The Satanic Witch

by Anton Szandor LaVey, Blanche Barton (Afterword), Peggy Nadramia (Introduction)

Undiluted Gypsy lore regarding the forbidden knowledge of seduction and manipulation.

Genres: Occult, Nonfiction, Satanism, Religion, Philosophy, Spirituality, Witchcraft

284 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

High Priest of the Church of Satan as well as a writer, occultist, musician, and actor.

He was the author of The Satanic Bible and the founder of LaVeyan Satanism, a synthesized system of his understanding of human nature and the insights of philosophers who advocated materialism and individualism, for which he claimed no "supernatural inspiration."

LaVey viewed "Satan" not as a literal deity or entity, but as a historic and literary figure symbolic of Earthly values.

Reviews

[☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣ · Rating 2 out of 5]

For about 90% this one's a manual on picking up guys, fetishisation, de- and sexualisation, being a sexual object and other epic eyeroll worthy stuff.
At least my eyes got a nice workout.

[Hannah Eiseman-Renyard · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tired Pervy Unenlightened 1960s Cliches

I read this shortly after finishing The Satanic Bible because I was a teenage prat and still wanted to shock the people sat opposite me on public transport. For these purposes this book doesn't work as well as The Satanic Bible. Though it still has the inverted pentacle on the cover, the friendly pink colour lowers the impact.

As for contents: Ha! Holy shit it's terrible. The 'magic' referred to is all about seduction - this whole book is basically an egotistical straight man's ideas for what women should do to pick up guys. It's The Game but written for women in the less-slick 1960's.

Its advice goes from the neanderthal: 'don't wash - pheromones are your body's natural magic' to atrocious deception based on cod-psychology. Apparently all men and women have a 'demon' self which is the opposite of their outer self, and it's the 'demon' self you have to pitch yourself to. So if he's macho on the outside he's whimpering on the inside, and so as to not scare off the whimpering 'demon self' you've decided he has, you should make yourself as soft and gentle as possible, even perhaps giving yourself a softer, gentler-sounding name. If he seems really straight-laced perhaps affect an exotic accent to appeal to the opposite him.

Genius. What could go wrong?

The whole book is basically advice for a woman on how to get a one night stand. If she wants anything more she's a bit screwed once all the deception comes out, surely?

As well as recommending lying wherever possible to get laid, LaVey is also apparently a big fan of gender binaries. He advises women should be as curvy and distinctively feminised as possible - don't go for any of this unsexy jeans rubbish - and men should be butch. In this way each gender plays up their own 'natural magic' as much as possible.

So: be smelly, lie a lot, put on pantomime shows of gendered behaviours. You know, even reading this as an inept and slightly confused virgin - I still knew this was a load of bull.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you want power?

If you are a woman and answered 'Yes!', then I highly advise you to read this book from cover to cover.

First, allow me a bit of background. I considered myself a feminist, a lover a woman- hell, I'm a lesbian! At 17 I stopped wearing make-up, shunned anything remotely feminine. I began to delve more into feminist theory, the rejection of femininity as women's oppression, and began to focus more on my sisters and the benefit of women as a class.

And do you want to know what I learned from the experience?

Being a feminist is not going to stop other women from taking advantage of you.

Other women don't give a fuck if you're a feminist or not. Other women don't give a fuck if you think that women are superior, they don't care if you devote your time, energy, and labor to them.


Feminism, (yes, even radical feminism!) taught me that I owed an eternal debt to my own gender, with 80% of women on the planet not having taken that oath.

As I began to read this book, first skeptically, then with more and more interest, I began to notice some things. The first thing I noticed, for the first time in my life, was that I had something that other women didn't- and that it was this thing I had that made them jealous! They coveted a part of me, some eternal part of my essence, and that this was the source of their spite towards me.

After realizing this point, I began to experiment. I went out and re-learned The Womanly Art of Makeup. I painted my lips blood red and spent 30$ on Japanese eyelashes. I stepped into a pair of high heels, tossed a strand of pearls around my neck, and stepped out into the world with a lilt in my step.

