Magick

Historian Thomas Waters surveys the many forms of magic that have coexisted in Britain and beyond, from everyday charms and local cunning folk to ceremonial magic, political ritual and modern occult practice.

The book is organised around low, high and alternative magic, with sections on mesmerism, spiritualism, psychic powers, witchcraft, crystals and performance. Hundreds of illustrations place objects, practitioners and rituals alongside the historical discussion.

Rather than presenting magic as a single tradition, Waters shows how it has repeatedly adapted to social change, scientific ideas and popular culture. It is a broad visual history for readers interested in occult practice, supernatural belief and the boundary between learned and folk magic.