The witch in history was a very different creature in the popular mind from her modern counterpart, and this book sets out to explore the historical background to the European witchcraft phenomenon. In particular, it focuses on the ideological, cultural, and legal concepts that led to the carnage of the witch craze in the 16th and 17th centuries, which may have claimed some 40,000 victims.

Compact and handsomely produced (with curved spines, gold stamping, and generous margins), this book is one of the Pocket Essentials seriesconcise cultural guides offering facts and opinions, history and insights, essays by experts, and detailed information.