The looks women gave me after my makeover were calculating, threatening, appraising, appreciative-or, my favorite- lustful. All of them, despite jealous comments, hissed comments between clenched teeth, and up and down appraisals, were jealous. And why were the women jealous? Because of the looks the MEN were giving me! Every man, whether he was with his wife, girlfriend, friend, daughter, or behind the register, had their eyes glued to me and the swing in my hips. I was like a distraction. Men broke their necks to watch my hips sway, they dove to open the door for me and told their friends about me. I got free items and discounts simole for, well...

....being a pretty woman.

Pretty women get doors held open for them. A pretty, smart women who knows how to use her looks and body to get what she wants is the enemy of every self-loathing woman and woman hating manipulative man who would take advantage of her. Combine this book with The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene, Ho Tactics by G.L. Lambert, and Hoodoo Herb & Root Magic by catherine yronwode and you will have a powerful set of psychological and magical tools at your disposal.

As much as I would love to live in a feminist utopia where women didn't give a damn about whether or not men found them fuckable, thats not the reality we live in. No matter how many Tumblr and Twitter feminists blast out to the world that they don't care about what men think of them, a good 90% DO and are simply trying to convince themselves and others.

Now, even though I'm a lesbian I still put this book to good use with women, mainly butch/stud lesbians who truly appreciate the femininity in women and seek it as if their very lives depended on it.

There is power in manipulating men. There is power in differentiating yourself from other women. There is power in femininity, in loving yourself as a woman.

You can either spend your life beig manipulated by men and women, or take some of the power you were born with and use it.

This book is the key to that power.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taken with a grain of salt (this is Anton LaVey after all, would he want it any other way?) this book does more to empower women than a lot of feminist books out there. ....Hear me out..... Feminist, the first part is feminine. The Satanic Witch not only 'allows' women to be feminine but explains why this aspect is something to be PROUD of and cultivate! Beauty (and every woman has it) is to be celebrated. Society says To appreciate art makes one cultured, hip and smart ; but to appreciate those same values in fashion, dress and style makes one shallow, stupid and conceited.
The quote "Respect based on accomplishment can only be give by those who are humble, wise and themselves worthy of respect." is eye opening. You can not expect everyone to play fair (giving respect, fairness and intelligence) and LaVey gives advice for dealing with those who don't. It's not about changing your personality, but learning how to highlight those parts that will help you get what you want.
He was ahead of his time with his understanding of people and the man/woman dynamic. Read with an open mind, realize his views came from living through the late 1960s and the 'women's movement' (the WHY should I do anything to emphasize I'm a woman-that should be completely irrelevant to anything), you'll get a lot out of this. Anton believed a woman's beauty came from being feminine and dare I say it, DIFFERENT than men. Those differences don't make us better or worse - just different. And those differences deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated and are a means with which to empower ourselves.

[Hex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope that not too many people read this book. Luckily, given the author, the title, and the symbol on its cover, that's probably the case as it is.
This book contains fantastic insights into human nature.
I loved the section on "divination." Lavey tears into astrology, palmistry, psychic readings and all those things, showing them for what they are. Better yet, he tells you tricks on faking it, and fooling people into believing you can read their fortunes.
Don't read it. :-)

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is, in my opinion, of far more value as a study of the psychology of one man, than as what it claims to be: his analysis of the psychology of the mass of people. In this book, Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan, stands naked before the world with all of his flaws and his strengths equally visible. For once, LaVey seems to have taken the chance of telling people what he really thought, largely stripped of the usual misanthropic showmanship and devilish trappings. Of course, the book was a commercial failure, because it’s not as much fun as his more imaginative manifestos.

LaVey set this book up as a “how-to” for young women, who are looking to “get” a man, which he probably knew was a lucrative market. What he failed to understand is that the women who buy such things aren’t looking for results, they are looking for books that confirm their belief in themselves as good people, who will be rewarded for their goodness. The women who respond to this book also aren’t looking for results, but rather for confirmation that the world is a nasty place and only by being nasty will they ever get ahead. And that is something LaVey is happy to confirm, but it means his audience is very limited. To make matters worse, his advice is essentially geared toward “how to get Anton LaVey in the sack,” with minimal insight into the workings of other men, so even the receptive audience is likely to be disappointed, unless, of course, Anton LaVey happens to be their ideal partner.

