The Petit Albert: The Marvellous Secrets of the Little Albert

by Tarl Warwick (Editor/Illustrator)

When the word "grimoire" is mentioned, the Petit Albert is perhaps the single most notorious book which comes to mind. Originally compiled in the 18th century, it brings together folk magick, talismanic sorcery, ritual and herbal medicine, and a bit of the diabolical, going well beyond the ritual styles of most contemporary writings. Originally in French, and drawing from the prior work of Paracelsus and Agrippa among others, this collection of operations extends far beyond its native land into the world at large; the first cosmopolitan grimoire of the pre-modern era. More diabolical than the Red Dragon and more in depth than the Black Pullet with regards to talismanic art, the Petit Albert is certainly a force to behold within the realm of occult literature.

Genres: Occult, Magic

130 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2016

About the author

Tarl Warwick is a writer, illustrator, occultist, blogger, and avid gardener from the state of Vermont. Active in multiple online communities, he was administrator for the Times of Pol, a short-term news website and platform for activism, and has participated in dialogue with numerous pagan and occult orders.

Originally a student of plant biology at the University of Vermont, he has also studied archaeology and religion at Castleton State University.

Reviews

[Johan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first grimoire and I must confess that I am disappointed. It consists of 130 pages of recipes - I knew it would be mostly recipes - but I also expected some context or historical background of which there was none.

I would have rated this book 2*, but that was because I had unrealistic expectations, so I gave it 3*.

Another downside of this book is that I am not a herbalist and English isn’t my native tongue, so had to put this book down several times for each page to consult a dictionary or wikipedia in order to know which herbs he was referring to. Eventually I gave up and leafed through the remainder of the book.

Did you know you can use red bull to moderate the female sex drive?

Reduce a red bull’s dried penis to powder, and add a bit of this powder, weighing about a half ounce, to a broth made of veal, lettuce, and purslane, and feed it to the immodest woman. This will modulate her sexual desires.

PS: I do not accept any responsibility for the effectiveness of the recipe.
PPS: That wasn’t the red bull you were thinking off. Right?

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent translation of a very old text regarding folk remedies, magic, and such. Fun to look through, and very well done.

[Gene · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent rendition and apparent superior-grade translation.