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The Book of English Magic
The Book of English Magic explores the curious and little-known fact that of all countries, England has the richest history of magical lore and practice. English authors such as J.R.R.Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Terry Pratchett, and J.K.Rowling, dominate the world of magic in fiction, but from the earliest times, England has also acted as home to generations of eccentrics and scholars who have researched and explored every conceivable kind of occult art. The Book of English Magic explores this hidden story, from its first stirrings to our present-day fascination with all things magical. Along the way readers are offered a rich menu of magical things to do and places to visit.
576 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
672 people are currently reading
6109 people want to read
About the author
Philip Carr-Gomm
65 books182 followersPhilip Carr-Gomm was born in London, raised in Notting Hill Gate, and educated at Westminster School and University College London.
He met his first spiritual teacher, Ross Nichols, the founder of The Order of Bards Ovates & Druids, when he was 11. He began studying with him when a teenager, and joined the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids at 18. He studied meditation with Olivia Robertson in Ireland, who later founded the Fellowship of Isis, and in his twenties he founded The Esoteric Society in London, which organised journeys for members to Bulgaria and Egypt, and hosted talks by well-known authors such as Gareth Knight, W. E. Butler, and Arthur Guirdham.
In 1975 his Druid teacher died, and he followed a Bulgarian teacher, Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov for seven years, giving talks on his teachings and helping with the translation and publishing of his books into English. He also travelled to Bulgaria and studied the work of Aivanhov’s teacher, Peter Deunov, visiting Sofia annually for fourteen years, teaching Deunov’s Paneurhythmy dance in England and at Findhorn in Scotland. In his thirties he turned to a study of psychology, taking a BSc degree at University College London and Jungian analysis, with plans to become an analyst. On discovering Psychosynthesis, he trained instead as a therapist at the Institute of Psychosynthesis in London and began a private practice.
In 1988 he was asked to lead the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids. He organised the Order’s teachings into a distance-learning course, and edited his teacher’s book with John Matthews [1]. Since that time, the Order has grown to become the largest Druid teaching order in the world.
He met his first spiritual teacher, Ross Nichols, the founder of The Order of Bards Ovates & Druids, when he was 11. He began studying with him when a teenager, and joined the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids at 18. He studied meditation with Olivia Robertson in Ireland, who later founded the Fellowship of Isis, and in his twenties he founded The Esoteric Society in London, which organised journeys for members to Bulgaria and Egypt, and hosted talks by well-known authors such as Gareth Knight, W. E. Butler, and Arthur Guirdham.
In 1975 his Druid teacher died, and he followed a Bulgarian teacher, Omraam Mikhael Aivanhov for seven years, giving talks on his teachings and helping with the translation and publishing of his books into English. He also travelled to Bulgaria and studied the work of Aivanhov’s teacher, Peter Deunov, visiting Sofia annually for fourteen years, teaching Deunov’s Paneurhythmy dance in England and at Findhorn in Scotland. In his thirties he turned to a study of psychology, taking a BSc degree at University College London and Jungian analysis, with plans to become an analyst. On discovering Psychosynthesis, he trained instead as a therapist at the Institute of Psychosynthesis in London and began a private practice.
In 1988 he was asked to lead the Order of Bards Ovates and Druids. He organised the Order’s teachings into a distance-learning course, and edited his teacher’s book with John Matthews [1]. Since that time, the Order has grown to become the largest Druid teaching order in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews
December 28, 2011
The book is really pretty, but I am kind of disappointed in the content.
I feel like it's been poorly edited, too. For example, here's a pretty eyebrow-raising error with regards to astrology signs. 6 signs were mixed up, and it wasn't caught in editing. I feel like if you're trying to teach people what their sign is (this segment was doing that) then you ought to be sure you leave them knowing what their sign really looks like.
Yeah. Wonky. There's a lot of superfluous stuff in here, and while the book is pretty, the content is questionable. Read it more like a travel guide, imo.
Things that I noticed:
- The grey/italic text for all interviews was annoying
- A lot of the images aren't captioned, so I don't know who the artist was, nor, sometimes, what the content was meant to be.
I feel like it's been poorly edited, too. For example, here's a pretty eyebrow-raising error with regards to astrology signs. 6 signs were mixed up, and it wasn't caught in editing. I feel like if you're trying to teach people what their sign is (this segment was doing that) then you ought to be sure you leave them knowing what their sign really looks like.
