A review by crowyhead
The History of Hell by Alice K. Turner

4.0

This is a fascinating cultural history of Hell. Since it focuses mainly on Hell in Western popular culture, it draws most heavily on Judeo-Christian (mostly Christian), Greek, and Roman conceptions of punishment in the afterlife. I imagine if you have done a lot of reading about the history of Hell and Satan, this probably wouldn't reveal much that's new, but for the curious layperson it's an excellent overview, related with wit and charm. I've done quite a bit of reading about the history of the Devil, but there was a lot here that was new to me. It's also marvelously illustrated, with both black & white and full color plates.