Charles R. Beard - Lucks and Talismans - 1934

Charles R. Beard - Lucks and Talismans - 1934

Lucks and Talismans: A Chapter of Popular Superstition.

This book is a non-fiction work that delves deeply into the world of folk belief, superstition, and magical objects. Books on this subject are rare and sought after.

The main topics treated in the book Lucks and Talismans are:

Origins of lucky charms: The author investigates the history and origin of well-known symbols and objects that people believe bring luck, such as horseshoes, four-leaf clovers, and rabbit’s feet.
Protection and magic: The book explains how amulets and talismans have been used through the ages to ward off evil, to provide protection against misfortune, and to attract prosperity.
Cultural and historical sources: Charles R. Beard bases his stories on a wide range of historical documents, mythology, and folklore to show how these beliefs have evolved from antiquity to modern times.
Psychology behind superstition: It also offers a look at the human psyche; why people, even in an age of science and rationality, stubbornly cling to rituals and objects to gain a handle on their fate.

In short, it is a cultural-historical study of the human need to influence the unknown and luck through tangible objects.

The title page contains a Latin quotation: “… Christianos fidem in verbis, Judaeos in lapidibus pretiosis, et Paganos in herbis ponere.”

Translated into English, this means:
"... that Christians place their faith in words, Jews in precious stones, and pagans in herbs."
Under the quote is the bibliographic citation: Meibom: Scriptores, vol. i, 186. This refers to Heinrich Meibom, a well-known 17th-century German historian and professor who collected and published old medieval chronicles and historical writings (Scriptores Rerum Germanicarum). Beard uses this quote as a kind of academic 'summary' to show that each people has developed its own specific forms of talismans and belief systems.

Probably an early edition.
The book is published by Samson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd. in London in 1934.
The size is 15 x 23 cm and 4.4 cm thick.
The number of pages is 258.
Printed by Purnell and Sons Paulton (Somerset) and London.
Condition: original black linen binding with embossing. Slight discoloration on the spine, the letters are still clear, the paper clean and odorless, minimal rust spots.