Michele Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 "The Reutrn of the Dead. Ghosts, Ancestors, and the Transparent Veil of the Pagan Mind." By Claude Lecouteux Just got it yesterday and am really liking it. The author is a (former) professor of medieval literautre and civilization which to me lends his research, opinions and findings much credibility. It is also written for the non-academic, lol, and quite easy to follow. (Unlike professor Carlos Ginzburg whose works I love, but I had to read it several times to get it.) He goes into detail about society itself and really makes one understand that anything he is writing we judge from OUR CURRENT point of view, and that the people of the past didn't have that point of view - they actually lived in a world they shared with their dead daily, not just leaving out a meal on Hallows or even a red meal once a week, but daily interaction FROM BOTH SIDES. He goes into the common (past) practice of ancestor worship, the 3 aspects of the flyga (sp)/fetch soul, how the church separated the beloved dead of the old from the "backyard" grave to the church graveyard where the dead and ancestors were actually exiled from the family homestead, thereby really killing the relationship. Excellent book for anyone looking to understand what ancesters were, can be, their meaning to the family, the spirits that work with and/or "guide", the parts of the "self", and the effect modernization and technology have had on this relationship. I picked it up for 3 bucks on Amazon and it was worth every penny +. I will definitely read more of his works. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountain Witch Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Will you quit adding to my wish list??? ♥ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyShalott Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 Read a review of this book.. Sounds really interesting. Have you read his other book? Witches, Werewolves, and Fairies: Shapeshifters and Astral Doubles in the Middle Ages Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michele Posted June 22, 2011 Author Share Posted June 22, 2011 Read a review of this book.. Sounds really interesting. Have you read his other book? Witches, Werewolves, and Fairies: Shapeshifters and Astral Doubles in the Middle Ages Not yet but most of his works have now been added to my wish list, lol. M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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