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Discover the monsters, witches, and other ghoulish creatures that make up lesser known Christmas folklore in this gleefully creepy guide–perfect for horror fans who love the wintry holidays.

When you think about Christmas, you likely picture mangers, glowing fireplaces, sweet carolers, and snow-blanketed hills. But behind all this bright magic, there’s something much darker lurking in the shadows. In The Dead of Winter, Cambridge-trained historian Sarah Clegg delves deep into the folklore of the Christmas season in Europe, detailing the way its terrifying and often debaucherous past continues to haunt and entertain us now in the twenty-first century.

Perfect for the growing mainstream audience obsessed with horror and monsters, this guide makes the perfect gift, beautifully packaged in a stocking-stuffer-friendly trim size.

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Praise for The Dead of Winter:

"Away from the turkey and tinsel, Sarah Clegg bravely escorts us to the dark side of the festive season, a wintry underworld of witches and demons, sinister customs, and strange ancient rites. A fascinating, menacing miscellany."
Malcolm Gaskill, author of The Ruin of All Witches and Witchfinders
"Sarah Clegg's dark and delicious The Dead of Winter isn't just a frightful and sometimes funny account of Krampus, Mari Lwyd, Christmas ghosts, monster mummers, and a winter witch named St. Lucy, but is also a thoughtful examination of why these stories continue to capture our imagination. I plan on spending every Christmas now revisiting this wonderful book."
Lisa Morton, author of Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween
"Enchanting, atmospheric, and charmingly spooky, Sarah Clegg's THE DEAD OF WINTER will transport readers with these immersive and near-forgotten celebrations of the season."
Lydia Kang, M.D. author of Quackery
“A fascinating, scholarly and entertaining history of the dark side of Christmas lore.”
Nikki Marmery, author Lilith
“A lively, moving, thoughtful, and erudite survey of the more disturbing aspects of the modern world's most important festival. It is probably the best, and certainly the most accessible.”

Ronald Hutton, author of The Witch: A History of Fear from Ancient Times to the Present
Praise for Woman's Lore: 4,000 Years of Sirens, Serpents and Succubi:

Shortlisted for the HWA Non-Fiction Crown Award

"A remarkable work... Extraordinary, meticulous detail."
Literary Review (UK)
"Ambitious in scope, guiding the reader across millennia of cultural history... deftly fuses scholarly rigour, control of literary and archaeological sources, an accessible, entertaining style, wonderful illustrations, and a warm-hearted sympathy with women's plight across the centuries."
BBC History Magazine
"A delightful romp through four thousand years' worth of sinister superstition, offering an empathetic interpretation of these supernatural creatures, so-called monsters, with a particular focus on women's experiences of them. Sarah Clegg provides thought-provoking insights into a range of beliefs and practices so often overlooked by mainstream history."
Jane Draycott, author of Cleopatra’s Daughter
"Woman's Lore is a fascinating exploration of the mythology and trope of the 'demonic woman' that has existed for centuries and persists even today. Thoughtfully researched, it is an empowering and enlightening read."
Catherine Cho, author of Inferno: a Memoir of Motherhood and Madness
"Clegg writes beautifully and displays her vast knowledge and passion for the subject with such ease... Brilliantly and seamlessly informs the reader of the human context of the tale."
All About History

On Sale: Nov 12, 2024
Page Count: 208 pages
Publisher: Algonquin Books
ISBN-13: 9781643757087

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Sarah Clegg

About the Author

Sarah Clegg has a PhD in ancient history from the University of Cambridge. She has written for various publications including History Today and has appeared on podcasts such as BBC History Extra and History Hit The Ancients. Her first book, Woman’s Lore traced a group of seductive, child-snatching demonesses through folklore from ancient Mesopotamian to the present day and was shortlisted for the HWA Non-Fiction Crown. Sarah lives in London and works in publishing.

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Sarah Clegg

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