The Long Lost Friend: A 19th Century American Grimoire (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780738732541)

You are holding in your hands the most famous book of magic written in America

Originally published in 1820 near Reading, Pennsylvania, under the German title Der Lange Verborgene Freund, this text is the work of immigrant Johann George Hohman. A collection of herbal formulas and magical prayers, The Long-Lost Friend draws from the traditional folk magic of Pennsylvania Dutch customs and pow-wow healers.

This is authentic American folk magic at its best--household remedies combined with charms and incantations to cure common ailments and settle rural troubles. The most well-known grimoire of the New World, this work has influenced the practices of hoodoo, Santeria, Paganism, and other faiths. In this, the definitive edition, you'll find:

• Both the original German text and the 1856 English translation
• More than one hundred additional charms and recipes, taken from the pirated 1837 Skippacksville edition and others
• Extensive notes on the recipes, magic, Pennsylvania Dutch customs, and the origin of many of the charms
• Indices for general purposes and ingredients
• Explanations of the specialized terminology of illnesses

Whether your interest lies in folklore, ethnobotany, magic, witchcraft, or American history, this classic volume is an essential addition to your library.