But, as I said, that’s not the real reason to read this book. Read it to find out what LaVey thought of himself, and his fellow humans. A good example is his “personality synthesizer clock.” This model is based on the fully material belief that personality is equivalent to body-type, and it places LaVey’s body-type (tall, wide shoulders, long torso) at the top, or “twelve o’clock” position. This is especially helpful to people who want to analyze LaVey: whenever he’s talking about “twelve o’clock” types, he’s talking about himself. He thus tells you that he is domineering, authoritarian, “always onstage,” selfish, and aggressive, all of which is not really surprising. More interestingly, however, he tells you that his “demonic, minority self” is a very feminine, submissive woman, since everyone carries their own opposite as an unsatisfied internal drive to their personality. He says that “the reason opposites attract is because we need those opposites to make ourselves whole” (22), in other words that he felt incomplete playing his role as a masculine man, and needed some way to express femininity as he understood it.

Much of the rest of the book tells us what he thought of women, which probably won’t surprise anyone, but bearing in mind his own expressed wish to become one, it takes on a different meaning. Probably the audience for people wanting to understand LaVey is pretty small as well, but for those of us who are interested, this book is a trove of hidden and largely unconsciously revealed, treasure.

[Braden Boardman · Rating 2 out of 5]

A 280 page long Satanic Cosmo article.

[Autumn Christian · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've never been much of a fan of Lavey, as Satanism is too close to Objectivism in multiple ways. I think it's a nice introduction into non-christian based philosophies and moralities, but not the end result. Not to mention the disturbing threads of eugenics that tend to run through his work. Nevertheless, out of curiosity that will probably doom me, I decided to read The Satanic Witch. What I found myself immersed in was a madman's outdated ideas of seduction which included always wearing red lips, garters, and heels, wearing soiled underwear and bra straps, not wearing deodorant, putting menstrual blood in a packet underneath your bra, faking your personality to match the man you want to seduce on "the clock." (An invention which puts every person's personality and size on a 12 point clock).

This book was like the 1960s version of the pick up artist for women. There is no real magic in this book, just trickery and lies that would quickly collapse under any sort of scrutiny.

As a "seductress" myself (god, I hate typing that word out) I have broken nearly every known technique and suggested seduction trick that has ever been invented. Here's all you have to do to seduce a man: Be relatable (Joke around, be friendly), be mildly attractive (this is mostly in facial expression, not weight or looks), be somewhat intelligent and or interesting. That's pretty much it.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I personally feel that "The Satanic Witch" should be updated, and revised to go along with today's modern times. I'll start this off by making a brief, yet somewhat thorough criticism of all the things I've read in "The Satanic Witch" by Anton LaVey that I think should be looked over, and revised. If you hate me for this, than oh fucking well. I'm still a witch, and I'm proud of it, that's why I'm doing it! If anyone wants to jump on board with this, I welcome all comments/criticisms. Finally, THIS IS NOT AN ATTACK upon anyone, I'm simply trying to wake people up, and make them think!

I will first start off by saying that the "Are You a Witch?" test I think is bogus. If you fail this test, I don't think it means a damn thing, don't let that stop you from pursuing your interest. Like I said, I think that its outdated, and its high time someone with some intelligence stood up and said something!

My criticism starts on page 10, The Satanic Witch*, Chapter I, "Are You a Witch" where a sentence states;
"In reality, the more uptight one is when he enters the ritual chamber, the better. With a lack of hang-ups, comes a lack of strong emotional response to the very situations often needed to generate the force necessary to throw your spell."

Whilst this sentence is taken out of context, I want the reader to first digest what these sentences are saying, I will address the chapter at the end of this essay. A person with hang-ups is just that. People who lack emotion period are the people who can make magic work for them. Absolutely no person should EVER enter a ritual chamber "more uptight". In fact the more uptight the participants are in a ritual setting, will be the very demise of the spellbinding in the working. You should enter a ritual chamber with courage. Having courage means losing all fear, ego, and false precepts one might have about magic actually working/not working. If one does not fully believe in their abilities as a magician, then one has reason to be uptight. One must not ever assume that the male participant does not have just as much magical influence as the female. It is quite true that there is a difference, and that the Satanic witch is the one that is exploiting that difference, but the fact remains that the male energy within a ritual chamber should NOT be one filled with emotional hang-ups before a ritual.

