Discover the beguiling history of witchcraft, magic, and superstition through the centuries in this stunningly illustrated title.

A History of Magic, Witchcraft and the Occult charts the extraordinary narrative of one of the most interesting and often controversial subjects in the world, covering everything from ancient animal worship and shamanism, through alchemy and divination to modern Wicca and the resurgence of the occult in 21st-century literature, cinema, and television.

Providing readers with a balanced, and unbiased account of everything from Japanese folklore and Indian witchcraft to the differences between black and white magic, and dispelling myths such as those surrounding the voodoo doll and Ouija, the book explores the common human fear of, and fascination with spells, superstition, and the supernatural.

The perfect introduction to magic and the occult, this wide-ranging volume explores forms of divination from astrology and palmistry to the Tarot and runestones, mystical plants and potions such as mandrake, the presence of witchcraft in literature from Shakespeare's Macbeth to the Harry Potter series, and the ways in which magic has interacted with religion.

The most comprehensive illustrated history of witchcraft available, A History of Magic, Witchcraft and the Occult will enthrall and fascinate you with its lavish illustrated, accessible entries, whether you are a believer or skeptic.

Crammed with fascinating facts and all the core curriculum topics, this physics book for ages 12 and up will have you exam-ready in no time!

Created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, this completely comprehensive guide makes physics crystal clear. It's the perfect support for home and school learning.

This super simple science book cuts through the jargon and breaks down the information into easy, manageable chunks. From atoms and states of matter to scalars and vectors, this indispensable guide is packed with everything you need to quickly and easily understand physics.

The Ultimate Physics Revision Book

Every page is designed to make even the most complex scientific subjects accessible and engaging. Topics are covered in one easy-to-follow single page and fully illustrated to explain the concept - perfect for visual learners. The essential points are in a Key Facts box, which is great for checking back later when revising. Calculations and graphs are set out in simple, logical steps to make the science feel achievable for all students.

Whether you're a keen physicist or just looking to get an A+,, this accessible science revision guide for children offers clear and concise coverage of all the core physics topics. From dramatic images of planets to bolts of lightning, vivid photography makes it easy for students to relate physics to the world around them.

Complete the Series:

Alongside SuperSimple: Chemistry, SuperSimple: Biology, and SuperSimple: Maths, these revision guides are part of an exciting new series designed not only to educate, but to inspire.

Investigate 100 of the world's most notorious crimes, including the Great Train Robbery, the Lindbergh kidnapping, and the murders of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer.

Were the perpetrators delusional, opportunist, or truly evil? Find out what really happened and how the cases were solved.

Discover conmen with sheer verve, such as Victor Lustig who "sold" the Eiffel Tower to scrap dealers in 1925, adrenaline-fuelled escapes, and mind-bending exploits of pirates, kidnappers, and drug cartels. The Crime Book demystifies malware, cybercrimes, and Ponzi schemes and sets out the terrifying ploys of mass murderers from 16th-century Elizabeth Báthory who drained young girls' blood to the more recent exploits of Rosemary and Fred West.

Like a virus, crime mutates and adapts. The Crime Book explains how pivotal moments in history opened up new opportunities for criminals, such as the smuggling of alcohol during the American Prohibition era. It also charts developments in justice and forensics including the Innocence Project, which used DNA testing to exonerate wrongly convicted convicts. It examines how the forces of law and order have fought back against crime, explaining ingenious sting operations such as tracking down the jewel thief Bill Mason and the final capture of murderer Ted Bundy.

With a foreword from bestselling crime author Cathy Scott, The Crime Book is an enthralling introduction to humanity's darker side.


Series Overview: Big Ideas Simply Explained series uses creative design and innovative graphics, along with straightforward and engaging writing, to make complex subjects easier to understand. These award-winning books provide just the information needed for students, families, or anyone interested in concise, thought-provoking refreshers on a single subject.

Enter the world of myths and legends with this unforgettable compendium that spans the centuries and crosses the continents to share the greatest stories of all time.

Sit back and enjoy more than 80 classic myths retold for the modern reader with engaging text and eye-catching graphics.

Part of the Big Ideas series, The Mythology Book introduces the great and the good, from the gods of ancient Greece to the stories of the Cherokee People of North America. Going beyond the ancient worlds, this book brings to life influential tales of Aboriginal Australians and the Aztecs, each packed with compelling characters, plot twists and turns, and incredible insight into human existence.

