Description

A crisp, provocative invitation: what if the devil wasn't merely a figure of fear, but a lens into how Victorian Britain and America made sense of the unknown? The Devil In Britain And America opens that lens with lucid rigor and soaring curiosity. This is more than a book; it is a historical folklore study and ethnographic essay that maps demonology's reach across two continents. John Ashton surveys devil folklore origins and religious superstition critique with steady, humane emphasis, guiding both academic readers and general audience interest toward a nuanced portrait of belief, doubt, and ritual. The prose harmonises scholarly clarity with literary reverence, inviting readers to compare paranormal belief contrasts across cultures, eras, and social strata. Significance lies not only in its content but in its enduring resonance: a landmark of folklore and demonology classics that illuminates how communities interpreted mystery, peril, and the uncanny. For readers who treasure anthropology of superstition as well as those who relish compelling historical narrative, the work offers a rare, thoughtful encounter with transatlantic folklore history and its enduring questions. Out of print for decades and now republished by Alpha Editions, this edition is restored for today's and future generations. More than a reprint - a collector's item and a cultural treasure - it stands as a refined, essential artefact of scholarly curiosity and literary achievement.