A Dictionary of Superstitions

by Moira Tatem and Iona Opie

Book Overview

Is it good or bad luck to mention a pig to a fisherman? What does it portend when you break a double-yolked egg? Or when you witness a headless shadow? How many frogs do you need to cure whooping cough? And what's all this about black cats?
Ranging from the familiar to the bizarre, and including everything from spells and omens to rituals and taboos, this delightfully informative dictionary covers a wide array of popular superstitions, touching...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0192829165
• ISBN13: 9780192829160
• Release Date: October 1992
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 512 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 5.1" x 7.7"

Customer Reviews

Poorly structured

It's difficult to digest the information. Entries are listed by general theme (ex. "Hare, dead") followed by a series of historical quotes referencing the superstition. The problem is that these quotes obviously use dated language and weren't spoken with the intent of explaining the subject to a reader in the 21st century. I would have liked this book if the explanations were written in contemporary language intended to educate, with supplemental quotes. Unfortunate that this is non-returnable.

One of the best for the serious researcher AND mere browser...

This is an excellent book for both serious folklorists and the mere browser of strange beliefs of old. Under each key word it lists various beliefs stretching back centuries and cites the source there as well. This may not be as lengthy a text as Hyatt's "Folklore From Adam's County Illinois" or the two-volume "Frank C. Brown Collection of North Carolina Folklore" -- but it certainly is one of the more serious efforts of cataloging superstitions that has been produced in the past quarter century. Of all the books I own on the topic (over 25), this one would be in the top five, both as a reference book and a great book for merely dipping into.

A great reference book

This book is soooo cool! Lots of good information for anyone wanting to write stories or do research on past eras.

A no-nonsense, definitive reference to superstitions ranging from spells, cures, and rituals to tabo

Oxford Dictionary Of Superstitions is a no-nonsense, definitive reference to superstitions ranging from spells, cures, and rituals to taboos, charms and omens. Entries are arranged alphabetically by subject; each listing presents a handful of historical citations that offer evidence of the belief. A select bibliography and analytical index round out this exemplary and easy-to-use quick reference.

Why are Four-Leaf Clovers Lucky?

According to _A Dictionary of Superstitions_, the answer to that one goes back to 1507. The book is filled with page after page of the interesting stories behind close to any superstition one could imagine. As its title suggests, the superstitions are presented in a dictionary format, something that I found very helpful. The definitions include--to different extents--histories, dates, publications, locations, and sometimes even related poetry or bits of songs. There are fifteen different entries for "Eggs," if this gives you any idea as to the scope of book! More than anything, it's a fun read (and to be taken with a "grain of salt" perhaps). It's entirely possible to sit down and read the letter "C," for example, all of the way through, from "Cabbage Stalk: divination" to "Cutlery falls=visitor." One of the best aspects of the text is the sometimes bizarre anecdotes included by the editors, and the conversational and often entertaining manner in which the entries are written. Wonder why it's bad luck to have a clock facing a fire or to crack a mirror, why it's a good idea to rub a dead mouse on your cheek, or where the first references to the cricket as an omen appeared? There's a lot more (494 pages worth), and I definitely recommend it.