Discover the lessons behind every story and get to the heart of cultures far and wide through the inspiring narratives that capture the way communities work together to make sense of the world around them.

This is essential reading for everyone who delights in stories of imagination, action, and adventure, taking new generations back in time to love and learn from the stories of the past.

Explore the laws and theories of physics in this accessible introduction to the forces that shape our universe, our planet, and our everyday lives.

Using a bold, graphics-led approach, The Physics Book sets out more than 80 of the key concepts and discoveries that have defined the subject and influenced our technology since the beginning of time. With the focus firmly on unpacking the thought behind each theory-as well as exploring when and how each idea and breakthrough came about-five themed chapters examine the history and developments in specific areas such as Light, Sound, and Electricity.

Eureka moments abound: from Archimedes' bathtub discoveries about displacement and density, and Galileo's experiments with spheres falling from the Tower of Pisa, to Isaac Newton's apple and his conclusions about gravity and the laws of motion. You'll also learn about Albert Einstein's revelations about relativity; how the accidental discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation confirmed the Big Bang theory; the search for the Higgs boson particle; and why most of the universe is missing. If you've ever wondered exactly how physicists formulated-and proved-their abstract concepts, The Physics Book is the book for you.

Series Overview: Big Ideas Simply Explained series uses creative design and innovative graphics along with straightforward and engaging writing to make complex subjects easier to understand. With over 7 million copies worldwide sold to date, these award-winning books provide just the information needed for students, families, or anyone interested in concise, thought-provoking refreshers on a single subject.

Discover the key ideas, themes, and plotlines behind every case investigated by Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in the famous and celebrated stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle with this original, graphics-led book.

Using the "Big Ideas" series' trademark combination of witty illustrations, clear graphics, and inspirational quotes, The Sherlock Holmes Book is the perfect primer for newcomers and devoted readers alike.

From the first Holmes novel, A Study in Scarlet, to the masterpiece that is The Hound of the Baskervilles, to the final Holmes tale The Adventure of Shoscombe Old Place, The Sherlock Holmes Book explores every facet of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's master detective, his world, and his ongoing appeal.

Packed with detailed plot summaries, a full analysis of the major characters and themes, and essays on the world of Sherlock Holmes, the book is essential reading for fans of the world's most famous detective.

Travel thousands of years into our past and discover the significant events that shaped the world as we know it.

This book includes short, descriptive explanations of key ideas, themes, and events of world history that are easy to understand. Explore topics such as the founding of Baghdad, the colonization of the Americas, and the inception of Buddhism without complicated jargon.


This book is part of DK's award-winning Big Ideas Simply Explained educational series that uses witty graphics and engaging descriptions to enlighten readers.

Don't stop at American history, explore the world! This book is full of fun facts from the human story, going as far back as the origins of our species to space exploration today. Discover all things revolution, from the French to the digital, including the rise of the internet.

Enjoy short and sweet biographies of some of the most important thinkers and leaders throughout history, like Martin Luther, Charles Darwin, and Nelson Mandela. You'll learn who said famous historical quotes, and what they really meant when they said it.

Big Ideas

This is a modern twist on the good old-fashioned encyclopedia, now easier to follow with diagrams, mind maps, and timelines. Step-by-step diagrams will have you reviewing your ideas about history.

Start from the very beginning:

- Human Origins 200,000 years ago - 3500 BGE
- Ancient Civilizations 6000 BGE - 500 CE
- The Medieval World 500 - 1492
- Early Modern Era 1420 - 1795
- Changing Societies 1776 - 1914
- The Modern World 1914 - Present

The Series Simply Explained

With over 7 million copies sold worldwide to date, The History Book is part of the award-winning Big Ideas Simply Explained series from DK Books. It uses innovative graphics along with engaging writing to make complex subjects easier to understand.

Who wrote the first true "opera"? Where did the system of musical notation come from? How do composers construct symphonies?

The Classical Music Book answers these questions and more by exploring the history of classical music in clear and easy-to-follow sections. More than 90 works by famous composers are analyzed, with explanations of their music theory and impact on society. You will also explore the fascinating stories about the lives of crucial composers and performers.

Covering Thomas Tallis in the early period, baroque masters like Bach and Handel, and the classical genius of Beethoven and Wagner all the way to the modern-day composers, this comprehensive book explores the key ideas rooted in the world's greatest classical compositions and musical traditions. The importance of each composition is explained, placing them into their wider social, cultural, and historical context.

