Current superstitions : collected from the oral tradition of English speaking folk

This volume gathers hundreds of everyday superstitions whispered through generations of English‑speaking folk. Compiled from letters, casual interviews, and chance conversations with teachers, nurses, servants and travellers, the collection reads like a conversational scrapbook of belief. Each entry is introduced with a brief note that situates the custom, whether it concerns the order of putting on shoes, the right moment to sweep a house, or the whispered warnings about fairies and omens.

The editor’s modest curiosity turns into a lively tour of regional quirks, from the Appalachian hills to the Irish countryside and the bustling streets of New England. Listeners will hear familiar sayings alongside obscure rites, all presented with the gentle humor of a collector who admits his own quirks. The result is a vivid portrait of the informal logic that guided daily life in the 19th century, inviting anyone who loves language, history, or simply a good story to pause and reflect on the strange comforts of old folk wisdom.