9780195146912

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A wide-ranging, illustrated history of Halloween, from an ancient Celtic ritual to a billion-dollar industry Boasting a rich, complex history rooted in Celtic and Christian ritual, Halloween has evolved from ethnic celebration to a blend of street festival, fright night, and vast commercial enterprise. In this colorful history, Nicholas Rogers takes a lively, entertaining look at the cultural origins and development of one of the most popular holidays of the year.
Drawing on a fascinating array of sources, from classical history to Hollywood films, Rogers traces Halloween as it emerged from the Celtic festival of Samhain (summer's end), picked up elements of the Christian Hallowtide (All Saint's Day and All Soul's Day), arrived in North America as an Irish and Scottish festival, and evolved into an unofficial but large-scale holiday by the early 20th century. He examines the 1970s and '80s phenomena of Halloween sadism (razor blades in apples) and inner-city violence (arson in Detroit), as well as the immense influence of the horror film genre on the reinvention of Halloween as a terror-fest. Throughout his vivid account, Rogers shows how Halloween remains, at its core, a night of inversion, when social norms are turned upside down, and a temporary freedom of expression reigns supreme. He examines how this very license has prompted censure by the religious Right, occasional outrage from law enforcement officials, and appropriation by Left-leaning political groups.
Engagingly written and based on extensive research, HALLOWEEN is the definitive history of the most bewitching day of the year, illuminating the intricate history and shifting cultural forces behind this enduring trick-or-treat holiday.

"Rogers has fresh things to say about the grown-up character of Halloween revelry in the period from 1880 to 1920 or so....He is fascinated by trick-or-treat ritual....[He is] a connoisseur of the delicious tidbits of the macabre"

Karal Ann Marling, New York Times Book Review, 10/27/2002

"Rogers is a fine cultural historian. [This is] the best study to date of the history and growing significance of Halloween." (Starred review)

Publishers Weekly, 09/23/2002

Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night: Search Results