Bargain Witch: Essays in Self-Initiation

by Brooke Palmieri

An occult history that grounds the sacred yearning for magic in real life.

In these essays by scholar and self-initiated witch Brooke Palmieri, occult history, the eternal now, and our magickal queer futures align, connecting us to an enchantment both contemporary and classic. Drawing upon the knowledge and influence of practitioners from Rachel Pollack to Tituba, Palmieri grounds the sacred yearning for magic in real life, whether exploring the gossip of feuding Salem witches, paying the rent by playing “wizard” for news cameras, or detailing the psychic ups and downs of working in an occult bookshop. Written in a voice electrified with love for the craft and its lineage of eccentrics, Bargain Witch shows us witch life in all its quotidian humor and splendor, taking its place amongst the magickal classics that inspired it, a literary ouroboros.

296 pages, Paperback

Published October 7, 2025

Reviews

[bridg · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’ve just finished reading this and have come straight here to rave about without having the words to describe it properly but i’ll try. this book was so nourishing and so much fun to read, towards the end i was feeling the grief set in as i slowly ran out of pages and could almost imagine them just endlessly replenishing themselves so it didn’t have to come to an end. it was all just spectacular - my favourite parts were when Brooke’s essays sometimes unexpectedly took a deeply personal turn. ‘Crushed Velvet’ a tale of transition featuring Alan Rickman(s) & wolf f*cking, just blew me away but really the whole book did, over and over. As well as delving beautifully and sincerely into magic and the rich tapestry of life with all its twists and turns, Brooke is hilarious - moments of humour often all the funnier for being so unexpected, at times I was between cackling with delight and dramatic intakes of breath as though I was hearing his exploits first hand. Favourite book I’ve read in a long time, one that I already feel changed by and gently challenged to rethink my own priorities - if i take anything away from it (as well as being wildly entertained to within an inch of my life) it would be living in alignment with one’s own principles and the power in proactively putting your trust in the world and being actively, lovingly in communion with it - living your full freak, going after what you love and what feeds you, yet trusting other forces to work their magic too - biding your time, planting the seeds, praying over them, paying attention and taking the cosmic cue when it comes. The whole book felt like a potent love letter to life and it’s possibilities beyond anything you might have dared imagine for yourself - you just have to sow what you seek, take the leaps when they present themselves / don the golden gown! Loved, loved, loved - already looking forward to returning to it and dipping back in when the time is right again. ✨

[Avery Marley]

Bargain Witch: Essays in Self, Initiation is an intellectually nimble and deeply personal meditation on occult lineage, queer history, and the lived practice of magic. Brooke Palmieri deftly braids archival research with memoir, grounding esoteric traditions in the material realities of rent, labor, community, and desire. The essays move fluidly between historical inquiry and contemporary reflection, illuminating how witchcraft functions not as escapism but as a method of self, fashioning and survival.

Palmieri’s voice is assured, wry, and reverent without being romanticized. By placing figures such as Rachel Pollack and Tituba in conversation with present, day experience, the collection situates magic within a broader continuum of queer and trans resilience. Both scholarly and intimate, Bargain Witch stands as a thoughtful contribution to occult literature and cultural history alike.

[Ken French · Rating 5 out of 5]

I may be somewhat biased because the author is a good friend of mine, but I thought this book was excellent. Honestly, I approached it with some trepidation, since I know very little about witchcraft. But Brooke explains his own journey with a storyteller's flair, imbued by a deep understanding of the past. My favorite essays were the ones on Christopher Marlowe and Stonewall, but I enjoyed them all.

[Morgan M. Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of book you know is going to serve as the personal grimoire for a certain type of person, a recipe book for living the romantic ideal of a libertine queer witch. Brooke's writing is charming, sharp, and hot as they follow a current through witchcraft, queer history, and their own life.

[S E · Rating 5 out of 5]

probably my favorite book i’ve read this year so far. i bought this book because it looked fun, and it was fun, but the alan rickman essay has made me completely reconsider my identity and relationship to my past. it was funny and relatable and the last paragraph hit me like a brick. really really really incredible book!

[Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A decent enough autobiographical series of essays, but at times a bit bland.