Reviews for Medicine and Magic in Elizabethan England: Simon Forman - Astrologer, Alchemist, and Physician (Oxford Historical Monographs Series)

The average rating for Medicine and Magic in Elizabethan England: Simon Forman - Astrologer, Alchemist, and Physician (Oxford Historical Monographs Series) based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-12-31 00:00:00 Andrea Pompilio Unfortunately this books reads too much like a doctoral thesis, the author continually telling the reader what she is going to write about. But Simon Forman, what a fascinating man! Like John Dee, he engaged a scryer and was interested in speaking to angels. He was a real contrarian, too, and although the author said he was humorless, he came across differently to me. Of course, I didn't have to slog through his handwritten journals, either. If you are interested in early modern astrology and the goings-on of Elizabethans, you will want to pick up this book. I found the typeface used hard going. Not sure what font it is, but it was quite tiring to read. Perhaps if they had used a larger font, it might have been easier on the eyes. The notes and bibliography are first rate. Anyone researching this period and subject will definitely want to read Medicine and Magic in Elizabethan London.

Review # 2 was written on 2020-11-20 00:00:00 Htiek Nelooc It was a well researched book and very interesting the only reason I dropped a star is because I wanted more plates and direct transcripts. I couldn't read the writing on the pages that were photographed in the book. It seems pointless to have the image of the page if it's also transcribed in typed English. I think it likely that this is very usual for this type of book though. Forman was a very interesting character and I'm still undecided whether he truly was a quack as professionals of the time tried to indicate, or he was a self-made man. He was certainly proud and defiant... both qualities I like in a human being, though he made many mistakes in his career both in how he dealt with his adversaries and due to his own failings of pride and ignorance. If you're interested in an evidence based summary of the real life of a practicing an astrologer physician then you will love this book.