The Married Witch versus the Single Witch

I think that this chapter was written entirely from the point of view from someone who was obviously raised in the earlier part of the 20th century. Back then, it was considered taboo to have sex outside of marriage. Thats what made it so easy for the Witch to apply the "Law of the Forbidden". Of course men from that time era would be enchanted by the ordinary housewife. EVERYONE was freakin ordinary! I can tell you after serving four years in the U.S. Army in the early part of the 21st century- the epitome of American culture, that marriage is no longer sacred in our society. Newsflash for all women who think otherwise: Marriage neither enchants, nor detracts men. Men who want to fuck a woman nowadays, don't even have to check first to see if a woman is married, they simply don't care. I have witnessed a fair share of "open marriages", where it was open to plenty of other people, other than themselves. If you think a man will commit to you readily, knowing you are a witch, think again. Most men only want to "say" they are committed because they are insecure with themselves, and will devise as many traps and schemes to get you to sink to his level. Don't fool yourself. If a man who tells everybody he's committed to you doesn't make you feel good about yourself, than something's wrong. Also, just because a man wants to say he's "engaged", "handfasted", or just plain lie to the public, and say you're "married" when your really not, does not really help your case as a witch. It makes you less available to people that would most likely be your best supporters. Ladies, don't fall for it. If you want to be available, than BE available, don't fall into the ego driven control games of falsely "committed" males. If you have successfully Bewitched your man, it won't even matter how "unfaithful" you've been to them, they will always stay devoted to you no matter what, and remember good sex is often a hazy smoke screen that men use to lure you back to them. If you are a successful witch, than you should have no problem finding good sex, it may mean toning, or reshaping your standards, but good sex is always available for those who pursue it. Just be very careful about what you really want, and true commitment will come knocking on your door, AND if marriage is what you want then you should have a partner that agrees to legitimize it legally.

On Cars, and Type-casting.

I can see where comparing a person's character to a car would apply, if the person were really as artificial, mechanic, and MAN made as a car. Given the fact that the automobile industry is primarily a business monopoly ran by the United States. The US is definitely known for its muscle cars, come in which can be very interesting to look at, indeed. But I have to say that the interest in cars really doesn't go any further than the US. People in Tokyo, Finland, Paris (all of the richest cities in the world) would not be able to relate to this kind of type-casting. So, I don't see how this can be useful anywhere outside the U.S.

Type-casting can be fun when applied to theatre, but that is its extent. I can see where a Satanic witch would want to type-cast herself in order to appeal to her kind of audience, but I cannot understand why anyone who is truly Satanic would want to be type-cast by anyone other than themselves. Also, people must be wary that even when you do type-cast your own self, everyone around you will interpret that type casting in a different way. They may not see it as "unique" and "individual" as you do. Not to mention that the more successful an original type-cast appears to be, the more wannabes, and look-alikes will pop up, and try to steal your image. It almost gets pointless keeping an image for too long, if you are a successful witch, so many people will steal your image, its not funny. Pretty soon your "image" will be on cereal boxes, fanzines with bad poetry, newspaper tabloids, internet porn sites, and your poster will be on everyone's dorm, barracks, or prison wall, and you will be the next kitschy "pin-up" girl of the decade, nobody will ever recognize you for your talents, if you have any outside of modeling for the media-thirsty. If you are using your image for media attention, just make sure that you stay in check with how its being distributed, and make sure that people know what YOU want them to know, and not what they think they want to know.
Even LaVey said that pretty girls often waste their time "just getting by on their looks". Precious time, they could be spending becoming better magicians, artists, performers, etc. I think that he is correct with this assumption, but giving the advice for a witch to "type-cast" herself runs very antithetical to the idea of being a true rebel. Rebelliousness is something that really defines a Satanist. It is a question of how much attention you should pay to being true to yourself (?), or true to your image(?), that defines a truly rebellious spirit.

