Description

Folk remedies, spells, talismans – it’s all in the LONG LOST FRIEND, an 1820 book by John George Hohman, a Pennsylvania Dutch healer. It was considered a must-have book for every household in Appalachia along with the Bible and the Farmer’s Almanac. Long Lost Friend was known as the House Father book because it was passed along to males. 188 charms focused on magical advice for healing, weather, crisis, etc. The book itself was considered magical and many would not even admit to owning the book.

Originally published in 1820 near Reading, Pennsylvania, under the German title Der Lange Verborgene Freund, this text is the work of immigrant Johann George Hohman. A collection of herbal formulas and magical prayers, The Long-Lost Friend draws from the traditional folk magic of Pennsylvania Dutch customs and pow-wow healers.

This is authentic American folk magic at its best―household remedies combined with charms and incantations to cure common ailments and settle rural troubles. The most well-known grimoire of the New World, this work has influenced the practices of hoodoo, Santeria, Paganism, and other faiths. In this, the definitive edition, you’ll find:

Both the original German text and the 1856 English translation
More than one hundred additional charms and recipes, taken from the pirated 1837 Skippacksville edition and others
Extensive notes on the recipes, magic, Pennsylvania Dutch customs, and the origin of many of the charms
Indices for general purposes and ingredients
Explanations of the specialized terminology of illnesses
Whether your interest lies in folklore, ethnobotany, magic, witchcraft, or American history, this classic volume is an essential addition to your library.