This is Zoinks!, the critically-acclaimed book about Scooby-Doo by well-known folklorist and podcaster Mark Norman. Recognised internationally for his expertise in folklore and known by many for his Folklore Podcast, Mark is the perfect guide for a tour through the myths and legends that have inspired the iconic cartoon. For over half a century, a gang of teens - Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy - and their dog, Scooby, have captivated audiences with their supernatural sleuthing, operating unde...

How did our ancestors use the concept of demons to explain sleep paralysis? Is that carving in the porch of your local church really what you think it is? And what's that tapping noise on the roof of your car..?The fields of folklore have never been more popular – a recent resurgence of interest in traditional beliefs and customs, coupled with morbid curiosities in folk horror, historic witchcraft cases and our superstitious past, have led to an intersection of ide...

How did our ancestors use the concept of demons to explain sleep paralysis? Is that carving in the porch of your local church really what you think it is? And what’s that tapping noise on the roof of your car..?The fields of folklore have never been more popular – a recent resurgence of interest in traditional beliefs and customs, coupled with morbid curiosities in folk horror, historic witchcraft cases and our superstitious past, have led to an intersection of ideas that is driving...

Requested for the Wolfson History Prize 2024.Devon has a long and rich folkloric heritage which has been extensively collected over many years. This book consolidates more than a century of research by eminent Devon folklorists into one valuable study and builds on the vital work that was undertaken by the Devonshire Association, providing insightful analysis of the subject matter and drawing comparisons with folklore traditions beyond the county.The first ...

Witchcraft and witches throughout history have long captured the imagination, yet hidden away in archives are records of long forgotten cases. Many of these are tragic, some are unusual – perhaps even inexplicable – but all are fascinating in their own right.Devon's Forgotten Witches 1860–1910 takes a deep dive through these records, bringing to the surface accusations of witchcraft in the county that have languished, unacknowledged, in the British Newspap...

How do we know if magick is real?Wherever you find people, there are stories about magick. Some are myth or folklore, others are tales meant to thrill and intrigue us, and others still are accounts of actual magick, real spirits, and the energetic properties of our natural world. The question is whether or not any of it is true. Mind Over Magick by Tracy Nicholas tackles this complicated—and often personal—inquiry by picking apart what we know, what we don...

Ben and Leila wanted to be parents for so long, but the beautiful little girl that they brought in the world is no ordinary girl. Phoenix sees children that aren’t there, appears in places that she couldn’t possibly be, and seems to know things that she shouldn’t. As the years go by, her unique destiny is revealed.Phoenix Kassim is destined to be the protector of the human race. The fate of the human world and all benevolent Jinn, are in the hands of this young child, the direct de...

It is hard to find an island on the map more central than Sicily. Located at the crossroads between Europe and Africa, and between the Eastern and Western Mediterranean, Sicily has rarely been governed as an independent, unified state. Nonetheless, the island has always occupied a front-row seat to some of the most important events in history, and nowhere is this more obvious than during antiquity.Very fertile in ancient times, Sicily was especially prized for its grain production....

Although many have heard of the Crusades and some of the more famous orders like the Templars, few know about the Livonian Crusade or the Livonian Brothers of the Sword. This organization was one of many Catholic military orders that sprung up during the Middle Ages in response to the papacy’s call for holy war, and the Livonian Crusade is the term used to group together dozens of military actions undertaken by German knights in Eastern Europe.In essence, the Holy Roman Empire soug...

In the final installment of Dedra L. Stevenson’s Middle Eastern supernatural folk tale, The Hakima’s Tale, the reader is taken around the world as Phoenix Kassim, now a powerful woman and a capable leader, fights for the survival of humanity. The Jinn, magical creatures of Arab folklore, grow in strength and launch their attack on the human world.In peril, the humans don’t know how to defend themselves against an enemy that they can’t see. Phoenix’s army of human friendly jinn and ...

Like other secretive groups, the mystery surrounding the Teutonic Knights has helped their legacy endure. While some conspiracy theorists attempt to tie the group to other alleged secret societies like the Illuminati, other groups have tried to assert connections with the Teutonic Knights to bolster their own credentials. Who they were and what they had in their possession continue to be a source of great intrigue even among non-historical circles.Although many have heard of the Cr...

It is hard to find an island on the map more central than Sicily. Located at the crossroads between Europe and Africa, and between the Eastern and Western Mediterranean, Sicily has rarely been governed as an independent, unified state. Nonetheless, the island has always occupied a front-row seat to some of the most important events in history, and nowhere is this more obvious than during antiquity.After the Punic Wars, Sicily would remain a Roman domain until the end of antiquity, ...