100 Books I Keep Keeping... 10 Maypoles, Martyrs & Mayhem
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Maypoles, Martyrs & Mayhem by Quentin Cooper and Paul Sullivan (1965)
This is just plain fun. An almanac of British folklore customs and folkloreish history, with surreal, obscure (and unblushingly apocryphal) saints, weirdly wonderful fairs and festivals , peculiar (even for the ghostly) ghosts and daft doses of centuries-old whimsy, all served up with a great deal of gentle fun-poking and tongue in cheek. A book for browsing, and perfectly in tune with my joy in social history and the ridiculous side of customs and celebrations.
I picked it up in an academic remainders shop years ago on a whim - no idea why they had it in stock but it was one of those impulse buys that turned out to be perfectly me. It's now one of my very favourite books, the ones I would shortlist for a desert island... a years' worth of people, places and absorbing practices to be the best of company.
Here's the next few days...
It looks well-worn, yes, because it is...