Talk of the Devil

has become distinctly unfashionable. Our sceptical age has pensioned off Satan, for centuries the face and name put to the abstract reality of evil. However, the creation of Popes, archbishops and priests will not so easily accept his fate, and Satan continues to serve as a metaphor for evil throughout society. His scaly black skin, horns, cloven hoof and red eyes have become embedded in popular psyche. In The Devil: A Biography, Peter Stanford traces the development of the character and role of Satan through the ages and examines how we tackle evil today.