With its unique approach to the subject, this the perfect classical music guide for everyone. Regardless of whether you are relatively new to the subject or if you are a classical music aficionado, there is plenty to discover on every page.


Series Overview: Big Ideas Simply Explained series uses creative design and innovative graphics along with straightforward and engaging writing to make complex subjects easier to understand. With over 7 million copies worldwide sold to date, these award-winning books provide just the information needed for students, families, or anyone interested in concise, thought-provoking refreshers on a single subject.

Explore ecology in this accessible introduction to how the natural world works and how we have started to understand the environment, ecosystems, and climate change.

Using a bold, graphic-led approach, The Ecology Book explores and explains more than 85 of the key ideas, movements, and acts that have defined ecology and ecological thought.

The book has a simple chronological structure, with early chapters ranging from the ideas of classical thinkers to attempts by Enlightenment thinkers to systematically order the natural world. Later chapters trace the evolution of modern thinking, from the ideas of Thomas Malthus, Henry Thoreau, and others, right up to the political and scientific developments of the modern era, including the birth of the environmental movement and the Paris Agreement.

The ideal introduction to one of the most important subjects of our time.

Exploring more than 100 of the most important ideas, organizations, and events to have defined the feminist movement, this is an essential introduction to feminism.

The latest entry in DK's bestselling Big Ideas series, The Feminism Book is a complete study of feminism. Trace the subject from its origins, through the suffrage campaigns of the late 19th century, to recent developments such as the Everyday Sexism Project and the #MeToo movement. Examine the ideas that underpin feminist thought through crucial figures, from Simone de Beauvoir to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and discover the wider social, cultural, and historical context of their impact. Find out who campaigned for birth control, when the term "intersectionality" was coined, and what "postfeminism" really means in this comprehensive book.

Using the Big Ideas series' trademark combination of authoritative, accessible text and bold graphics, the most significant concepts and theories have never been easier to understand. Packed with inspirational quotations, eye-catching infographics, and clear flowcharts, The Feminism Book is a must-have for anyone with an interest in the subject.

Ideal for the armchair bird enthusiast or dedicated bird watcher, this book includes stunning full-color photographs, revealing each species with unrivaled clarity.

A lavish introduction describes bird characteristics and behavior, while stunning full-color photographs reveal individual species for easy identification.

The 550 most commonly seen birds are pictured in clear, close-up photographs, with images of similar birds provided to make differentiation easy, from game birds and waterfowl to shorebirds and swifts to owls, hummingbirds, finches, and more. Discover which species to expect when and where with up-to-date, color-coded maps highlighting habitation and migratory patterns.

The most commonly seen species are given a whole page in the species catalog, and each full-page profile includes images of plumage variations, subspecies, information on similar birds, and artwork of the bird in flight that reveal their outstretched wings.

Rare birds and vagrants who occasionally stray into North America are also described, making AMNH Birds of North America one of the most comprehensive guides on the market and essential for anyone interested in birding.

See how math's infinite mysteries and beauty unfold in this captivating educational book!

Discover more than 85 of the most important mathematical ideas, theorems, and proofs ever devised with this beautifully illustrated book. Get to know the great minds whose revolutionary discoveries changed our world today.


You don't have to be a math genius to follow along with this book! This brilliant book is packed with short, easy-to-grasp explanations, step-by-step diagrams, and witty illustrations that play with our ideas about numbers.

What is an imaginary number? Can two parallel lines ever meet? How can math help us predict the future? All will be revealed and explained in this encyclopedia of mathematics.

It's as easy as 1-2-3!

The Math Book tells the exciting story of how mathematical thought advanced through history. This diverse and inclusive account will have something for everybody, including the math behind world economies and espionage.

This book charts the development of math around the world, from ancient mathematical ideas and inventions like prehistoric tally bones through developments in medieval and Renaissance Europe. Fast forward to today and gain insight into the recent rise of game and group theory.

Delve in deeper into the history of math:

- Ancient and Classical Periods 6000 BCE - 500 CE
- The Middle Ages 500 - 1500
- The Renaissance 1500 - 1680
- The Enlightenment 1680 - 1800
- The 19th Century 1800 - 1900
- Modern Mathematics 1900 - Present

The Series Simply Explained

With over 7 million copies sold worldwide to date, The Math Book is part of the award-winning Big Ideas Simply Explained series from DK Books. It uses innovative graphics along with engaging writing to make complex subjects easier to understand.