"Magisterial . . . Hutton concerns himself with the bad, black version of the craft that has terrified poor souls for centuries. His approach blends a broad geographic sweep with the detailed attention of microhistory."--Kathryn Hughes, Guardian

"[A] panoptic, penetrating book."--Malcolm Gaskill, London Review of Books

"What he has done very valuably, though, is to put what most of us know already into a far wider context, both geographically and historically. It's up to us then to examine our own notions of witches and witchcraft--no longer threatening, but still perfectly familiar."--Wall Street Journal

"Hutton, a leading authority on paganism and witchcraft, traces the idea of witches far beyond the Salem witch trials to beliefs and attitudes about witches around the world throughout history."--Los Angeles Times

"Comprehensive . . . Highly recommended for readers interested in witch trials, European folklore, and the history of magical beliefs and practices."--Library Journal, starred review

"Hutton's exhaustive book explores historical histrionics that resulted in violence against (predominately) women accused of witchcraft."--Shelf Awareness

"This book [provides] a broad, inclusive, and insightful survey on the witch figure and how these ideas inform the witch trials, while also suggesting provocative shifts for the field at large."--Cimminnee Holt, Reading Religion

"An engrossing journey through the world of witches and witchcraft. Highly recommended for those fascinated by the nature and extent of the notorious European Witch Trials."--Tony Robinson

"Eloquent, historically grounded, and global in reach, this is essential reading for anyone interested in the social and political context of witchcraft and the manipulation of supposed supernatural powers."--Timothy Darvill, OBE, author of Prehistoric Britain

"Few historical concepts come as imbued with horror and intrigue as that slippery figure of the witch. Ronald Hutton has turned his considerable expertise to this always-current subject, illuminating the late Medieval and early modern idea of witches and witchcraft. Readers looking for a rigorous interdisciplinary approach to the history of witchcraft will devour this book."--Katherine Howe, New York Times bestselling author of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

"The book we have all been waiting for."--Diane Purkiss, author of The Witch in History: Early Modern and Twentieth-century Representations