In 1438 a pig was hanged for murder in Burgundy, an apple was judged possessed by demons in 1602, and werewolves and flying witches were part of the belief system of everyday man. Strange Histories: The Trial Of The Pig, The Walking Dead, And Motehr Matters Of Fact From The Medieval And Renaissance Worlds is packed with intriguing beliefs and accounts of Middle Ages ideas, explaining how and why these beliefs were widely accepted and showing how assumptions about witches and demons affected social and political systems and ideas of rational enforcement. An intriguing worldview of the past is analyzed.

I have not read this book, so am not submitting a "review" per se. I read a review in Dark Realms magazine and was intrigued, so I looked it up here on Amazon. What astounds me is that this is apparently a very short book - only 198 pages - yet is selling for $23. Even for a hardcover, that's asking a bit much. Although the reviews are favorable and I'd like to read it, $23 for a book that slim is just outrageous.