{"title":"John Callow","description":"\u003cp\u003eDiscover the fascinating works of John Callow, a distinguished author known for his captivating explorations into history and personal development. His profound insights and meticulous research transport readers to different eras while offering valuable lessons for modern life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eEmbracing the Darkness\u003c\/em\u003e, Callow delves into the complexities of the human psyche, merging self-help with intriguing historical narratives. This book encourages readers to face their fears and discover hidden strengths, offering practical guidance on personal growth and self-awareness.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMeanwhile, \u003cem\u003eThe Last Witches of England\u003c\/em\u003e revisits a dark chapter in history, shedding light on the lives and trials of the women accused of witchcraft. This compelling historical account is not only a testament to Callow's expertise in history but also an invitation to reflect on social injustices and resilience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're a history enthusiast or on a journey of personal development, John Callow's works provide enlightening perspectives that stimulate both the mind and soul.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-last-witches-of-england-by-john-callow-9781350387126","title":"The Last Witches of England","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFascinating and vivid.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003ci\u003eNew Statesman\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eThoroughly researched.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003ci\u003eThe Spectator\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eIntriguing.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003ci\u003eBBC History Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eVividly told.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003ci\u003eBBC History Revealed\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eA timely warning against persecution.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003ci\u003eMorning Star\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eAstute and thoughtful.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003ci\u003eHistory Today\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eAn important work.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003ci\u003eAll About History\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eWell-researched.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003ci\u003eThe Tablet\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOn the morning of Thursday 29 June 1682, a magpie came rasping, rapping and tapping at the window of a prosperous Devon merchant. Frightened by its appearance, his servants and members of his family had, within a matter of hours, convinced themselves that the bird was an emissary of the devil sent by witches to destroy the fabric of their lives. As the result of these allegations, three women of Bideford came to be forever defined as witches. A Secretary of State brushed aside their case and condemned them to the gallows; to hang as the last group of women to be executed in England for the crime. Yet, the hatred of their neighbours endured. For Bideford, it was said, was a place of witches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThough ‘pretty much worn away’, the belief in witchcraft still lingered on for more than a century after their deaths. In turn, ignored, reviled, and extinguished but never more than half-forgotten, it seems that the memory of these three women - and of their deeds and sufferings, both real and imagined – was transformed from canker to regret, and from regret into celebration in our own age. Indeed, their example was cited during the final Parliamentary debates, in 1951, that saw the last of the witchcraft acts repealed, and their names were chanted, as both inspiration and incantation, by the women beyond the wire at Greenham Common.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn \u003cem\u003eThe Last Witches of England\u003c\/em\u003e, John Callow explores this remarkable reversal of fate, and the remarkable tale of the Bideford Witches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46850326429932,"sku":"9781350387126","price":32.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/21783543482668.jpg?v=1759081540"},{"product_id":"embracing-the-darkness-by-john-callow-9781845114695","title":"Embracing the Darkness","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs dusk fell on a misty evening in 1521, Martin Luther—hiding from his enemies at Wartburg Castle—found himself seemingly tormented by demons hurling walnuts at his bedroom window. In a fit of rage, the great reformer threw at the Devil the inkwell from which he was preparing his colossal translation of the Bible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA belief—like Luther's—in the supernatural, and in black magic, has been central to European cultural life for 3000 years. From the Salem witch trials to the macabre novels of Dennis Wheatley; from the sadistic persecution of eccentric village women to the seductive sorceresses of TV's \u003cem\u003eCharmed\u003c\/em\u003e; and from Derek Jarman's punk film \u003cem\u003eJubilee\u003c\/em\u003e to Ken Russell's \u003cem\u003eThe Devils\u003c\/em\u003e, John Callow brings the twilight world of the witch, mage, and necromancer to vivid and fascinating life.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHe takes us into a shadowy landscape where, in an age before modern drugs, the onset of sudden illness was readily explained by malevolent spellcasting. Dark, winding country lanes could terrify by night, as the hoot of an owl or shriek of a fox became the desolate cries of unseen spirits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWitchcraft has profoundly shaped the western imagination and endures in the forms of modern-day Wicca and paganism. \u003cem\u003eEmbracing the Darkness\u003c\/em\u003e is an enthralling account of this fascinating aspect of the western cultural experience.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Bloomsbury Publishing PTY Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46868411613420,"sku":"9781845114695","price":88.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/25960193482844.jpg?v=1759757016"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/john-callow.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}