Superstitions

and why we have them

By: Max Cryer

Write A Review

eBook | 26 April 2016

At a Glance

ePUB
192 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
20.3 x 12.7

eBook

RRP $9.99

$8.99

10%OFF

or 4 interest-free payments of $2.25 with

Instant Digital Delivery to your Kobo Reader App

Some people casually say 'touch wood' when they speak of something they hope will happen. Others won't allow peacock feathers into the house. And almost anyone who finds a four-leafed clover will treasure it and keep it. Why? Some superstitions are so ancient and have been practised for so long that they have come to be regarded as just harmless and widely observed 'customs', without people realising they are basically superstitions. For instance, many people wouldn't bother tossing spilled salt over their left shoulder or avoid walking under a ladder. But they happily continue to wear a wedding ring and blow out candles on a birthday cake. They don't know why - 'it's just a custom'. But both are actually superstitions. In a book full of surprises and revelations, Max Cryer explains the origins of many of the things we commonly say and observe and why we continue to include them in our lives: kissing under the mistletoe, the unlucky number thirteen, the significance of the bridal bouquet, saying 'bless you' after sneezing, the hanging of a horseshoe, 'the Scottish play', the danger in opals, the Leap Year proposal ... so many aspects of our lives are coloured by superstition. Now you can discover the reasons for them in a book that is both witty and informative. Superstitions will provide many 'Eureka' moments and settle many family disputes.

Industry Reviews

"The book contains explanations for many familiar superstitions but also some unfamiliar ones, for instance, Max documents how the humble window blind has its origins in Norse mythology and an acorn."