With this in mind, I'm going to attack the current trend of "witch" fashion. In Chapter 5, "Fashion....Enemy" it states that women should wear high-heels, and red lipstick. It isn't stated as a requirement, or necessity, it just highly emphasized. In the 70s that might have gone over really well, considering that most women were barefoot, and burning their bras, but then the 80s came along and killed it. Now with the gay 90s, and 00 vampire/corset corporate fashion empire, I would have to say that this is fucking fashion madness!! High-heels, and corsets were invented to TORTURE women into looking sexier. Here's an idea, put on some running shoes, and go exercise! High heels do nothing good for a woman's posture, or feet. Women who literally cripple themselves using these fashion devices are sado-masochistic. Its OK if sado-masochism is your thing, but in the club, at every bar, every dance, every party, dude it gets old. I can see where high heels, and corsets might add to a show for effect, but only if you're actually going for that 80s retro, or 00 vampire stereotype. I know some girls that only wear high heels, and corsets, and I don't even know what they look like without them, and I'm sorry RED LIPSTICK DOES NOT GO WITH EVERY WOMAN'S COMPLEXION. Get some real fashion, and make-up advice before consulting the Satanic Witch please!
The most Satanic, of Satanic witches that I know wear boots. Boots, whether masculine, or feminine exude much more power than skimpy high heels. It is true that in some cultures tiny feet is a turn on, but thats what sandals are for. Sandals expose the naked foot a lot better for men who have foot fetishes. For all other purposes, I'd go for boots. Even the high heeled ones give more support for the ankles at least. True, the "spiked" heel could make a good weapon, but not better than spikes themselves. If you want a spiked weapon, just wear a spiked weapon, and make sure you have good shoes to run away from the idiot you just clobbered, and clawed his nose off after he grabbed your ass. Also if you wear boots, the chances that you have to lure your prey off to a desolate natural, dark, or wooded area without worrying about stepping on twigs, mud, or broken glass, so you can explore erotically, or just get it on outside in the dirt.

I'm sorry, but in the chapter ESP, I can agree with only one thing, the ability to gauge emotional reaction using the pupils of the eyes. All of the other things, especially the one about using ones feminine oder, are really not something people have to try really hard to pay attention to. People are going to find each other scents attractive, that's a given. But give me a break. GIRLS, PLEASE WASH YOUR TWAT! You don't have to use soap if you don't want to, but sometimes its a good fucking idea. The smell thing really won't take you that far with people. Many people are repelled by strong odors whether they are natural or not. Why have just another thing that detracts you from people? So you can stink better? I don't think so. Your scent is something that your body does naturally, making it stronger only makes it worse for people who are NOT naturally attracted to you. If you want to be a true enchantress, you should consider people who would be naturally attracted to you, AND CHALLENGED MORE by people who aren't naturally attracted to you. Personal hygiene is a direct reflection of how much self-esteem you have for yourself. Don't make people think worse about you than they already will, if they find out you are a witch.

In today's society, depression is rampant. People are constantly looking for ways they can try to feel better about themselves, and they think that outer appearance is a direct reflection of that. Though this may be true on some levels, one must not lose sight of the fact that outer appearance may not be in conjunction with one's own egotistical, and often times self-delusional standards. In other words, you may not always look like the person you think you are, are who you want to be. A witch must first come to terms with who she is, before she attempt to become what she wants to be. If you are depressed, this cannot be accomplished. Somewhere deep inside of you, who you are, and what you want to be do not co-exist. There is no point in becoming a Satanic witch, or ANY witch, or magician for that matter if you are not happy with who you are on the inside first. What your "image", or "type-cast" will be is a direct reflection of your desire to be yourself, as an individual. If you are angry, depressed, sad, or apprehensive about your body, mind or soul you must take a deep, long hard look inside yourself before you take on the task of becoming a witch. You will only be painting a thin coat of gloss over a raging inferno if you ignore yourself before your image. Your image, fashion sense, sense of witchery, talents, and beauty will all come in their own accord. You should never place the importance of ritual items, or sexy clothes at the local occultnik gobbeldy-gook store over the importance of your health and well being. Doing so will only create a facade of deception that only you will fall prey to, and others around you will not then be so keen on your schemes. If you are a witch, and you have a real gift, you should hoan in on it every opportunity that you get. Don't waste your time deceiving others that you are a happy person when you are not, you will only end up deceiving yourself.

