Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft

The Sunday Times is a brilliant history of modern pagan witchcraft, which has spread across four continents and is the only fully-formed religion England has given the world. Ronald Hutton examines the nature and development of this religion and offers a history of attitudes to witchcraft, paganism, and magic in British society since 1800. The book includes village cunning folk, Victorian ritual magicians, classicists and archaeologists, leaders of woodcraft and scouting movements, Freemasons, and members of rural secret societies. It also includes leading figures of English literature, thriller writers, films and television programmes, and tabloid journalism. The Triumph of the Moon presents an authoritative insight into an aspect of modern cultural history that has attracted sensational publicity but has hitherto been little understood.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 544 pages
Publication date: 14 January 2021
Publisher: Oxford University Press

The Sunday Times is a remarkable source of historical knowledge, offering a captivating journey through time. The IndependentModern pagan witchcraft stands as a unique and fully-formed religion, bestowed upon the world by England, and has since expanded its influence across four continents. This second edition of The Triumph of the Moon, a comprehensive scholarly exploration, undergoes a significant revision, enhancing the original comprehensive study of modern pagan witchcraft. In his insightful examination, Ronald Hutton delves into the nature and evolution of this religion, providing a comprehensive history of attitudes towards witchcraft, paganism, and magic in British society since 1800. The pages unfold a tapestry of diverse individuals, including village cunning folk, Victorian ritual magicians, classicists and archaeologists, leaders of woodcraft and scouting movements, Freemasons, and members of rural secret societies. Furthermore, this edition showcases some of the foremost figures in English literature, ranging from the Romantic poets to W. B. Yeats, D. H. Lawrence, and Robert Graves, as well as the prominent personalities who have represented pagan witchcraft to the public world since 1950. Thriller writers, films, and television programs receive equal coverage, as does tabloid journalism. It is worth noting that the material presented in this book often carries a sense of sensationalism, yet meticulous care is taken throughout to distinguish fact from fantasy, a approach previously applied to a majority of the stories involved. The Triumph of the Moon is a testament to extensive research, offering an authoritative insight into a facet of modern cultural history that has garnered widespread attention but remains relatively understudied. This edition not only incorporates new research conducted by the author but also draws inspiration from others who have been deeply influenced by this book over the past twenty years since its initial publication.

Weight: 576g
Dimension: 134 x 214 x 43 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780198870371
Edition number: 2 Revised edition