MAGIC: A HISTORY

Oxford professor of archaeology Chris Gosden delivers a remarkable, unprecedented account of the role of magic in cultures both ancient and modern - from the first known horoscope to the power of tattoos. 

Three great strands of practice and belief run through human history: science, religion, and magic. But magic - the idea that we have a connection with the universe - has developed a bad reputation. Gosden restores magic to its essential place in the history of the world, revealing it to be an enduring element of human behavior that plays an important role for individuals and cultures.

Drawing on his decades of research, Professor Chris Gosden provides a missing chapter in the history of human thought and offers how magic may help us rethink our understanding of the world. Magic is a startling, singular, sweeping work of scholarship, and its revelations will leave a spell on the reader.

6.4" x 9.3"

Paperback | 512 pages