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The Penguin Book of Exorcisms
The Penguin Book of Exorcisms
Jun 29, 2024 4:18 PM

Author:Joseph P. Laycock,Joseph P. Laycock

The Penguin Book of Exorcisms

Perfect for Hallowe'en: haunting accounts of real-life exorcisms through the centuries, from ancient Egypt and the biblical Middle East to colonial America and twentieth-century South Africa

Levitation. Feats of superhuman strength. Speaking in tongues. A hateful, glowing stare. The signs of spirit possession have been documented for thousands of years and across religions and cultures, even into our own time. Unsettling and chilling, The Penguin Book of Exorcisms brings together the most astonishing accounts: Saint Anthony set upon by demons in the form of a lion, a bull and a panther, who are no match for his devotion and prayer; the Prophet Muhammad casting an enemy of God out of a young boy; fox spirits in medieval China and Japan; a headless bear assaulting a woman in sixteenth-century England; the possession of an entire convent of Ursuline nuns in a French town; a Zulu woman who daily floated to a height of five feet; the exorcism in Earling, Iowa, in 1928 that inspired the film The Exorcist; a Filipina girl 'bitten by devils'; and a rare example of a priest's letter requesting permission of a bishop to perform an exorcism - after witnessing a boy walk backwards up a wall. . .

Reviews

Suitably chilling reading for Halloween . . . Shows in illuminating detail how the belief in demonic possession stretches back more than 2,500 years

—— Economist

Gripping . . . Thoroughly researched . . . [with a] descriptive flare in rendering the 'goblinlike entities,' jealous demons, and evil spirits . . . This is a boon for anyone curious about exorcism and its wide-ranging, spiritually diverse legacy

—— Publisher's Weekly

Spellbinding . . . Gripping . . . Fascinating . . . Demons, devils, dybbuks, jinn, zar and Chinese fox-spirits abound in accounts dating back to ancient times. . . . The editor's introductions are sharp and cogent. . . . [For] readers hungry for illumination - and a touch of terror

—— Shelf Awareness

'A revolutionary work of reverence for the plant kingdom. Vanessa weaves her own intimate story together with the wisdom of the plants and an exploration of her ancestral roots. The result is an empowering and transformative text about rewilding ourselves and reconnecting with the natural world'

—— Heidi Smith, MA, RH (AHG), author of The Bloom Book: A Flower Essence Guide to Cosmic Balance

A beautifully written and deeply personal book that provides and entirely new perspective on the 'personalities' of herbs. Vanessa's own personal experience is expertly woven into the healing properties of these wondrous herbal allies, in a book that is both touching and enlightening. Brimming full of history, folklore and herbology insights, Awakening Artemis is an amazing fusion of herbal knowledge and personal reflection

—— Brooke Mackay-Brock, Black Moon Botanica

Awakening Artemis is the call of the wild in the dusk of the forest, a visceral turning inside out of the paternalist paradigm and a devoted, sweeping bow to Mother Earth. It is a deeply personal exposé on the author's life so far and a gloriously practical manual on human-plant relationships for both seekers in the woods and dreamers on the rooftops

—— Àdhamh Ó Broin

Thich Nhat Hanh's words are like water. Simple, pure, transparent, and absolutely indispensable for life

—— Alejandro Iñárritu, director of Birdman and The Revenant

A deeply-moving account...a must-read.

—— Tatler

A remarkable memoir...an incredibly moving read. I had to put the book down several times to cry...it's a book that will save lives.

—— Sathnam Sanghera

The best memoirs take the reader on two journeys: one journey is to a greater understanding of the author; the other is to a greater understanding of yourself and the society around you. A Dutiful Boy is one such book. It is the story of a young boy growing up in a devout Muslim family in east London who knew he was gay but who also knew such an admission was inconceivable in a religious culture where homosexuality was still taboo. This is the story of a family's love, a battle with shame and a long journey to acceptance. It is deeply moving and profoundly important and it made me cry. Mohsin is such an impressive person: the first from his comprehensive school to go to Oxbridge, he is now a highly regarded barrister but DAMMIT the man can write too. If you liked The Boy with the Topknot by Sathnam Sanghera or Educated by Tara Westover, you will also love this book. Thank you Mohsin, for having the courage to tell this story.

—— Elizabeth Day

An incredibly moving memoir

—— Elizabeth Day , Mail on Sunday

A captivating, eloquent and genuinely inspiring memoir... Beautifully written, dignified and ultimately redemptive, this challenging story abounds with light and love

—— attitude

Utterly compelling, I couldn't put the book down, and at times I laughed out loud. I also cried

—— Ashish Ghadiali , Guardian

A Dutiful Boy details in a delicate and highly engrossing fashion the battles he [Zaidi] was forced to wage every step of the way - both with those around him, and deep within himself

—— TalkTalk

Reading this story about family acceptance, redemption and love, written with such lucidity, had me crying with relief and filling up with hope.

—— Yasmin Alibhai-Brown

Heartfelt, emotional and really funny....this book is very candid and it really educated and entertained me

—— Russell Tovey

A powerful memoir... Zaidi's writing offers poignant reflections on racism and class... his journey to acceptance shines through in the openness and clarity of his writing.

—— The i

Sad, painful, warm, revelatory and utterly fascinating. I think we would live in a slightly kinder and better country if everyone read this book.

—— Mark Haddon , New Statesman

This is a fiercely important book with a big beating heart-Mohsin Zaidi has delivered to us a deeply personal story that is an urgent manual for our times.

—— Tope Folarin, Author of 'A Particular Kind of Black Man'

A Dutiful Boy is a must read that will undoubtedly move you

—— Gay Times

[A] powerful read

—— Manisha Talagala , DESIblitz

Deeply affecting and often funny, A Dutiful Boy is an honest picture of what it is like to grow up day and Muslim in twenty-first-century Britain

—— Sarah Jilani , Times Literary Supplement

A beautifully written book, a lovely story, life-affirming.

—— Jeremy Vine

One of the most eloquent and inspiring memoirs of recent years... A Dutiful Boy is real-life storytelling at its finest

—— Mr Porter, *Summer Reads of 2021*

Mohsin Zaidi...in a compassionate, compelling and humorous way, tells his story of seeking acceptance within the gay community, and within the Muslim community in which he grew up

—— Gilllian Carty , Scottish Legal News

A powerful portrayal of being able to live authentically despite all the odds

—— Mike Findlay , Scotsman

Zaidi's affecting memoir recounts his journey growing up in east London in a devout Muslim household. He has a secret, one he cannot share with anyone - he is gay. When he moves away to study at Oxford he finds, for the first time, the possibility of living his life authentically. The dissonance this causes in him - of finding a way to accept himself while knowing his family will not do the same - is so sensitively depicted. One of the most moving chapters includes him coming home to a witch doctor, who his family has summoned to "cure" him. This is an incredibly important read, full of hope.

—— Jyoti Patel, The Guardian

A beautifully written book, a lovely story, life-affirming

—— Jeremy Vine

Zaidi's account is raw, honest and at times quite painful to read. It's so vivid that it feels almost tangible, as though you're living the experiences of the author himself.

—— Vogue

This heartfelt and honest book is beautifully written and full of hope

—— The New Arab
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