About the author
P. G. Maxwell-Stuart is a historian associated with the University of St Andrews, known for his scholarship on witchcraft and the occult in medieval and early modern Europe. His books include The British Witch: The Biography, a survey of witch belief and practice across five centuries of British history; The Occult in Medieval Europe 500-1500, which reassesses the common view of the Middle Ages as simply superstitious and backward; and Witch Beliefs and Witch Trials in the Middle Ages and The Occult in Early Modern Europe, both documentary histories that draw on primary sources, including Latin, medieval German, and French material largely unavailable in English before his translations. His approach is source-based and academic throughout, treating witchcraft and occult belief as historical phenomena to be documented rather than practices to be revived. Readers of academic history of religion, magic, and persecution are his primary audience.
📖 Where to start with P G Maxwell-Stuart
💬 What our editors say about P G Maxwell-Stuart's books
“Maxwell-Stuart provides a compelling re-evaluation of witchcraft practitioners, moving beyond monolithic stereotypes to reveal their diverse community roles. However, scholars seeking dense theoretical frameworks or primary…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on The British Witch: The Biography
“Maxwell-Stuart delivers a rigorous compilation of primary texts that illuminates the complex interplay of occult beliefs in early modern Europe. While academically robust and rich in original material, this work is strictly for…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on The Occult in Early Modern Europe: A Documentary History (1999) Maxwell-Stuart, P G
“Maxwell-Stuart provides a scholarly yet accessible compilation that demystifies the medieval mindset regarding magic and demonology. However, readers seeking narrative thrillers or practical magical instructions will be…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Witch Beliefs and Witch Trials in the Middle Ages: Documents and Readings
📋 Editions by P G Maxwell-Stuart in the catalog
| Edition | Year | Publisher | Pages | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The British Witch: The Biography | 2016 | Amberley Publishing | 480 | 9781445655437 |
| The Occult in Early Modern Europe: A Documentary History (1999) | 1999 | Red Globe Press | 264 | 9780333688144 |
| Witch Beliefs and Witch Trials in the Middle Ages: Documents and | 2011 | Continuum | 240 | 9781441109804 |
| The Occult in Medieval Europe 500-1500 (2005) | 2005 | Red Globe Press | 264 | 9781403902894 |
