The Rest Is HistoryFeb 25, 2021

26. Witches

Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for 26. Witches on The Rest Is History.

Notable books mentioned: Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, The Voices of Nîmes by Susanna Lipscomb, Ladybird Book of Witchcraft by Susanna Lipscomb

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Mentioned at 0:18

Macbeth

William Shakespeare

The host mentions 'Macbeth' to highlight its famous opening lines spoken by witches, setting the tone for the episode's discussion on witchcraft. T…

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Mentioned at 0:49

Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling

The host mentioned Harry Potter in the context of discussing witchcraft, highlighting the influence of J.K. Rowling's work in his household. This r…

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Mentioned at 1:25

The Voices of Nîmes

Susanna Lipscomb

The host mentioned 'The Voices of Nîmes' to highlight Susanna Lipscomb's expertise in early modern history, particularly regarding women's roles du…

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26. Witches

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Episode summary, books & quotes

26. Witches mentions Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, The Voices of Nîmes by Susanna Lipscomb, and Ladybird Book of Witchcraft by Susanna Lipscomb with timestamps, quotes, and episode context.

Macbeth Harry Potter The Voices of Nîmes Ladybird Book of Witchcraft

Episode summary

Suzannah Lipscomb joins Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook to discuss the history of witches and witchcraft. Why did society see witches as a threat and what is the modern equivalent of a witch hunt?

Book mentions7

Media mentions1

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What is 26. Witches about?

Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for 26. Witches on The Rest Is History.

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What are the main takeaways from 26. Witches?

These are the strongest takeaways surfaced by the transcript, summary copy, and linked mentions for 26. Witches.

The conversation centers on witchcraft in history.
A second recurring theme is witch trials and confessions.
Referenced books include Macbeth by William Shakespeare and Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling.
The strongest audience signal points to Listeners interested in literature and history and Fans of witchcraft and popular literature.

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Which books are mentioned in 26. Witches?

Macbeth by William Shakespeare, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, and The Voices of Nîmes by Susanna Lipscomb are the clearest linked books in this episode, each tied back to transcript timestamps and quote cards.

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Top triggers

witchcraft in history(3)witch trials and confessions(1)witchcraft and wizardry(1)witchcraft in literature(1)witchcraft prosecutions history(1)

Mention sentiment

Deep Dive(4)Passing Reference(3)

Audience signals

Listeners interested in literature and historyFans of witchcraft and popular literaturelisteners interested in history and witchcraftHistory enthusiasts and those interested in witchcraft.Historians and scholars interested in witchcraft and religious persecutionhistorians and those interested in witchcraft history

Books Mentioned

Macbeth

William Shakespeare

Best for Listeners interested in literature and historyOften cited around witchcraft in literature

“Some of the most famous words ever written by Shakespeare. And they're spoken, of course, by one of the witches in Macbeth.”

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Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: witchcraft in literature

For: Listeners interested in literature and history

Key quote: “Some of the most famous words ever written by Shakespeare.”

The host mentions 'Macbeth' to highlight its famous opening lines spoken by witches, setting the tone for the episode's discussion on witchcraft. This reference serves as a cultural touchstone for the themes being explored in the podcast.

ASIN: 0743477103

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Harry Potter

J.K. Rowling

Best for Fans of witchcraft and popular literatureOften cited around witchcraft and wizardry

“I've got a lot of dark arts stuff in my house because my son is massively into J.K. Rowling.”

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Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: witchcraft and wizardry

For: Fans of witchcraft and popular literature

Key quote: “No, I've got a lot of dark arts stuff in my house because my son is massively into J.K. Rowling.”

The host mentioned Harry Potter in the context of discussing witchcraft, highlighting the influence of J.K. Rowling's work in his household. This reference serves to connect the themes of the episode with popular culture's portrayal of witches.

ASIN: B0F14PDX2Z

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The Voices of Nîmes

Susanna Lipscomb

Best for listeners interested in history and witchcraftOften cited around witchcraft in history

“the author of a series of award-winning books on early modern history, including most recently The Voices of Nîmes about women, sex and marriage in Reformation Languedoc.”