Criticism on the Chapter "Bitchcraft", specifically "Learn When to Be Stupid"- it should be "Learn When to be Smart", because let me tell you, there are a LOT of stupid people out there, and it just gets hard to tell sometimes when a person is "trying to be stupid", or actually IS stupid. Stupidity can be humorous if used with tact. But one must not mistake social tact for actual intelligence. I've known plenty of pseudo-intellectuals posing as people with real intelligence in the occult world. The problem is, that there are very few women who are articulate enough to express themselves, and men are usually after only one thing, so they tend to ignore the obvious. Well isn't it good if the man is only thinking about sex? Not necessarily. It depends on WHY, and for WHAT REASON you are bewitching that person. If you are a salesperson, would you want the customer to think that you don't know anything about the product that you're selling? Sure, being a witch isn't always about being professional, but lets face it people experienced with occult knowledge will eventually end up mind-fucking you if you don't watch your step. If you profess yourself to the art of witchcraft, you better make damn sure that you know what you're talking about before it comes spewing out of your pie-hole.

Lastly, my final criticism goes back to the 1st chapter about the use of drugs while performing witchcraft. Though I agree that the recreational use of drugs if often pointless in regards to the personality, autonomy, and well-being of an individual. But, one cannot deny that throughout the entire history of witchcraft in general, the use of ritual intoxicants, hallucinogens, and stimulants have played a major role in the degree of success a witch has with her magic. This does not mean that the witch does not have to go through extensive training on the knowledge of controlled substances within initiation of her chosen coven. This study, I do agree, must be done soberly, with a FULLY AWAKENED CONSCIOUSNESS. There are plenty of witches who prefer to practice their art sober, but this must be the exception, and not the rule. In fact, the ancient art of witchcraft has always involved the used of a controlled substance at some point within initiation. I think that this warning has been placed in the Satanic Witch mostly to avoid the trashed, burnout- hippy generation from thinking that Satanism was all about the drugs, man. Seriously, there is no religion that promotes self-destructive behavior. Consciousness-altering drugs, when used in a proper setting, can often open up channels in the brain that may have a healing effect, even if the drug is not specifically for medical reasons. The importance of drug experimentation, has always gone hand and hand with not only physical, and mental healing, but spiritual too. Even if a drug destroys brain cells, it may be just what that person needs to gain perspective. Those "vision quests", and feelings of self-actualization spoken of by shamans, qabalists, and many infamous witches, are no joke. Drugs are serious, and they are dangerous, and SO IS WITCHCRAFT. It is often misconstrued that people HAVE to feel intoxicated in order to experience "magic", this is not so. Heightened levels of Euphoria, and Self-actualization with the universe can happen through meditation alone, but it takes years of practice, and discipline that not many people have in today's society. Ritual drugs should always be used in conjunction with regular meditation, not in substitute of it. Also one should not mistake a simply addiction to drugs, as an act of "religious" ritual. Addictions are weaknesses, period. There are so many people out there with tons of addictions that they don't even know about, drugs in food, sugar, artificial lighting, and environments even. It is unfortunate that it is usually these very people who are addicted to drugs in one form or another are the first person to accuse the true witch, or spiritual seeker of being self-destructive, when they themselves are the ones hooked on prescription drugs, television, internet, or junk food. Magic, throughout the ages, and in every culture has always been about exploring different levels of altered consciousness. Witchcraft simply teaches the "quicker", more potent ways of doing it. You can't do it if you fill your brain with junk, whether it be mental, or physical, or even meta-physical, its still junk if used improperly. In the words of one of America's most successful Voudon shamans, Wade Davis;
Poison is Everything, and Everything is Poison.

There, thats my 2cents for now. It could change again in the future, but most likely my criticism will only become greater. Sometimes I truly enjoy being a total cunt. (just not smelling like it)

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

whole lot to unpack here: heteronormative, unexpectedly sex positive, anti feminist.. but built upon the premise of manipulating men for one's own purposes. interesting as insight into lavey/survey of laveyen satanusm, but the book in general is self indulgent dreck.

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book isn't quite what it seems. LaVey was a great observer of people and a lot of that comes into play in this book. It is a look inside the mind of your fellow man. Yes, it guides you on manipulation, but you don't have to use it for that. Personally I love books that give you a look from someone else's view and gives you a bit of understanding. This book definitely does that. It made me look at people a little bit differently. When partnered with How to win Friends and influence people, this book will not only help women, but also men, at understanding people and how they work. A great read.

[Christy Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

You'll learn more from this book then you ever will from watching Tyra Banks about catching and manipulating a guy (or girl). I wont say this book is out dated because you can quickly re-apply the hippie jive stuff into modern day examples, but a few things gave me pause...It took me a good long few seconds to realize what a 'fall' was and I still don't know what the hell 'duck soup' means...

