The taken for granted reality of evil influences

[Major Tom]

...

[Nick]

Thanks for the recommendation, Major Tom, it does seem like it would be a good read. I thought I'd add an editorial review from Amazon.com as well:

"Editorial Review:

This highly original and engaging book by French historian Robert Muchembled, is a journey through time and space in search of the changing perception and significance of the devil in Western culture.
The author takes the story back to the 13th century, when visual images of Satan first started to appear, and forward to the 20th Century, dealing with, among others, the place of the diabolical in the films of Stanley Kubrick, including Eyes Wide Shut. The changing figures of Evil over time are shown to correlate with the way in which men conceive of their destinies and the future of their civilisation. Fascination with the diabolical having reached its height in the witch-hunts of the 15th and 16th centuries, by the enlightenment, begins to show signs of decline, a process which has continued up to today. The result of this process, for modern western society, is a subtle metamorphosis of the notion of the devil from fear of Satan, into an internal demon, "the demon within" characterised by a distrust of oneself and ones desires. It is this conception of the diabolical that is visible today in our interest in the supernatural, exorcism, and for example, in the role of the ! "devlish good" in advertising.

A rich, vivid history of a topic that never ceases to intrigue."

[Frank]

Major Tom:

Thanks from me too, great reco. I've put this one on my must read list as it's a topic that has intrigued me for some time. I especially liked the review phrase "devilish good" in respect to advertising, that Nick brought up. This is something I have been noticing for some time.

Thanks again.

Yours,
Frank

[SpectralDragon]

I just bought this book off the site, will see how it is. It goes with a subject I am studying so I can write my own book. Get back with you guys on what I think of the book.