[identity profile] x-beast.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] xp_communication
Note for Amanda, taped to a paper-wrapped copy of 'The Golden Bough' and left outside her door in the early morning.


Amanda,

I have been considering whether or not this will be helpful, and have decided to err on the side of more information, rather than less.

Although history is not one of my areas of expertise, as such, especially that involving religion, I have taken an interest now and then. The Golden Bough, though it has been discredited in some quarters in recent times, was one of the first books ever written on the subject of comparitive religion and magic. The first printing appeared at the end of the nineteenth century - this copy is a reprint of the edition issued in 1922, with revisions. It has a slight Christian bent, as does almost everything written in English in that time period, but overall it is still considered a very worthwhile study, and has been described as the foundation of modern anthropology. Although slightly dry, it is quite readable, and not as dull and impenetrable as many scholarly works.

I hope it is both interesting and useful to you... and you will find in Chapter 63 a section on the burning of humans (living or in effigy) in fire rituals, and the traditions behind said practice. It is a complex subject, and worthy of study if it's an area that interests you. There are more books in the library which I can recommend, if you wish.

-Hank McCoy

PS: I apologize for having to give you an old copy rather than a new one, but this edition is currently out of print.

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