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Cock Lane and Common-Sense — Spiritualism

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Cock Lane and Common-Sense

Name: Cock Lane and Common-Sense
Price: 55.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781108072687

✍️ Lang, Andrew

Reader Score

4.5

(1 review)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A 1894 historical study of spiritualism by folklorist Andrew Lang.

This volume analyzes the historical relationship between the living and the dead through the lens of folklore and political theory. Lang examines how societies have constructed their interactions with the deceased over time. The work bridges general history, Asian studies, and spiritualism. It provides context for understanding past beliefs rather than offering contemporary advice. The text is suitable for scholars and collectors interested in the academic perspective on occult topics.

Key Themes

spiritualism history folklore traditions political science theory

Literary Context

Andrew Lang wrote this work in 1894, during a period of intense interest in spiritualism and folklore. As the Wizard of St Andrews, he contributed to the academic understanding of mystical beliefs. The text reflects late nineteenth-century scholarly approaches to history and political theory.

Lang, Andrew

📚 all books by this author (4) →

Difficulty

●● Medium

Recommended For Fans Of

Sigmund Freud's The Psychopathology of Everyday Life · Arthur Conan Doyle's Works on Spiritualism · Walt Whitman's Poetic Meditations on Death · Carl Jung's Studies on the Archetypal

🕊️

Spiritualism

🏛 Cambridge University Press 📅 2011 📖 380 pages 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9781108072687

Fun Fact

Lang's "Cock Lane and Common-Sense" offers a fascinating, meticulously researched journey through humanity's historical engagement with the deceased. While not a proponent of spiritualism, Lang's balanced inquiry is a treasure for those interested in the sociology of belief and folklore. Readers seeking a sensationalist account or a simple validation of supernatural claims might find its academic rigor less immediately gratifying. It stands as a seminal work in the critical examination of spiritual traditions, both ancient and modern.

📝 Description: Cock Lane and Common-Sense

Andrew Lang, a folklorist known as the Wizard of St Andrews, presents a historical examination of how living people have tried to connect with the deceased. This 1894 work explores the complex and often contradictory nature of spiritualism across different eras. The text draws upon various traditions and periods to illustrate these attempts at communication. Lang utilizes diverse sources to construct his narrative, offering readers a broad view of occult history. The book is organized to cover subjects within history, political science, and mind body spirit categories. It addresses general topics in Asian history and the theory behind political systems alongside spiritualism. Readers interested in the academic study of folklore and the historical development of mystical beliefs will find this volume relevant. Those seeking practical guides for modern witchcraft or astrology may find the content less applicable to their immediate needs. Lang’s approach remains grounded in the scholarly traditions of his time. The paperback edition contains 380 pages and weighs 0.48 kilograms. Its dimensions are 2.16 centimeters high, 21.59 centimeters long, and 13.97 centimeters wide. The ISBN is 9781108072687. This physical format allows for easy handling during study sessions. The publication date is May 19, 2011, by Cambridge University Press. The content remains a static record of late nineteenth-century thought on the subject.

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

Lang’s 1894 text provides a critical yet accessible survey of humanity's efforts to interact with the deceased. While his scholarly rigor offers a refreshing counterpoint to sensationalist spiritualist literature, this work may not suit readers seeking definitive proof of the afterlife or those who prefer purely fictional ghost stories. It is best appreciated by those interested in the cultural history of belief systems and the psychological dimensions of grief. Skeptics and believers alike will find value in his balanced scrutiny, though it demands patience for its academic tone and historical context rather than offering immediate thrills.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

This book is an essential read for those fascinated by the historical roots of spiritualism and the psychological underpinnings of our desire to commune with the departed. Andrew Lang offers a unique polymathic perspective that blends scholarly rigor with accessible narrative, making complex cultural phenomena understandable. Readers who appreciate the intersection of folklore, history, and psychology will find value in his multifaceted exploration of belief versus skepticism. It serves as a thoughtful guide for anyone pondering the societal implications of spectral encounters, providing context to our enduring quest to understand life beyond death without resorting to uncritical acceptance or dismissive scorn.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5

★★★★★

If you're drawn to the historical intersections of folklore, psychology, and the supernatural, or if you seek a scholarly yet engaging exploration of humanity's age-old fascination with the afterlife, this book offers a discerning and thought-provoking perspective.

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

Lang’s 1894 text provides a critical yet accessible survey of humanity's efforts to interact with the deceased. While his scholarly rigor offers a refreshing counterpoint to sensationalist spiritualist literature, this work may not suit readers seeking definitive proof of the afterlife or those who prefer purely fictional ghost stories. It is best appreciated by those interested in the cultural history of belief systems and the psychological dimensions of grief. Skeptics and believers alike will find value in his balanced scrutiny, though it demands patience for its academic tone and historical context rather than offering immediate thrills.

❓ Frequently asked questions

No, rather than a 'how-to' manual, this is a scholarly examination of historical attempts and beliefs surrounding human-spirit interaction, approached from a folklorist's analytical perspective, not a practitioner's.

Lang, known as "the Wizard of St Andrews," maintains a nuanced, critical stance throughout. He investigates spiritual phenomena with intellectual curiosity but also applies skeptical scrutiny, typical of his polymathic and scholarly approach.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Human-Spirit Interaction

Lang focuses on how diverse cultures and eras have attempted to establish contact with the dead, examining the methods and motivations behind these endeavors. He critically analyzes the validity and societal impact of such efforts, providing a broad historical overview of humanity's quest to pierce the veil between worlds.

Skepticism and Belief

This book explores the inherent tension between rational inquiry and fervent belief concerning spiritual phenomena. Lang, a scholar of folklore, navigates the fine line separating genuine mystery from human credulity, encouraging a balanced, critical perspective that respects both the power of conviction and the necessity of scrutiny.

Historical Spiritualism Context

Lang chronicles the evolution of spiritualist practices and beliefs across various historical periods. The book contextualizes the late 19th-century spiritualist movement within a broader tradition of human engagement with the unseen, drawing on rich historical accounts and folklore to illuminate its antecedents and societal role.

📜 Historical context

Andrew Lang's work emerged during a pivotal period of intense public interest in spiritualism, psychical research, and scientific rationalism. As a prominent folklorist and intellectual, Lang positioned his analysis within a long tradition of examining supernatural claims, contributing a critical, yet open-minded, voice to the late Victorian discourse on the occult and unseen forces.

📚 Glossary

Folklorist
Polymath
Spiritualism

📔 Questions to reflect on

How do contemporary views on death and the afterlife compare with the historical perspectives Lang explores in 'Cock Lane and Common-Sense'?
Reflect on a personal experience or cultural anecdote involving the 'supernatural.' How might Andrew Lang, with his folklorist's lens, analyze such an event?
In what ways does a 'polymathic' approach, like Lang's, enrich the study of subjects often relegated to fringe belief systems or purely scientific inquiry?