonly mentioned. Ultimately the reader is left to take the available information and draw their own conclusions. I would highly recommend this book not only to those with an interest in history, but also to those with an interest in neopaganism, Wicca or simply the practice of witchcraft in whatever form or path they choose. The history may have been twisted a little here and there, but it is still quite charming and valid in the movement's desires. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS SIZE *by E***P on June 4, 2009* My first thought on receiving this book was, "Wow, what a small book!" My second thought was, "Half of this book is pictures!" My third thought was, "How could a book with only 100 pages of text possibly cover the history of witchcraft?" As I started reading though, my fears got knocked out, one by one. A quick glance at the Contents pages shows how thorough this book is: 1 Sorcery 2 The Roots of European Witchcraft 3 Witchcraft, Heresy and Inquisition 4 The Witch-Craze on the Continent of Europe 5 Witchcraft in Britain and America 6 Witchcraft and Society 7 The Decline of Witchcraft 8 Survivals and Revivals 9 Neopagan Witchcraft: The Sources 10 Neopagan Witchcraft: The Movement 11 The Role of Witchcraft Pretty self-explanatory, but I was glad to find that this book also mentions sorcery/witchcraft in not just Europe, but countries like Africa, as well. On the coverage of American witchcraft, I was pleased to see that there was a quick but sufficient history on the Salem witch trials and not a repetitive drawn-out version. What I liked most about this book was how it came across as very unbiased --the authors frequently call out authors by name and criticize their "unscholarly" research. They also viewed witchcraft from different perspectives, to include economic, such as on page 111, where it says: "Nor did declining economic conditions necessarily correlate with witchcraft. Macfarlane observed that in Essex prosecutions were at their height in the 1580s and 1590s, a period of relative prosperity." The only bad thing I can say about this book is a small one: Because the pages are so glossy they are often prone to a glare that makes reading indoors a matter of finding the right spot/sitting position. One other small thing I just noticed: The Amazon picture for this book shows the title as "A NEW history of witchcraft", however, when I received my book the title is merely "A history of witchcraft: Second Edition". I assume both are the same book, just different covers. A very fascinating book (this coming from a person who does not normally read non-fiction). If only textbooks could be this interesting . . . ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Well Written, Excellent Read! *by W***. on April 7, 2016* Book was very well written! Sources are relevant and well cited. The author managed to pack a ton of information into an easy-to-read format. It's a little heavy on the pictures, which isn't a bad thing. The writer had a very neutral approach to the subject matter. All in all, a great resource for studying the history of witchcraft. ## Frequently Bought Together - A History of Witchcraft: Sorcerers, Heretics, & Pagans - The Devil: Perceptions of Evil from Antiquity to Primitive Christianity - Mephistopheles: The Devil in the Modern World --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.tn/products/12237235-a-history-of-witchcraft-sorcerers-heretics-and-pagans](https://www.desertcart.tn/products/12237235-a-history-of-witchcraft-sorcerers-heretics-and-pagans) --- *Product available on Desertcart Tunisia* *Store origin: TN* *Last updated: 2026-08-24*