Religion and the Decline of Magic
by Keith Thomas
Buy on AmazonPresents an analysis of the religious beliefs of English society in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, including the use of popular magic, and the role the Protestant Reformation played in taking magic out of religion.
Recommended by
"It’s a monumental book, yet with a living treasure on every page, and probably the book that, in my whole life, I’ve pressed on other people most energetically."
By the Book: Hilary Mantel · nytimes.com