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At the Borders of the Wondrous and Magical
Nature Spirits, Shapeshifters, and the Undead in the Never-Ending Middle Ages
Foreword by Florence Bayard and Astrid Guillaume
Published by Inner Traditions
Distributed by Simon & Schuster
Table of Contents
About The Book
• Examines the esoteric side of texts and tales from the Middle Ages, including the enduring presence of haunted areas and power places and the roles of witches, house spirits, rune priests, shapeshifters, and the undead
• Discusses the dividing line between magic and deviltry, as well as the significance of grimoires, bells, blacksmiths, storm callers, and more
• Serves as a guide to a still-present magical and imaginal realm, pointing readers to the borderlands and liminal thresholds that enable access to the other world
In this new collection of his writings, scholar and Sorbonne professor Claude Lecouteux reveals that the magical world of the distant past is real and still very present—if you know where to look. Explaining how he makes the texts he studies reveal their hidden teachings, Lecouteux directly explores the esoteric side of medieval myths and tales, peeling back the Christian veneer to show the enduring presence of haunted areas and power places, witches, house spirits, rune carvers, vampires, shapeshifters, and the undead.
In tales originating from Greenland and Iceland to Saxony, Romania, and beyond, the author discusses the dividing line between magic and diablerie as well as the significance of grimoires, bells, blacksmiths, and other magical objects and characters. He explores magic in the elements of nature and as illustrated by the art of witches and magicians specializing in weather magic—storm callers and storm dispellers. He examines the medieval mythology surrounding clouds and the mythic significance of mountains in the haunted world of our ancestors, which is still as close to us today as it was to them in the past. Looking at borderlands and liminal thresholds that can serve as gateways to other worlds, the author also discusses land spirits and the rituals needed to engage with them, recognizing how their ownership of the land can never fully be usurped.
Through these writings Lecouteux acts as a ferryman, transporting readers into the realms of the wondrous and magical. He enables us to see how the haunted magic of the Middle Ages never ended and how the imaginal realm, standing just beyond the borders of our own, is as vividly real as the material world.
• Discusses the dividing line between magic and deviltry, as well as the significance of grimoires, bells, blacksmiths, storm callers, and more
• Serves as a guide to a still-present magical and imaginal realm, pointing readers to the borderlands and liminal thresholds that enable access to the other world
In this new collection of his writings, scholar and Sorbonne professor Claude Lecouteux reveals that the magical world of the distant past is real and still very present—if you know where to look. Explaining how he makes the texts he studies reveal their hidden teachings, Lecouteux directly explores the esoteric side of medieval myths and tales, peeling back the Christian veneer to show the enduring presence of haunted areas and power places, witches, house spirits, rune carvers, vampires, shapeshifters, and the undead.
In tales originating from Greenland and Iceland to Saxony, Romania, and beyond, the author discusses the dividing line between magic and diablerie as well as the significance of grimoires, bells, blacksmiths, and other magical objects and characters. He explores magic in the elements of nature and as illustrated by the art of witches and magicians specializing in weather magic—storm callers and storm dispellers. He examines the medieval mythology surrounding clouds and the mythic significance of mountains in the haunted world of our ancestors, which is still as close to us today as it was to them in the past. Looking at borderlands and liminal thresholds that can serve as gateways to other worlds, the author also discusses land spirits and the rituals needed to engage with them, recognizing how their ownership of the land can never fully be usurped.
Through these writings Lecouteux acts as a ferryman, transporting readers into the realms of the wondrous and magical. He enables us to see how the haunted magic of the Middle Ages never ended and how the imaginal realm, standing just beyond the borders of our own, is as vividly real as the material world.
Product Details
- Publisher: Inner Traditions (January 7, 2025)
- Length: 288 pages
- ISBN13: 9781644119945
Raves and Reviews
This very interesting and erudite collection of wide-ranging articles is rich with a mix of historical and esoteric subjects. Anyone wishing to widen their knowledge and horizons on the ‘wondrous and magical’ should dive full depth into this book. I did and have benefited greatly.”
– R. J. Stewart, author of The Miracle Tree and The Underworld Initiation
A fascinating, exciting, and original collection of different aspectsm of the enchanted medieval worldview by a long-established master of the subject.”
– Ronald Hutton, professor at the University of Bristol and author of Queens of the Wild
“This book brings together a rich collection of essays by Claude Lecouteux about borders and thresholds—between night and day, land and sea, illusion and reality, the sacred and the profane, the worlds of the living and the dead—and the numerous beings that frequent them, including ghosts, demons, dragons, fairies, totem animals, and nature spirits. This is a book about enchantment that is itself an enchanting read.”
– Christopher McIntosh, author of Occult Germany and Occult Russia
“Claude Lecouteux’s work is highly respected for its meticulous scholarship in elucidating connections deeply embedded in ancient literature, folklore, and beliefs. This book delves into many unseen aspects of Eldritch existence hidden in plain sight. It is a splendid addition to his fine corpus of work.”
– Nigel Pennick, author of Fortuna and Celtic Tree Alphabets
“This book retraces the quintessential work of Claude Lecouteux, focusing on long-neglected subjects like monsters, fabulous creatures, and mysterious forces that we never know whether they are natural or magical. He has opened up a fertile breach, now being taken up by new generations of researchers, for whom Lecouteux represents not just a pioneer but a model to follow, including from a methodological point of view—starting from words, starting from texts.”
– Karin Ueltschi, professor of medieval language and literature, Université de Reims, France
“As we’ve come to expect from Claude Lecouteux, At the Borders of the Wondrous and Magical is a meticulously researched and compelling work. The legends and folk beliefs he has gathered together give us a window into the ontology of the medieval mind and its understanding of the human place in the natural world. This standpoint invites us to re-examine our own relationship with the wondrous and haunted world, leading us to the foothills of the imaginal.”
– Darragh Mason, author of Song of the Dark Man
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