Yeah. Wonky. There's a lot of superfluous stuff in here, and while the book is pretty, the content is questionable. Read it more like a travel guide, imo.
Things that I noticed:
- The grey/italic text for all interviews was annoying
- A lot of the images aren't captioned, so I don't know who the artist was, nor, sometimes, what the content was meant to be.
July 8, 2012
If you read Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrel, and wondered what the real history of English magic looked like, then this book is, quite simply, the answer. Not quite as glamorous as Clarke’s fictional world, or the magical England of Harry Potter, it is none the less a history resplendent with strangeness, eccentricity and curiosities. This book brings together the real stories those writing about fictional English magic have been drawing on all along. For anyone interested in the literary angle, it’s most informative read.
Magic is here offered as an alternative dialogue to the familiar mainstream narratives of technological progress and historical leaders. It’s especially interesting to see just how much magic and superstition have existed since the age of so-called enlightenment. No matter how rational we may imagine our species to be, magic has never been far from us, glorious, rule breaking and exciting. No matter how scientific we get, we all still crave a little magic. And as the authors point out, technology keeps giving us the things that magic once promised. The lines are seldom clear cut.
For anyone who wants a fascinating read, this is an ideal book to get your teeth into. For anyone interested in exploring magic, not only is this a broad ranging introduction that gives some insight into many different traditions, it’s also loaded with pointers for places to go, things to try and other books to read.
I very much enjoyed this book, I think it has many potential applications, and that pagan readers of all paths should consider checking it out.
Magic is here offered as an alternative dialogue to the familiar mainstream narratives of technological progress and historical leaders. It’s especially interesting to see just how much magic and superstition have existed since the age of so-called enlightenment. No matter how rational we may imagine our species to be, magic has never been far from us, glorious, rule breaking and exciting. No matter how scientific we get, we all still crave a little magic. And as the authors point out, technology keeps giving us the things that magic once promised. The lines are seldom clear cut.
For anyone who wants a fascinating read, this is an ideal book to get your teeth into. For anyone interested in exploring magic, not only is this a broad ranging introduction that gives some insight into many different traditions, it’s also loaded with pointers for places to go, things to try and other books to read.
I very much enjoyed this book, I think it has many potential applications, and that pagan readers of all paths should consider checking it out.
Read
April 18, 2019Overview of various traditions of English magic. Packed with useful stuff to take you off down byways, ie the kind of book that mostly makes you want to go get other books/find out more stuff. Which is exactly what I wanted. I wouldn't recommend it for casual reading but it's a handy addition to your English magic library.
The print copy has a bunch of personal accounts by various druids, psychics etc that are set apart by being printed in a grey so light it's almost completely unreadable, although this isn't a problem as they aren't worth reading.
The print copy has a bunch of personal accounts by various druids, psychics etc that are set apart by being printed in a grey so light it's almost completely unreadable, although this isn't a problem as they aren't worth reading.
November 6, 2011
A beautiful book, but disappointing. I wanted more STUFF, not a bunch of warmed-over mythology. Interviews with current Wiccans & self-proclaimed sorcerers aside, this is a collection of half-truths (so which trees were sacred? Which parts? What did "magicians" do with them?) and outright misinformation (the Druids did NOT build Stonehenge, which predates their arrival in Britain).
September 16, 2023
I cannot praise this book enough both for its content and its style. It is a hefty tome at over 500 pages but beautifully bound and (once you get over the odd use of a lighter typeface for 'practitioner' contributions) designed. It may not be cheap (£25) but it is excellent value.
The structure is worth commenting on because, quite simply, it works and it puts to shame a lot of the shoddy editing that you currently get in the publishing industry.
Carr-Gomm and Heygate tell the story of English magic in twelve successive roughly chronological chapters, each with contemporary resonance, taking us from (in simplistic terms) earth magic, druidry, Anglo-Saxon magic, the arthurian tradition, the folk magic of the pre-modern era, alchemy, the world of John Dee, the cunning folk of rural industrial England, freemasonry, the magical orders of the late ninetenth century, Crowley (and his more benign contemporaries like Dion Fortune) and, finally, the contemporary world right up to the emergence of chaos magic.
