Mercia MacDermott has a long-standing association with Bulgaria; she was chairman of the Society for Friendship with Bulgaria (now the British-Bulgarian Friendship Society) from 1957 to 1973 and taught English in Bulgaria for over six years before becoming a guest lecturer at Sofia University for a further ten. She is the author of A History of Bulgaria 1393?1885 (Allen and Unwin) and three biographies of Bulgarian national figures: The Apostle of Freedom (Allen and Unwin), Freedom or Death and For Freedom and Perfection (Journeyman Press).
List of figures. Preface. Map of Bulgaria. Part One. Background
Information. 1. The ancestors of the modern Bulgarians. The ancient Slavs.
The Thracians. The Proto-Bulgars. 2. A summary of Bulgarian history. 3.
Traditional Bulgarian society. 4. Bulgarian folk costumes. 5. Folk music
and instruments. Bulgarian folk dances. 6. Food and folk ritual. 7.
Mythology and demonology. Part Two. Customs Relating to the Family and the
Individual. 8. Birth and childhood. Pregnancy. Birth. Post-natal care.
Growing-up. 9. Betrothal and marriage. Courtship. Betrothal. The wedding.
10. Building and entering a new house. 11. Death and funerals. Part Three.
Calendar Customs and Festivals. 12. The winter cycle. 13. The spring and
early summer cycle. 14. The high summer and autumn cycle. Customs connected
with sowing and reaping. Select Bibliography. Index.
