Superstitions

Across all cultures and spanning centuries, superstitions rooted in cultural legends and myths have formed and influenced daily life. SUPERSTITIONS explains how and why these legends and the associated behaviour behind them developed, accompanied by beautiful illustrations.

For example, the belief that one will have seven years' bad luck if you break a mirror is said to come from the Romans, who were the first to create glass mirrors. And in Japanese culture, cutting your nails at night is thought to lead to a quick death because the two phrases sound similar.

You'll, also, find out why some superstitions vary from culture to culture. For instance, the “unlucky” number 13 is considered a bad omen in some countries, like the US and “lucky” in other countries, like Italy - where the number 17 is considered unlucky. The information is organised by country, so you can easily investigate the popular superstitions linked to your own or other specific ethnic heritage or cultural identity.

Satisfy your burning curiosity with this complete guide to superstitions, folklore and myths.