Download or read book Charms and Charming in Europe written by J. Roper and published by Springer. This book was released on 2004-11-12 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Historical records of charms, the verbal element of vernacular magic, date back at least as far as the late middle ages, and charming has continued to be practiced until recently in most parts of Europe. And yet, the topic has received only scattered scholarly attention to date. By bringing together many of the leading authorities on charms and charming from Europe and North America, this book aims to rectify this neglect, and by presenting discussions covering a variety of periods and of locations - from Finland to France, and from Hungary to England - it forms an essential reader on the topic.