The Magic Books: A History of Enchantment in 20 Medieval Manuscripts

by Anne Lawrence-Mathers

A fascinating and highly original history of medieval magic told through twenty key illuminated manuscripts

Medieval Europe was preoccupied with magic. From the Carolingian Empire to Renaissance Italy and Tudor England, great rulers, religious figures, and scholars sought to harness supernatural power. They tried to summon spirits, predict the future, and even prolong life. Alongside science and religion, magic lay at the very heart of culture.

In this beautifully illustrated account, Anne Lawrence-Mathers explores the medieval fascination with magic through twenty extraordinary illuminated manuscripts. These books were highly sought after, commissioned by kings and stored in great libraries. They include an astronomical compendium made for Charlemagne’s son; The Sworn Book of Honorius, used by a secret society of trained magicians; and the highly influential Picatrix. This vivid new history shows how attitudes to magic and science changed over the medieval period―and produced great works of art as they did so.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Books About Books, Medieval, Magic

368 pages, Hardcover

First published March 11, 2025

Reviews

[Luciano Anastasi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne Lawrence-Mathers’ The Magic Books is a captivating deep dive into twenty of the most sumptuous medieval manuscripts dedicated to magic, spanning from the Carolingian Empire to the dawn of the Renaissance. With vivid storytelling and lush illustrations, Lawrence-Mathers brings to life royal astrological charts, monastic divination handbooks, and ritual grimoires that were once prized possessions of emperors, popes and court advisors.

Her narrative walks the line between scholarly rigor and accessible prose—no dense jargon here—making each chapter feel like uncovering a hidden treasure. We witness how Celestial maps in Charlemagne’s court bolstered imperial authority, see monks discreetly consulting chiromancy tables, and explore the ornate geomantic manuals that fascinated late-medieval nobles. The author’s strength lies in grounding these texts within their political and devotional contexts, revealing magic as both a status symbol and a tool of inquiry.

Yet, for all its breadth, the book occasionally sacrifices depth in individual practices. Readers eager for detailed “how-to” breakdowns of geomantic calculations or ritual invocations may find themselves craving more step-by-step insight. Similarly, while the focus on elite libraries spotlights luxury manuscripts, the wider world of street-corner astrologers and village charm-makers remains largely offstage.

Overall, The Magic Books shines brightest as a manuscript-centred celebration of medieval enchantment. It will delight history enthusiasts and academics alike, offering a richly illustrated panorama of magic’s prestige and practice. Whether you’re drawn to art history, medieval studies or the storied allure of astrology and divination, this book is a beautifully produced and enlightening read.

[Vadim G · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is written in a very academic so it's not that easy of a read. You will really need to pay attention but the dry writing is not really the problem, though. The problem was that the book focused more on the details of the enchantment and the astrology but just not enough on the characters of their style of worship. I would have really liked to become far more acquainted with Alfonso X, Matthew Paris, and Friedrich the II rather than everything written down by the monks that formulated these astral projections.

it was interesting to see the Christian World and the Cariligian Empire especially try and work around astrological signs with their faith and the prohibition of paganism like worship. Of coarse they had a hard time trying to not become blasphemers. They wasted so much time and money on this bs just like always. Not surprising.

Overall, it's a good book in that it provides you further learning but is a bit dry, a bit dull, and chapters especially the one on Solomon were disappointing.

[Michelle Fletcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a shame that, instead of embracing magic, the Christian church leaders feared it—labelling it as evil and demon worship. Yet the use of astrology, astronomy, and magic dates back far earlier than medieval times. Our ancestors were far wiser than we give them credit for, how different could the world have been if we had all embraced Magic.

[David Hambling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detailed, fascinating and gorgeously illustrated history of magical texts in medieval Europe.

Packed with wondrous and surprising material, this may totally change your views about the role played by magic in the Medieval world. Great stuff for anyone interested in the topic, or indeed understanding the worldview of earlier times.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended to me on IG, which shows how oddly prescient their algorithm is sometimes. SOMETIMES.

What a lovely book, just so beautifully put together. It's a niche volume but since I'm one of the niches I very much enjoyed it. Fascinating.

[Wes S · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author did in-depth research on the topic. Well-researched and well-written.
The only reason for 3-4 stars is I'd recommend it for hard-core medieval history or manuscript readers - not a light book to read for a lay men like me.

[Dylan Doyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book - although I don’t read many scholarly works anymore, this collection was a great walk through the history of occultism as it pertains to the ruling classes of lots of families throughout the ages.

[Cj Holmans · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book with so much history!

[Rye · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars