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Lives of the Necromancers
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312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1834
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About the author
William Godwin
500 books197 followersWilliam Godwin was the son and grandson of strait-laced Calvinist ministers. Strictly-raised, he followed in paternal footsteps, becoming a minister by age 22. His reading of atheist d'Holbach and others caused him to lose both his belief in the doctrine of eternal damnation, and his ministerial position. Through further reading, Godwin gradually became godless. He promoted anarchism (but not anarchy). His Political Justice and The Enquirer (1793) argued for morality without religion, causing a scandal. He followed that philosophical book with a trail-blazing fictional adventure-detective story, Caleb Williams (1794), to introduce readers to his ideas in a popular format. Godwin, a leading thinker and author ranking in his day close to Thomas Paine, was enormously influential among famous peers.
He and Mary Wollstonecraft, author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, secretly married in 1797. She died tragically after giving birth to daughter Mary in 1797. Godwin's loving but candid biography of his wife, Memoirs of the Author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1798), further scandalized society. Godwin, caring not only for the baby Mary, but her half-sister Fanny, remarried. He and his second wife opened a bookshop for children. Godwin, out of necessity, became a proficient author of children's books, employing a pseudonym due to his notoriety. His daughter Mary, at 16, famously ran off with poet Percy Shelley, whose Necessity of Atheism was influenced by Godwin. Mary's novel Frankenstein also paid homage to her father's views. Godwin's life was marked by poverty and further domestic tragedies. Godwin's prized manuscript attacked the Christian religion and was intended to free the mind from slavery. The Genius of Christianity Unveiled: in a Series of Essays was published only many years after his death.
He and Mary Wollstonecraft, author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, secretly married in 1797. She died tragically after giving birth to daughter Mary in 1797. Godwin's loving but candid biography of his wife, Memoirs of the Author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1798), further scandalized society. Godwin, caring not only for the baby Mary, but her half-sister Fanny, remarried. He and his second wife opened a bookshop for children. Godwin, out of necessity, became a proficient author of children's books, employing a pseudonym due to his notoriety. His daughter Mary, at 16, famously ran off with poet Percy Shelley, whose Necessity of Atheism was influenced by Godwin. Mary's novel Frankenstein also paid homage to her father's views. Godwin's life was marked by poverty and further domestic tragedies. Godwin's prized manuscript attacked the Christian religion and was intended to free the mind from slavery. The Genius of Christianity Unveiled: in a Series of Essays was published only many years after his death.
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June 8, 2015For a patriarch from the very patriarchal 19th century, Godwin hasn't done so well by history; he's now firmly eclipsed by his wife, his daughter and his effete son-in-law. But I have a vague awareness of him as an important free-thinker, and when I first found the free classics in the Kindle app, I was never going to resist something called Lives of the Necromancers.
Of course, that was when I first got a smartphone - and here we are, about five years later, with it finally finished. Why not sooner? Well, I suspect it may have been a victim of its own success. Godwin compiles stories of sorcery from the dawn of history on up (for a free-thinker, it's interesting that he accords Biblical accounts the same authority as classical ones). Contrary to the title, it's not strictly about the magic of the dead - he's happy to throw in anything a bit supernatural, including alchemy and the miracles attributed to saints. And at the time, having these all in one place may have been novel. Now, anyone who devoured books about 'the unexplained' as a kid, and has dabbled in occult history as an adult, will be familiar with the vast majority of this material. And I wouldn't be surprised if those books where I picked this stuff up were indebted, directly or otherwise, to Godwin.
Beyond that, the problem is that Godwin's prose isn't great. It's fine; perfectly serviceable, and occasionally rising to something more, most impressively when he's angry (as in the closing sections on the 17th century witch trials - which, lest we forget, were as close to him in time as we are). But the rest of the time, his scholarly compendium is no equal to the fabulous earlier equivalents by Burton or Browne. Accounts are digested and compiled, with the odd insight but little fancy word-work. Even when two stories from decades apart share enough details to suggest one is a corruption of the other, this is generally unremarked. The result is that he too often comes across as more a trainspotter than an intellectual. As a sourcebook, this is still valuable; as a read, the centuries since have produced much better in the same vein.
