{"product_id":"in-the-house-of-spirits-jake-richards-9781578639137","title":"In the House of Spirits: Folkways and Stories of Appalachian Mountain Religion","description":"\u003cp\u003eWritten by a native son with firsthand experience, \u003ci\u003eIn the House of Spirits\u003c\/i\u003e is a deep exploration into Appalachian folk spirituality. It covers the interchange between religion and animistic beliefs in the mountains, and the roles of God, Death, and the Devil, as well as of angels and demons. It also explores the profound impact of the Spiritualist movement upon Appalachia, which helped further and shape the practice of honoring and speaking with not only the dead but also other unseen forces. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA focus of the book is on ancestor veneration, which Richards describes as \"the first step into the unseen world, and the Appalachian traditions that surround this, from the past into the modern day, from grave house and mound graves to bookshelf memorials.\" Richards also covers the grimoire tradition in Appalachia, ranging from \u003ci\u003eThe Long Lost Friend\u003c\/i\u003e, including \u003ci\u003eHimmelsbriefs \u003c\/i\u003e(Heavenly Letters), to \u003ci\u003eThe Black Pullet\u003c\/i\u003e and beliefs about these books and those who used them or even simply had them. Other topics include spiritual beliefs about plants, the influence of spirits on our health, and the lasting legacy of death rituals and practices.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne of the goals of this work is to resurrect these traditions as they were, not as history as recorded them in broken pieces of \"superstition\" but as a cohesive practice by which mountain folk have lived for centuries. If your folks are from Appalachia, this is part of your heritage, life, and culture, regardless of your gender, race, or sexual orientation. We are all heirs to the Mountain.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Jake Richards\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1578639131\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781578639137\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Weiser Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 01\/04\/2027\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 272\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback","brand":"Jake Richards","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48447218155775,"sku":"9781578639137","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_a499bff1-0701-4dad-9a0a-7bfb0a32c183.jpg?v=1777229640","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/in-the-house-of-spirits-jake-richards-9781578639137","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}