“The Book of Spells, Hexes, and Curses: True Tales from Around the World” by Stuart Gordon

"The Book of Spells, Hexes, and Curses: True Tales from Around the World" by Stuart Gordon

"Few of us get through life without cursing someone (or something)—late trains, bad weather, an unfaithful lover. But how many of us believe that spells, curses or hexes can cause real harm, any more than prayers and blessings can lead to good fortune?

Is it possible to "pray" an enemy to death without his knowledge? Or can such curses work only if the victim knows about and fears the hex? And what of jinxed objects—ships, cars, planes, jewels—associated with bad luck and disaster?

This book contains many examples from around the world, from ancient Egypt and the witch trials of medieval Europe to voodoo rituals in America today, from Shakespeare's Scottish tragedy Macbeth to the dire fate of the Kennedys."