The Golden Bough
Here is a book, The Golden Bough by Sir James Frazer, that I have been vaguely aware of for many years without having any idea what it was about. I am fortunate that an audio version exists thanks to Librivox.org. I could read it, of course, but it is a massive book (well over 800 pages) and I doubt I would be motivated enough to read it through without something else to hope for from the effort than a little enlightenment. So here is the book: it is about a Roman priesthood, succession to which was determined by challenging and killing the existing priest. That's right, you remained priest as long as someone else didn't kill you. This curious priesthood existed into Imperial times, and Frazer sets out to explain why it had such a curious means of choosing new leaders. With that introduction out of the way, most of the rest of the book is not about this particular priesthood at all, but about magic and religion in primitive societies in general. I say ...