Of course, that was when I first got a smartphone - and here we are, about five years later, with it finally finished. Why not sooner? Well, I suspect it may have been a victim of its own success. Godwin compiles stories of sorcery from the dawn of history on up (for a free-thinker, it's interesting that he accords Biblical accounts the same authority as classical ones). Contrary to the title, it's not strictly about the magic of the dead - he's happy to throw in anything a bit supernatural, including alchemy and the miracles attributed to saints. And at the time, having these all in one place may have been novel. Now, anyone who devoured books about 'the unexplained' as a kid, and has dabbled in occult history as an adult, will be familiar with the vast majority of this material. And I wouldn't be surprised if those books where I picked this stuff up were indebted, directly or otherwise, to Godwin.
Beyond that, the problem is that Godwin's prose isn't great. It's fine; perfectly serviceable, and occasionally rising to something more, most impressively when he's angry (as in the closing sections on the 17th century witch trials - which, lest we forget, were as close to him in time as we are). But the rest of the time, his scholarly compendium is no equal to the fabulous earlier equivalents by Burton or Browne. Accounts are digested and compiled, with the odd insight but little fancy word-work. Even when two stories from decades apart share enough details to suggest one is a corruption of the other, this is generally unremarked. The result is that he too often comes across as more a trainspotter than an intellectual. As a sourcebook, this is still valuable; as a read, the centuries since have produced much better in the same vein.
April 16, 2015
Godwin takes the reader on a historical tour of the lives, supposed exploits, and often tragic ends of those accused of, or claiming, any magical ability. The scope of this work is broad; ranging from the likes of the Magi to the poor accused witches in Salem.
Godwin analyzes the subject from several angles to drive home his point about the folly of superstitious man and how cruel the uneducated can be to their fellow men when sufficiently frightened by their hardly more educated ecclesiastical leaders.
I find it no coincidence that the enlightenment era seems to commence not long after the abolition of the laws in England and France for the condemnation of those accused of magical arts. This was obviously used, as Godwin gives many examples of, as a tool of terror to suppress political threats and the socially disenfranchised for hundreds of years.
May god bless the souls of the thousands and thousands who were tortured, sent to the gallows, the stake, or condemned to the many other inhuman methods devised to make them long for the next, better life that surely awaited them.
Godwin analyzes the subject from several angles to drive home his point about the folly of superstitious man and how cruel the uneducated can be to their fellow men when sufficiently frightened by their hardly more educated ecclesiastical leaders.
I find it no coincidence that the enlightenment era seems to commence not long after the abolition of the laws in England and France for the condemnation of those accused of magical arts. This was obviously used, as Godwin gives many examples of, as a tool of terror to suppress political threats and the socially disenfranchised for hundreds of years.
May god bless the souls of the thousands and thousands who were tortured, sent to the gallows, the stake, or condemned to the many other inhuman methods devised to make them long for the next, better life that surely awaited them.
September 19, 2017
Una sorpresa de libro recopilación de las vidas de grandes personajes, que tienen en común, que fueron nigromantes. Está lleno de curiosidades y anécdotas sobre estos personajes, de todos los tiempos. Historia y magia se unen en este libro.
May 13, 2025
Una recopilación de anecdotas sobre magia oscura (sin distinguir entre carácter histórico, legendario o fantástico) que puede entretener, pero no llega a literario ni divulgativo.
August 29, 2022
The theme of the book is interesting, but the writing is beyond shallow. More than everything, it's a list of anecdotes and episodes of lives of supposed necromancers (often mixing truth and hearsay), all sprinkled with a bit of the arrogance of the english gentlemen. It's as dull as a blunt mallet.
November 19, 2017
History of magic that makes us see How old ages, ancient and medieval. has been, reality of people from past that has been through generations of change in perspectives view of generations. Just like layers of sand or rock in the ground we see sorcery in different manner then they do, until we do read
Necromancy as skill to survive with your tribe to see new down of your future civilization. Like with pharaoh dreaming of seven years of plenty and seven more but of famine. As main necromancy skill is prediction of future. However, ruler of Egypt got commanded that, there shell be no necromancers (or observer of times, witch, enchanter or charmer, nor wizard...) and has to Stone them to deaths as „ finger of God „ commands.
And so on, first Jewish king Saul has dreamed of bringing ghost of Samuel, that could be done by with similar soul type.
Again, but now Pythagoras, the one that found sun in center of the universe that Copernicus has expanded into solar system. Refused immortality to allow his soul traveling as in previous lives he has been at siege of Troy or fisherman.
Furthermore, one highlighted with blood, describes Apollonius of Tyana, philosopher, to be mage that has shown „ truth” to The Cesar on eve of his death, by forcing it to him. He has been Also involved in quest with Roman-Greek folklore being empuse, vampire alike.
the history of the Young King of Tibet and the Princess of the Naaman’s is also present here. As they’re relationship has been chained by rings of power over likens of others, and marked with shape change sorcery. And in the future with Persian Imperator that went to war with moguls, literally.
