A Supernatural War, Owen Davies
A Supernatural War, Owen Davies
List: $24.99 | Sale: $17.50
Club: $12.49

A Supernatural War
Magic, Divination, and Faith during the First World War

Author: Owen Davies

Narrator: Nigel Patterson

Unabridged: 10 hr 11 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 07/28/2020


Synopsis

It was a commonly expressed view during the First World War that the conflict had seen a major revival of "superstitious" beliefs and practices.

Churches expressed concerns about the wearing of talismans and amulets, the international press paid considerable interest to the pronouncements of astrologers and prophets, and the authorities in several countries periodically clamped down on fortune tellers and mediums due to concerns over their effect on public morale. Out on the battlefields, soldiers of all nations sought to protect themselves through magical and religious rituals, and, on the home front, people sought out psychics and occult practitioners for news of the fate of their distant loved ones or communication with their spirits. Even away from concerns about the war, suspected witches continued to be abused and people continued to resort to magic and magical practitioners for personal protection, love, and success.

Uncovering and examining beliefs, practices, and contemporary opinions regarding the role of the supernatural in the war years, Owen Davies explores the broader issues regarding early twentieth-century society in the West, the psychology of the supernatural during wartime, and the extent to which the war cast a spotlight on the widespread continuation of popular belief in magic.

About Owen Davies

Owen Davies is professor of social history at the University of Hertfordshire. He has published widely on the history of witchcraft, magic, ghosts, and popular medicine, including Grimoires: A History of Magic Books, Paganism: A Very Short Introduction, Magic: A Very Short Introduction, and America Bewitched: The Story of Witchcraft after Salem, and was editor for The Oxford Illustrated History of Witchcraft and Magic.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Rabspur on December 11, 2022

Very Intriguing book about the first world war, describing the superstitions from all sides during the great war, spiritualism. fortune telling, spirits, wearing protective talismans, even the occult was practiced, people were desperate to find out their fortune both on the front and at home. A good......more

Goodreads review by Chris on September 20, 2023

In 'A Supernatural War,' Davies explores the roles of religion, spiritualism, the Occult, and superstition in the First World War. This is an interesting and largely undiscussed niche in a topic (WWI) that has been the subject of thousands of other books; for that reason alone, I find this book valu......more

Goodreads review by Alenka on March 06, 2021

Fascinating in focus and yet very tight and even sparing in style, this is a very interesting book that serves well to provide yet another piece to the puzzle of the social history of the First World War. My only major critique would be this: certain parts felt like encyclopedic entries which left o......more

Goodreads review by Samuel on January 22, 2024

I liked a lot of this book and would wager it’s one of the best on the subject, with sections about the supernatural, lucky objects, and superstitions being highlights. Unfortunately a lot of it is also just a bunch of charlatans saying nonsense and it’s really hard to give a shit in those sections,......more

Goodreads review by Cain on August 22, 2020

3.5 stars......more