[Jesse · Rating 1 out of 5]

In high school, I learned how to make voodoo dolls from socks thanks to this book.
Other than that, it's a tired exercise in pop psychology. Dr. Phil with a pentagram and inverted cross.
Also a bunch of supposedly pro-female 'philosophy' (that word is used lightly here) that, in all actuality, sees the sole power of women as consisting of manipulation and sex appeal.

[Grigori Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

As it pertains to Satanism, this book is an expansion on what is really a rather small section of LaVey's earlier work, "The Satanic Bible." Though that book does go into Lesser (manipulative) Magic, its mention is somewhat brief, and doesn't expand a great deal on the subject, other than what types (sex, sentiment, and wonder) in which this brand of magic manifests itself. I suspect this was partially for brevity's sake, since LaVey seems to want his theories to be fleshed out in action, but I digress.

Of all LaVey's works, this one is structured the most like a dissertation of some sort. The fleshing out that a reader of "The Satanic Bible" might have wanted about Lesser Magic is within this book, and LaVey doesn't disappoint. Much of his theorizing revolves (as he says himself numerous times) around the "LaVey Synthesizer Clock," which is a way of typing people by way of a combination of the image of a clock, archetypal personality types, and maybe some evolutionary understanding of how body types and extremities play into personality functions. The purpose of this is, as George Clooney's character puts it in the film "Up in the Air," is, "Stereotype - it's faster." The purpose of the information found within this book is not to help women find a date, but to help them manipulate men toward their own ends, and LaVey honed his observations of the human animal both from real life experiences and from an understanding of how humans relate to mythology. The message is simple: no matter how hard we seem to try, we can't deny our human nature, and it's exactly that to which the prospective Satanic witch needs to appeal.

Get him at his base instincts, and he'll be putty in your hands.

Tips on seduction, on what to wear, on how to speak, and all manner of other things can be found within the pages of this book, accompanied by honesty about their purpose. The typical occult book will fill the reader's head with ideas about how an action may affect the performer spiritually, or in what way one may be placing one's soul in some kind of peril. This book lives up to its name - it is not for the faint of heart. It is for those looking for how, after having taken the Devil's Name, to play His game. Anton LaVey created a carnal religion with Satanism, and this book unapologetically embraces the mundane, the profane, and the carnal. This is the Machiavelli Reader for women.

Three additionally interesting features:
1) Though this is a book on Lesser Magic, some attention is paid to Ceremonial (otherwise known as "Greater") Magic, as well. The two times off the top of my head that this occurs, its end is either an orgasm or a tasty treat. Either way, sinfully satisfying.
2) The entire work can be viewed as confirmation of LaVey's intelligence, but there are a few times even in here that it seems obvious to me that he wants readers to flesh out the theories he presents in practice. Many times, the reader might ask, "well, how do you know that, LaVey?" and come to find that the technique described does, in fact, work.
3) For the witch (or warlock) interested in advanced witchcraft, the bibliography to this book alone is worth chasing after.

[Melody Newby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read this book many times. It can be comical and ridiculous at times but i love the message that as a woman you possess a great power. It doesn't matter your body type, there are men out there who will gravel at your feet.

Use your feminine wiles to your advantage and get what you want from men.

[Kenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, there is a lot you can take from reading about satanism and witchcraft - the Satanic witch teaches women to be strong, independent, ''take no shit'' women who will never be a push over for men. This book teaches you how to bewitch men, i'm so glad that I managed to get this book, even though I had this book on my 'to read' list two years ago

[Anne-Maaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very handy book for the Female Satanic Witches... or males to understand women and basic human functions & some nifty tricks to make you more desirable in the eyes of the others. Teaches you how to use guile & wile together with your body to enchant people. Enlightening read! And contains some "tricks" to use in the near future!

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I’ve read in a long time

Funny and brilliant tips you do not hear from every other self help author. Very entertaining and enlightening. Girls who are serious about being attractive to others on another level should read.

[Stefanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was recommended to me by a sarcastic friend who loved to tweak "bourgeoisie" understanding, so with that perspective flavoring my read of it, I actually enjoyed this thing. Sure, LaVey did occasionally insult my feminist leanings, but I tend to agree with other reviewers in thinking that this book actually was feminist for its time, in its own way. I haven't read any modern "catch a man" equivalent, so I have no idea if some of his recommendations are still out there but many still seem effective (e.g. allow your bra and/or underwear to show: it makes men think of sex). Plus, I love the body shape / personality analysis mixed with the idea of magic (even if it is Satanic)...I read it as the same type of ideas we accept so readily in the SFF genre being transposed to real life. As long as you don't take it too seriously, this is an entertaining read and a window into a certain US cultural time period.

[Jay Morningstar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a guy. A gay guy to be more specific. This book though tailored for women is not only for women. If you know how to rework it to your advantage as explained in the book then your 5x5.
I have read the Satanic Bible by Anton Szandor LaVey and use his teachings in my everyday life because they actually work. I am proudly Satanic and I am also a good person. I do not need to believe in god to be able to do the right thing.
Still not finished reading yet but if you are worried it's for women only, then I still encourage you to get the book. As a gay guy it's easier for me to relate to women so the equation to make this book work for me is quite simple. Don't overthink it too much. The teachings can easily be reworked to your advantage too.

[Oli C · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’ve read this book 3-4 times since i first picked it up in high school, and frequently revisit my favorite passages. definitely anton’s most fun read, and the one i recommend to friends the most frequently. lowkey i think anyone who doesn’t like this book just fundamentally doesn’t get it. i don’t frequently use the stuff in this book anymore, but when i have, it like actually really does work more than any other type of “magic” i’ve used. this book is old but a lot of what he says in it has actually been like scientifically suggested to be true in the fullness of time. i often revisit this book when i’m feeling bad about myself/disempowered and my boy anton always helps me get my groove back.

[Shea Mastison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Say what you will about Anton LaVey, but the man knew his humans. With his particular blend of misanthropy and insight, LaVey wrote this book that has a fantastic amount of applications. Everything from how to land a temporary sex partner, to increase your personal power can be discovered within these pages.

Don't let the pink cover and feminine title subject discourage you if you are a man; as the tips and tricks described in the book are fully useful to men as well. It would be a serious mistake to think that LaVey wrote this book solely for the instruction of women.

If you're looking to be more effective in attaining gratification for yourself; this book should be on your radar.

[Yon Cassius · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. It was certainly less over-the-top than the Satanic Bible (which I've admittedly not been able to finish for that reason.) Some of the advice seems sound, though of course it would need to be put to the test. Other advice, however, was rather obvious to me, and the book only briefly touched on the lesbian witch (a few pages.) Also less discussed was how to charm women, though given that LaVey stated early in the book that influencing women wouldn't be a focus and why, that was to be expected.

[Emma Nebelung · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am rather disappointed after reading this book. It’s mostly a book on sociology and ideology of egoistic hedonism than anything to do with witchcraft. Readers can pretty much get the whole idea from The Satanic Bible by Anton LaVey, this book to me is just a further reading on institutionalism and social science.

However I can’t deny the fact people can build their social skill and self confidence by reading this book, but it’s has nothing that I’m looking for rather then the miss leading subject so called witchcraft, which is no more than self-indulgence and social Darwinism.

[James Robert Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the three canonical books of LaVeyan Satanism the other two being the Satanic Bible & the Satanic Rituals.
This book covers lesser magic and is in my opinion one of the best & only books I'm aware of that does so. Most books are about elaborate rituals or spellcraft this one shows a woman how to manipulate others & bend them to her will utilizing practical concepts of well established lesser magical laws.

[Desdemona Blackheart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite frankly, I liked the book.

As a carnie, you can expect LaVey to present a subject in a way that will certainly attract attention, it's just a matter of removing all the pretty packaging.

That being said, the main message that a woman should EMBRACE her femininity and sexuality, instead of trying to detach herself from either one.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hey, what can I say,it was a faze I was going through at the time although I dont think they're satanist as much as they're hedonist

[Margot Note]

A brilliant book!

[Signor Mambrino · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave up on this very quickly. This is one of the most painfully stupid books I have ever tried to read. Anton LaVey was a bald fuckboy.

[NoirReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed it! It has LaVey's typical style and, if you really think about it, the book is much more about Lesser Magic than seduction.