View mention details

Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: witchcraft in history

For: listeners interested in history and witchcraft

Key quote: “But we're very honoured to be joined today by our special guest, Susanna Lipscomb, star of TV, who also happens to be Professor of History at Roehampton University, the author of a series of award-winning books on early modern history, including most recently The Voices of Nîmes about women, sex and marriage in Reformation Languedoc.”

The host mentioned 'The Voices of Nîmes' to highlight Susanna Lipscomb's expertise in early modern history, particularly regarding women's roles during the Reformation. This reference serves to establish Lipscomb's credibility as a guest discussing witchcraft and its historical context.

ASIN: 0198797672

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Ladybird Book of Witchcraft

Susanna Lipscomb

Best for History enthusiasts and those interested in witchcraft.Often cited around witchcraft in history

“she's also the author, more germainly for our purposes, of the recently published Ladybird Book of Witchcraft.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: witchcraft in history

For: History enthusiasts and those interested in witchcraft.

Key quote: “But she's also the author, more germainly for our purposes, of the recently published Ladybird Book of Witchcraft.”

The host mentioned the 'Ladybird Book of Witchcraft' to highlight the expertise of their guest, Susanna Lipscomb, who has a deep academic background in witchcraft studies. This book serves as a bridge between early modern history and contemporary discussions about witchcraft.

ASIN: B07CV52CZP

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Malleus Maleficarum

Heinrich Kramer

Best for Historians and scholars interested in witchcraft and religious persecutionOften cited around witchcraft prosecutions history

“the famous book Malleus Maleficarum, The Hammer of the Witches, which was written by a German Dominican monk called Heinrich Kramer.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: witchcraft prosecutions history

For: Historians and scholars interested in witchcraft and religious persecution

Key quote: “And it particularly happens through the famous book Malleus Maleficarum, The Hammer of the Witches, which was written by a German Dominican monk called Heinrich Kramer.”

The host discusses the historical evolution of witchcraft perceptions and prosecutions, highlighting the significant role of the book 'Malleus Maleficarum' in this transformation. This book marked a pivotal shift in viewing witchcraft not just as a local issue but as a heretical threat endorsed by the church, leading to widespread legal ramifications.

ASIN: B003DXA8JE

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Demonology

James VI of Scotland

Best for historians and those interested in witchcraft historyOften cited around witch trials and confessions

“James the sixth of Scotland had written a book called demonology in 1597 in which he had given people instruction on how to find witches.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: witch trials and confessions

For: historians and those interested in witchcraft history

Key quote: “what we do have is what's called swimming, which is in England, our swam, which is something that James the first writes about in his demonology.”

The host discusses the historical context of witch trials and the methods used to determine guilt, referencing James VI's 'Demonology' to illustrate the brutal practices of the time. This book is mentioned to highlight the absurdity and danger of the witch hunts, particularly how confessions were often coerced or manipulated.

ASIN: 1738463745

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A History of Magic Witchcraft

Best for Scholars and enthusiasts of history and witchcraftOften cited around witchcraft in history

“The speaker mentions writing a forward for a book called 'A History of Magic Witchcraft' which discusses the history of magic and witchcraft across the world throughout time.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: witchcraft in history

For: Scholars and enthusiasts of history and witchcraft

Key quote: “I wrote a forward for a book which is called a history of magic witchcraft and the history of magic witchcraft and the history of magic witchcraft and the history of magic witchcraft across the world throughout time.”

The host discusses the complexities of witchcraft beliefs across different societies and historical contexts. They reference 'A History of Magic Witchcraft' to illustrate how these ideas have evolved and connected over time.

ASIN: 1465494294

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Movies & Documentaries Mentioned

Documentary

Savouring Africa's Witch Children

Confidence: 90%

“A film made for Dispatches on Channel 4 about the witch hunts in southern Nigeria and the impact of radical Protestantism on local beliefs.”

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