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Doctoring the Devil: Notebooks of an Appalachian Conjure Man - Paperback | Diverse Reads

Doctoring the Devil: Notebooks of an Appalachian Conjure Man

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In this “great starting point for those hoping to practice Appalachian folk magic” (Publishers Weekly), conjure man Jake Richards shares the root work practices and traditional magic he learned from his family as he grew up in the hills and hollers of Appalachia.

Who were the old conjurors and witches of Appalachia? What were their practices and beliefs? How can you learn the ways of conjuring for yourself? Appalachian folk magic and conjure are little known today, but forty or fifty years ago just about every person you might ask in Appalachia either knew something about it themselves or knew someone who did it. These practices and “superstitions” are at the core of Appalachian culture.

In Doctoring the Devil, Jake Richards speaks to those questions and more, offering the various ways of rooting out the “devil”—any unfriendly spirit bringing bad luck, poor health, and calamities of all sorts.

Like the blue smoky mists that glide up the Appalachians, Jake leads his readers up the hillsides too, introducing us to folks along the way—hunters, farmers, blacksmiths, faith healers, preachers, and root-diggers. We’ll also meet the local spirits and learn root ways. Further up the hill, we delve into Jake’s notebooks—a personal collection of tried-and-true Appalachian recipes and roots for conjuring love, money, justice, and success.

ISBN-13: 9781578637331

Media Type: Paperback

Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser

Publication Date: 04-01-2021

Pages: 288

Product Dimensions: 5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

Jake Richards holds his Appalachian heritage close in his blood and bones. His family legacy in Appalachia goes back generations. Jake has practiced Appalachian folk magic for almost a decade and teaches classes on the subject in Jonesborough, Tennessee, where he owns Little Chicago Conjure, a supplier of Appalachian folk magic supplies and ingredients.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xi

Introduction 1

1 Witchcraft and Conjure in Appalachia 5

2 Catching Spirits 25

3 Red Roots 41

4 Corn and Quarters 55

5 Praying at the River 81

6 Salt under the Rocks 103

7 A Dime, a Dollar 121

8 Ain't No Badge That Shines Brighter 133

9 Mockingbird, Mockingbird 145

10 Little Rabbit Skin 159

11 There's a Balm in Gilead 169

12 "I've Been Witched!" 187

13 Run, Devil, Run 203

Conclusion 221

Appendix A Zodiac Signs and Their Corresponding Body Parts 223

Appendix B List of Herbs/Curios and Their Uses 225

Bibliography 259