Each chapter contains a narrative that introduces you to the contemporary manifestations of the historic experience and then intersperses this with practical magical insights (for example, how to hunt for ley lines or the basics of magical numerology or the tarot) as well as extended interviews with practitioners in each field. These 'insights' will give you sufficient flavour of a practice for you to decide whether to investigate further.
On top of this, the authors provide exceptional and up to date resource materials - fiction related to the era, biographies of key figures, information on where to go and how to get more information, including access points to current magical schools, even those with a bit of a health warning attached. There are, of course, useful further reading lists, advice on bookshops and internet sites and even lists of publishers and academic and specialist courses.
Finally, the overall tone is measured, balanced, fair and thoughtful. There are even periodic health warnings against misunderstanding or misusing magical techniques or expecting too much or the wrong thing.
This book exists well within the contemporary culture of British (not just English) paganism - humane, tolerant, eclectic. There is a certain national pride that England has Wicca as its global contribution to the major growing religions (though Druidry may claim some status here) and the argument that England is the most magical country in the world certainly seems to hold water as each chapter unfolds.
There are many views of what magic is and what it means and the authors are fair to all of them - whether there are really existent realities or whether the phenomena are psychological is all the same to them. They take no sides. There is an amusing passage where the authors compare the 'styles' of serious pagans, new agers, wiccans, freemasons and the thelemites and chaos magicians at the harder edge of the game so that 'choices' to dump Judaeo-Christian restriction and plump for an alternative have very many options that will fit many different types of personality.
Personally, I am a pagan-sympathetic observer with thoroughly chaotic and thelemite tendencies who is just a little resistant to the professionalisation of the latter. For me, this is a book of many possible techniques (and of many more in decades to come) by which persons, individuals, find their own ethical and 'spiritual' paths without benefit of authority.
Of course, there are traditions that do have hierarchies and grades (with freemasonry probably at the most extreme end of imposed order and secrecy) and weak personalities can be overwhelmed by strong personalities but the general trend of English magic is embedded in that very English blend of individualism and pragmatism that makes us strangely passive yet supremely stubborn if our Ancient Liberties are threatened.
My recommendation to the reader is to relax and let the book flow through you, taking notes of those techniques and cultures that most appeal to your nature. You can lay the book aside a bit better informed about what is on offer if you ever need something to give you meaning or explain the world better than scientific positivism (though intelligent magic, as the authors frequently suggest, is not incompatible with science by any means).
Or you can take up one of the traditions, follow through on a reference until it has served its purpose - and then find another for a new purpose later. Basically, make your search a pleasure not a chore - though the best results clearly come from immensely hard and focused labour. This is the real point of magical thinking - although the authors end the book with no less than 16 uses of magic, in essence the primary use is self development, finding your true nature and working it in the world.
Magic represents a radical democratic and yet oddly conservative tradition of resistance to being told who you are by authority of any type and yet it is not anarchic even at its most chaotic. It constructs an ethic from experience, an understanding of difference between persons (tolerance) and of what makes us all so similar (nature). It is certainly not a tradition for those who can think only in terms of either/or or in all-encompassing universals that dictate what roles we must play in the tide of history or before some fearsome patriarchal (or matriarchal) judgemental deity.
And one footnote about the English tradition. In much of the world, the new paganisms have grown because they have to say something to the unsure and disempowered (and this is clearly so with the spread in the US of neo-pagan ideas) but, in the UK today, the simple egalitarianism of the pagan revolution is expressed in the breadth of intellect and achievement that leavens and assists the paganism of the street.
As you read through the many testimonies in this book, you will see people with serious academic accomplishments rub alongside people whose status in society may be 'lowly' but who are accomplished in their abilities to see things the rest of us do not or in giving some sort of 'spiritual' service to others. The respect of each for all and of all for each is in marked contrast to cultures that 'look up to' priests, rabbis or imams and leave their spiritual thinking at the door of the church, mosque or synagogue.
This is not to denigrate the latter - they have their role as community religions which contain many strands of deep intellectual engagement, mysticism and consolation - but the structural difference (despite the High Priestesses and Grades of some advanced magical and pagan traditions) is that power comes from below instead from above. The wicked tantric Crowley was seeking to liberate his followers, even from their allegiance to him!
