Witches, Werewolves, and Fairies

September 1, 2003
This is one of those rare delights, a book as readable as it is scholarly on a subject appealing to general readers, especially to those interested in folklore and magic. Although he emphasizes European wonder tales in his search for understanding of the worldwide phenomenon of the spirit double, Lecouteux's approach is cross-cultural. Tales of the phenomenon stem, he maintains, from the very widespread belief that the soul isn't trapped in the body but can move about at will or, sometimes, even against a person's will. Common beliefs in spirit doubles, and werewolves, witches, and fairies, can be traced to that idea, the origin of which may lie in shamanic soul travel. Filled with unusual narratives--such as that of the churchman who challenged a Lapland magician to prove that his skills were no superstition, whereupon the man traveled in spirit to the minister's house and stole his wife's wedding ring, a theft confirmed by the woman in question--this book may ask more questions than it answers but is always absorbing.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)