Because the book is out of print (original publisher Crown, later Bonanza Books), there is no official ebook. Consequently, many researchers look for a scanned PDF.
But is this "vintage" encyclopedia still useful? And more importantly—can you actually find a legitimate copy of the PDF? Unlike the sensationalist pamphlets of the 16th century or the fictional grimoires of the 20th, Robbins’ work was written by a serious medievalist. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and a co-founder of the Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes . Because the book is out of print (original
No. Support the remaining archival copies. Borrow it via Interlibrary Loan or buy a battered used copy. And more importantly—can you actually find a legitimate
If you have ever fallen down a rabbit hole researching the Malleus Maleficarum, the Salem trials, or the difference between a lamia and a succubus, you have probably stumbled upon the name Rossell Hope Robbins . the Salem trials
If you find a scan, check plate number 47 (the "Witches’ Kitchen"). If you can't see the whiskers on the cat, you have a bad copy. Should you read it? Yes—if you are a historical novelist, a folklorist, or a true crime writer researching the psychology of the witch trials.