Highly recommended and enjoyable - a book I shall keep close by my desk for reference.
April 5, 2016
Finally, finally finished this chunker of a book. I kept telling myself it took me so long because I was moving house and didn't have a lot of time, but the truth is, I decided to pick up other books over it even when I did have time. It wasn't bad, and it wasn't boring, in fact, most of what it had to offer was actually really interesting and I loved that at the end of every chapter/topic they had a list of things to do and resources if you wanted to put more research into the respective field of magic. Still, it didn't always hold my attention enough and could at times become very long-winded. Overall still an interesting read, but nothing I'd reread.
June 15, 2010
A book that definitely falls between two stools, The Book of English Magic is both an introduction to magic for the novice practitioner and a historical analysis of the various traditions that make up the wildly diverse body of esoteric thought and practice in England. As such, it's not very satisfying in either aspect: the suggestions for practitioners are somewhat undercut by the more rational analysis, and the rational analysis is undercut by the suggestions for practitioners. It's hard to take an analysis of magic seriously, from an anthropological perspective, when it's telling you to believe in dowsing and spirit mediums. Still, it was an entertaining read.
January 20, 2013
Not sure who the audience is for this book. Serious practitioners will find it all a bit superficial and scatter-shot, curious skeptics will find it equally frustrating. It is poorly edited as well. The activities sections struck me as humorous-- as if they were written for children or perhaps it was going for some kind of Martha-Stewart style occult advice? I wish I could recommend this book, but I really can't.
Read
May 2, 2019If I were being fair, I'd say that a book that tries to cover everything from crop-circles to freemasonry, and from Merlin to Aleister Crowley is necessarily going to be broad and shallow. If I were being fair, I'd say that the sheer breadth of material sampled means that no-one is going to believe in all of it, not even the authors, and that there will always be interesting side-routes left unexplored. If I were being fair, I'd say it takes a deft hand to make reality as interesting as fiction (and vice-versa).
If I were being unfair, I'd say that I was hoping for something a little more scholarly-historical and a little less Ladybird Book. If I were being unfair, I'd suggest that a book that can't get its astrological symbols in the right order might lack somewhat in credibility. If I were being unfair, I'd grab the authors by their collective throat and beg them, please - in the name of whichever deity they currently hold sacred, in the name of whatever creed they choose to adhere to, however ludicrous it may appear to be; in the name of all the Gods and all the saints and all the powers under heaven, please - to stop name-dropping J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Bloody Rowling every few pages.
If I were being balanced I suppose I might say all of the above, and note that, like most of the things we think of as English, English Magic is mostly not English.
So I have.
If I were being unfair, I'd say that I was hoping for something a little more scholarly-historical and a little less Ladybird Book. If I were being unfair, I'd suggest that a book that can't get its astrological symbols in the right order might lack somewhat in credibility. If I were being unfair, I'd grab the authors by their collective throat and beg them, please - in the name of whichever deity they currently hold sacred, in the name of whatever creed they choose to adhere to, however ludicrous it may appear to be; in the name of all the Gods and all the saints and all the powers under heaven, please - to stop name-dropping J.R.R. Tolkien and J.K. Bloody Rowling every few pages.
If I were being balanced I suppose I might say all of the above, and note that, like most of the things we think of as English, English Magic is mostly not English.
So I have.
Read
July 28, 2011Philip Carr-Gomm an expert on Druidry has written a book that is a tour de force. Covering the magical history of Britain all the way from it's prehistoric Shamanistic beginning all the way up to the present. The book is comprehensive, informative and very interesting. if you are new to magic I advise you pick up a copy of this book and read it. The over view will help you get to where you want to go in the realm of magic.
Not only does the book offer a rich textured history of magic but it also comes with exercises the novice can do so they can get their feet wet. If you are a long term practitioner then this is your chance to dabble in something a bit outside of your field. For further exploration the book offers a treasure trove of web links and books for further exploration. Awesome.
Right now there are more magical practitioners in Britain then every before. The early prehistoric people began doing their Shamanistic practices in caves often times using chants, altered states of mind and visualization in order to control the world around them. Such concerns were for hunting, crops and warding off sickness.
