Author Talk: John Billingsley, The Luck of the House

John Billingsley believes that the folklore and customs of an area constitute the glue that holds communities together, and the bedrock upon which local culture and economies build. He has published widely on local folk tales, magical traditions and places, has been editor of the antiquarian journal Northern Earth for 32 years, and is a director of The Folklore Centre in Todmorden.

Since the days of the early scriptures, people the world over have feared forces over which they have no control, especially uncanny powers, such as the evil eye. This has been a constant source of anxiety and strife, often associated with witchcraft, and householders would deploy counter-magic charms against that and other misfortunes.