On the Trail of the Cailleach

Posted on by Jonathan Beckman

The British Museum’s recently opened exhibition on female ‘spiritual beings’ – goddesses, demons and entities in between – revels in the diversity of such figures, whether in the form of ancient clay statues or a modern icon of the goddess Kali. If the museum had hosted a similar exhibition in the middle decades of the […]

All the King’s Magi

Posted on by Jonathan Beckman

Magic is like pornography. It is hard to define but we know it when we see it. It is also a very serious subject which often attracts interest that isn’t exactly scholarly. And – which is a problem for books like this one – by its nature, it is a subject that overpromises and underdelivers. […]

Terrors of the Sky

Posted on by Jonathan Beckman

How do you like your dragon these days? Tough or tender? Whatever your preference, you are likely to find the right one for you in The Penguin Book of Dragons. The book is dedicated to Gary Gygax, the creator of the game Dungeons and Dragons, and one of a group of modern dragon makers who have help ensure the enduring popularity of this particular monster (the others are J R R Tolkien and George R R Martin). However, those expecting here the kinds of

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