About the author
Frances Timbers is a historian whose work examines the cultural and legal history of magic and witchcraft in early modern Europe. "A History of Magic and Witchcraft: Sabbats, Satan and Superstitions in the West" (Pen and Sword History, 2019/2020) traces how belief in witchcraft, familiars, and ritual magic developed from folklore and superstition into a subject of persecution, drawing on the record left by ordinary people's encounters with accusation and belief. The catalogue includes two printings of the same title. Timbers writes from an academic historical perspective rather than a practitioner's one, situating witchcraft within broader questions of gender, religion, and legal history in the West. The book suits readers interested in the documented history behind popular ideas of witches and witch trials rather than in contemporary magical practice.
📖 Where to start with Frances Timbers
💬 What our editors say about Frances Timbers's books
“Timbers delivers a compelling narrative that successfully disentangles fact from fiction regarding the witch archetype. The book shines in its ability to connect ancient practices with contemporary Neopagan movements, offering a…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on A History of Magic and Witchcraft: Sabbats, Satan and Superstitions in the West
“Frances Timbers offers a rigorous exploration of Western magical history, successfully disentangling fact from folklore. The work is particularly strong in connecting medieval demonology to modern Neopaganism. However, it may not…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on A History of Magic and Witchcraft: Sabbats, Satan and Superstitions in the West