For European medieval part there has been greater losses of knowledge of that period but just to mention, Merlin and his Tower to protect from invasion, Macbeth and his crime despite him being good monarch in back in his youth. Pope Sylvester II as hi has been first to open dialogue with followers of Mahomet & Otto III. Or even well-known Faust.
This book is only one way to see world and it’s not as scientific as it appears at first. By that I mean that you need historical background to aim intro the book seeing meaning meant by This interpretation. Although it does teach of mythological detail like glass shield, and pair of wings as actual equipment of medusa killer.
Necromancy as skill to survive with your tribe to see new down of your future civilization. Like with pharaoh dreaming of seven years of plenty and seven more but of famine. As main necromancy skill is prediction of future. However, ruler of Egypt got commanded that, there shell be no necromancers (or observer of times, witch, enchanter or charmer, nor wizard...) and has to Stone them to deaths as „ finger of God „ commands.
And so on, first Jewish king Saul has dreamed of bringing ghost of Samuel, that could be done by with similar soul type.
Again, but now Pythagoras, the one that found sun in center of the universe that Copernicus has expanded into solar system. Refused immortality to allow his soul traveling as in previous lives he has been at siege of Troy or fisherman.
Furthermore, one highlighted with blood, describes Apollonius of Tyana, philosopher, to be mage that has shown „ truth” to The Cesar on eve of his death, by forcing it to him. He has been Also involved in quest with Roman-Greek folklore being empuse, vampire alike.
the history of the Young King of Tibet and the Princess of the Naaman’s is also present here. As they’re relationship has been chained by rings of power over likens of others, and marked with shape change sorcery. And in the future with Persian Imperator that went to war with moguls, literally.
For European medieval part there has been greater losses of knowledge of that period but just to mention, Merlin and his Tower to protect from invasion, Macbeth and his crime despite him being good monarch in back in his youth. Pope Sylvester II as hi has been first to open dialogue with followers of Mahomet & Otto III. Or even well-known Faust.
This book is only one way to see world and it’s not as scientific as it appears at first. By that I mean that you need historical background to aim intro the book seeing meaning meant by This interpretation. Although it does teach of mythological detail like glass shield, and pair of wings as actual equipment of medusa killer.
January 5, 2011
I was actually hoping that it was going to be a fiction book about necromancers from the father of Mary Shelley, but no such luck. It's more like an encyclopedia. Godwin provides an expansive history of the occult to debunk it and the witch scares. I mostly skimmed it, but it seems like a good overview.
October 30, 2014
Quite interesting. I deffinetely recommend it
July 30, 2021
An enjoyable historical compendium of individuals involved with magic and witchcraft (up to the 18C) . The book is certainly of its time and clearly favors the black and white Enlightment view that all magic and witchcraft are either the delusions of the ignorant or a deceit for the profit of the unscrupulous (sometimes both). If you are looking for nuanced arguments around "the truth in fiction and myth" or "magic understood as human will lent focus by ritual" (a favorite of mine) this is not your book. However if you want to take it as a survey of fascinating characters many well known and treated at length elsewhere (e.g John Dee, Faust, Simon Magus) several new to most of us (Apuleius of Madura, Moccana, Gregory VII) and as a jumping board to other material, the book will not disappoint.
March 31, 2024
Way less necromancer specific content than the title would imply. Honestly reads as a very surface level survey of magic/magic users recorded in western historical Canon. Honestly the most interesting bits were towards the end when Godwin is angry and frustrated by the injustice and irrationality of witch hunts, so the reader ends up getting a bit more of his voice rather than than just brief summing up from other sources.
December 2, 2019
Not sure, ultimately what Goodwin was getting at with this recitation of superstitions. It’s a ton of short anecdotes about people’s dealings with what was thought to be the devil or devilish powers, largely in Europe. It seems readers are supposed to chuckle at their gullibility, tut tut at the violence committed against innocents in the name of punishing witchcraft, and congratulate themselves for being smarter and kinder than the folks of yore. The tales are presented without much narrative detail and even less analysis, and ultimately it seems a bit shallow. The most interesting anecdote comes near the end, when he treats on the intensely-studied witch trials of Salem, MA, if only because they are so famous and well-documented. The book is interesting, with a decent style that is unfortunately too light for its subject matter.
Want to read
August 17, 2008gotta track this one down...re:manufacturers of artifical life
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews