13 brings together forgotten history and unknown facts about unlucky 13 to create the compelling story of the rise of a single belief. It is also a book about superstition in general — why people believe what they believe and why they stop believing when they do. 13 draws on history and the range of contemporary superstitions; in so doing, it touches on the fate of mythmaking in general. 13 answers the following questions, among others: When did the 13 superstition begin, and why? Why is Spain divided over whether Tuesday the 13th or Friday the 13th is the traditional unlucky 13th day? What other number superstitions exist in other cultures? Which is the only major hotel in New York City that has a 13th floor? What are the top three conspiracy theories about unlucky 13? What is the Thirteen Club, and why did it count three U.S. presidents among its members?

Triskaidekaphobia: fear of the number 13 If thirteen people sit down at a table, will one die within a year? Why did five U.S. presidents join the Thirteen Club? What is the only major New York hotel that has a thirteenth floor? In 13, a fascinating cultural history-cum-detective story, Nathaniel Lachenmeyer gets to the root of how one superstition—the fear of the number 13—developed among wildly divergent societies. A book about mythmaking, 13 explores why people believe what they believe, and the real reason Friday the 13th is the most unlucky day in the world.

If 13 people sit down at a table, will one die within a year? What is the only major N.Y. hotel that has a 13th floor? What does it mean if a clock strikes 13? This fascinating cultural history cum detective story gets to the root of how one superstition -- the fear of the number 13 -- developed among wildly divergent societies. Explores why people believe what they believe, and the real reason Friday the 13th is the most unlucky day in the world. Perhaps 13 is unlucky because the 13th letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the letter ¿M,¿ which is the first letter in the word ¿mavet,¿ meaning death. Or because there were 13 attendees at the Last Supper when Jesus was betrayed. ¿Probes the history of the world¿s scariest number.¿ Illustrations.

13 is part detective story, part cultural history - the first to separate truth from myth surrounding the world's most universal superstition. Why is 13 an unlucky number? Why, where and how did the superstition begin? Why do we have an obsession with the number 13 and how does this affect our daily lives? Is there a place for superstition in modern culture? In 13, a book of 13 chapters of 13 pages, Nathan Lachenmeyer reveals the extraordinary history of one of the most prevalent and enduring superstitions in the Western world - the belief that 13 is an unlucky number. It is also a book about superstition in general - why do people believe in a superstition, knowing that belief to be irrational? How and why do superstitions die out? What was the original name for the movie Friday the 13th? (It had nothing to do with 13.) Which is the only New York hotel to have a 13th Floor? Who, out of Edgar Allen Poe, Woodrow Wilson, Oscar Wilde, Victor Hugo and Adolf Hitler had a deep-rooted phobia of 13, and who was particularly fond of the number? History, mythology, mathematics, psychology and trivia all play their part in this intriguing book about the world's unluckiest number.

Why do we avoid walking under ladders? What is the meaning of ...? Superstitions nrings us to the beginning of all the most common and many less familiar rituals, porions, cures, etc.

This intriguing book explores the origins of common superstitions and customs that have been passed down through generations. From why we throw salt over our shoulders to the reasoning behind Friday the 13th being considered unlucky, T. Sharper Knowlson delves into the interesting history and folklore behind these beliefs. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Do you touch wood for luck, or avoid hotel rooms on floor thirteen? Would you cross the path of a black cat, or step under a ladder? Is breaking a mirror just an expensive waste of glass, or something rather more sinister? Despite the dominance of science in today's world, superstitious beliefs - both traditional and new - remain surprisingly popular. A recent survey of adults in the United States found that 33 percent believed that finding a penny was good luck, and 23 percent believed that the number seven was lucky. Where did these superstitions come from, and why do they persist today? This Very Short Introduction explores the nature and surprising history of superstition from antiquity to the present. For two millennia, superstition was a label derisively applied to foreign religions and unacceptable religious practices, and its primary purpose was used to separate groups and assert religious and social authority. After the Enlightenment, the superstition label was still used to define groups, but the new dividing line was between reason and unreason. Today, despite our apparent sophistication and technological advances, superstitious belief and behaviour remain widespread, and highly educated people are not immune. Stuart Vyse takes an exciting look at the varieties of popular superstitious beliefs today and the psychological reasons behind their continued existence, as well as the likely future course of superstition in our increasingly connected world. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.