The Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland

The Penguin Guide to the Superstitions of Britain and Ireland gathers beliefs, customs and practices from across Britain and Ireland in a detailed alphabetical reference work. Steve Roud covers ideas about luck and misfortune alongside charms, curses, numbers, animals, birds, food, drink and everyday actions.

The entries place familiar beliefs in historical and regional context, asking how traditions developed and where they were recorded. Examples include the supposed significance of black cats, breaking a mirror, hearing the first cuckoo and shooting an albatross. Drawing on literary and historical sources, the book treats superstition as part of lived folklore, social custom and changing popular belief.