The state of magic moved on as the landscape of Britain is filled with landmarks that at first modern Brits took no notice of. This changed with the likes of John Aubrey and William Stukely who recognized them as Pagan holy sites and worthy of attention. later on other people would find our they were connected by Ley lines. Originally they were straight line paths from one place to the next. Trade caravans and pilgrims followed these routes. in around 1925 it was theorized that these land lines were like energy routes and could be harness for magical practice. To tap into these Ley lines one could use a variety of methods but one stood out and that was dowsing.
By use of tools inclusive of pendulums and dowsing rods Ley lines could be discovered. Dowsing is also an effective means for finding water and oil. many dowsers will tell you never to use dowsing for personal gain or unearned wealth. Druids who were the philosophers among the Celts rose to prominence. Their writing was using the Ogham alphabet. Now not much is known about the Druids so we have what is called an imaginative reconstruction. The Romans obliterated any traces of Druidic culture. The reconstructions come from scratch. Druidism or neo-druidism developed in Britain growing through three stages. First group mimicking the Freemason was more like a workers club offering fraternity, friendship and union style benefits. it was a means of support. The second phase was more of a cultural celebration where in the Brits who joined still retained their Christian affiliation while practicing Celtic/druidic rites as a cultural thing. Finally the druids became a spiritual magical movement. They modeled themselves after the Mason with initiations and ceremonies and casting circles. Symbolic use if herbs, animal totems and vision quests are made use of.
No magic book on England would be complete without mentioning Merlin. Some call him Mardyn the wild one. No one knows who he really is. They know he existed; of course King Arthur is something else entirely. Merlin was an adviser to the king. In reality he may have been a chieftain who came from Ireland and Scotland. Geoffrey Monmouth spoke of him in his works. Many feel that Merlin's prophecies came to pass. Others still say they are yet to pass. The chapter continues with further talk on the legends of the Grail and their internal spiritual uses.
As the Romans were forced to flee the Anglo Saxons and the Jutes entered the scene. A system of magic and sorcery was built upon the foundation of what was left behind of the Romans and celts added to the Germanic tribes brought with them. The Anglo Saxon brought with them beliefs in elves, dwarves, gnomes and faeries. They also brought the Runic alphabet with them. The Runes branched off and took different courses in Britain then they did in Germany. The Anglo Saxon had a belief that sickness was caused by mischievous elves. The Anglo Saxon sorcerer has verbal charms and herbs that were meant to counteract such things. The Herbs were often imbued with powers bestowed up them by certain astral bodies. The Runes were used for fortune telling and Binding runes could be used for magical spells. Binding is when runes were worn as a talisman or amulet. Two runes would be combined for certain desired result.
High magic came to play with the importation of Alchemy. Alchemists in the west have always sought two things: how to turn metals into gold and how to perfect the soul. Alchemists in the East also wanted to perfect the soul but they were also searching for immortality. Eventually Alchemy would lead to chemistry but the idea of certain herbs being associated with planetary influence and perfecting the soul would find their way into High Magic. High Magic is all about Theurgist magic which is geared for perfecting the soul. The book has a few real interesting activities associated with alchemy that can be performed at home.
John Dee was very interested in both Astrology and alchemy. A gifted magician he plunged into magic whole heartedly. His interest in magic would lead to an interest in angels. He was a favorite of the Elizabethan court. He would get together with a cohort who is clairvoyant who was able to decipher the Enochian language. They would later go off treasure hunting with his cohort Edward Kelley. Their treasure hunting exploits were not as successful as hoped. Edward Kelley ended up getting arrested. John Dee retired.
Low magic is using magic to procure things like love, money and even fighting of sickness. It had much in common with Anglo Saxon sorcery. The people that come to mind are Witches, Wiccans and Cunning folk. Wicca was introduced in 1954 by Gerald Gardner. Without going into his life details Wicca has been controversial. It made the term witch a positive connotation. Their focus was on positive magic. The controversy is the actual age of whatr is called Wicca. Witch craft is not the same as Wicca in al cases.
The original witches were actually cunning folk who lived in the countryside villages. They would perform magick to protect people from the evil work of witches. They would also say their incantation invoking Jesus. The second group of witches were those accused of witch craft and burned at the stake. Many were innocent. Finally there is Wicca.
Wicca took many things of ceremonial magic including invocations from the Key of Solomon. They also took the initiation from the Masons. Combining theories from India and the far east, Gerald Gardner formulated his own brand of magic.
