Author Description

This fascinating book covers the lives and activities of famous and lesser known witches and sorcerers since 500 B.C. Beginning with the alchemist Pythagoras, it covers the history of sorcery and witchcraft in ancient society, then moves on to the medieval period, the Spanish Inquisition, the witches of England, France, and America, and closes with a discussion of modern magicians. In between, one meets Cornelius Agrippa, the temperamental 16th century Belgian magician; the Count of Cagliostro, whose powers seemingly enabled him to monopolize winning lottery tickets in 18th century London; and of course, Johann Faust, the man who roused Mephistopheles himself. These and many others, such as Gilles de Raiz, Francis Barrett, and Eliphas Levi are covered in this intriguing work. "Reflects with vivid emotional accuracy what the European common man felt about witchcraft. Here are the phosphorescent phantasmagoria of medieval times - the sadism, the horro, the preoccupation with evil, the genuine interest in astrology, alchemy, and the elixir of youth; and the seething mixture of attraction, repulsion, superstition, fear, and rationalization with which the subject is regarded today..." -The London Times Literary Supplement