Grimoires : a history of magic books
What is a grimoire? Put simply, grimoires are books of spells that were first recorded in the Ancient Middle East, and which have developed and spread across much of the Western Hemisphere and beyond the ensuing millennia. At their most benign, they contain charms and remedies for natural and supernatural ailments and advice on contacting spirits to help find treasures and protect them from evil. But at their most sinister they provide instructions on how to manipulate people for corrupt purposes and, worst of all, to call up and make a pact with the Devil. Both types have proven remarkably resilient and adaptable and retain much of their relevance and fascination to this day.-- Publisher description
Print Book, English, 2009
Oxford University Press, New York, 2009