The history of magic continues with descriptions of Alesister Crowley, Freemason The Golden Dawn all the way through Chaos Magick. The book is too exhaustive to give a thorough summarization unless you are writing a term paper. It has interviews, places to visit, activities, book you name it. This book gets five stars out of five stars if you are any way into magic then buy the book ASAP.
Not only does the book offer a rich textured history of magic but it also comes with exercises the novice can do so they can get their feet wet. If you are a long term practitioner then this is your chance to dabble in something a bit outside of your field. For further exploration the book offers a treasure trove of web links and books for further exploration. Awesome.
Right now there are more magical practitioners in Britain then every before. The early prehistoric people began doing their Shamanistic practices in caves often times using chants, altered states of mind and visualization in order to control the world around them. Such concerns were for hunting, crops and warding off sickness.
The state of magic moved on as the landscape of Britain is filled with landmarks that at first modern Brits took no notice of. This changed with the likes of John Aubrey and William Stukely who recognized them as Pagan holy sites and worthy of attention. later on other people would find our they were connected by Ley lines. Originally they were straight line paths from one place to the next. Trade caravans and pilgrims followed these routes. in around 1925 it was theorized that these land lines were like energy routes and could be harness for magical practice. To tap into these Ley lines one could use a variety of methods but one stood out and that was dowsing.
By use of tools inclusive of pendulums and dowsing rods Ley lines could be discovered. Dowsing is also an effective means for finding water and oil. many dowsers will tell you never to use dowsing for personal gain or unearned wealth. Druids who were the philosophers among the Celts rose to prominence. Their writing was using the Ogham alphabet. Now not much is known about the Druids so we have what is called an imaginative reconstruction. The Romans obliterated any traces of Druidic culture. The reconstructions come from scratch. Druidism or neo-druidism developed in Britain growing through three stages. First group mimicking the Freemason was more like a workers club offering fraternity, friendship and union style benefits. it was a means of support. The second phase was more of a cultural celebration where in the Brits who joined still retained their Christian affiliation while practicing Celtic/druidic rites as a cultural thing. Finally the druids became a spiritual magical movement. They modeled themselves after the Mason with initiations and ceremonies and casting circles. Symbolic use if herbs, animal totems and vision quests are made use of.
No magic book on England would be complete without mentioning Merlin. Some call him Mardyn the wild one. No one knows who he really is. They know he existed; of course King Arthur is something else entirely. Merlin was an adviser to the king. In reality he may have been a chieftain who came from Ireland and Scotland. Geoffrey Monmouth spoke of him in his works. Many feel that Merlin's prophecies came to pass. Others still say they are yet to pass. The chapter continues with further talk on the legends of the Grail and their internal spiritual uses.
As the Romans were forced to flee the Anglo Saxons and the Jutes entered the scene. A system of magic and sorcery was built upon the foundation of what was left behind of the Romans and celts added to the Germanic tribes brought with them. The Anglo Saxon brought with them beliefs in elves, dwarves, gnomes and faeries. They also brought the Runic alphabet with them. The Runes branched off and took different courses in Britain then they did in Germany. The Anglo Saxon had a belief that sickness was caused by mischievous elves. The Anglo Saxon sorcerer has verbal charms and herbs that were meant to counteract such things. The Herbs were often imbued with powers bestowed up them by certain astral bodies. The Runes were used for fortune telling and Binding runes could be used for magical spells. Binding is when runes were worn as a talisman or amulet. Two runes would be combined for certain desired result.
High magic came to play with the importation of Alchemy. Alchemists in the west have always sought two things: how to turn metals into gold and how to perfect the soul. Alchemists in the East also wanted to perfect the soul but they were also searching for immortality. Eventually Alchemy would lead to chemistry but the idea of certain herbs being associated with planetary influence and perfecting the soul would find their way into High Magic. High Magic is all about Theurgist magic which is geared for perfecting the soul. The book has a few real interesting activities associated with alchemy that can be performed at home.
John Dee was very interested in both Astrology and alchemy. A gifted magician he plunged into magic whole heartedly. His interest in magic would lead to an interest in angels. He was a favorite of the Elizabethan court. He would get together with a cohort who is clairvoyant who was able to decipher the Enochian language. They would later go off treasure hunting with his cohort Edward Kelley. