The Years of the Wizard : The Strange History and Home Life of Renaissance Magicians

by Morris, Rachel

Europe

Published 09/10/2025 by Duckworth Books (September Publishing) in the United Kingdom.

Hardback | 320 pages

All things were believable back then – wizards, alchemy, fairies, angels. This is the story of those magical times.

The Years of the Wizard is a lyrical and highly atmospheric exploration of the lives of Tudor and Renaissance magicians, men from John Dee to Giordano Bruno, who were also scientists, astrologers, mathematicians and alchemists. It is also an act of historical imagination, bringing to life the stories of their wives, lovers, servants and daughters. Morris' vivid recreations of the less documented female lives includes the extraordinary story of John and Jane Dee, the jealous apprentice, and the angels who meddled in their marriage...

A brilliant, fresh approach to an era of discovery, persecution and magic – one that still feeds modern storytellers today.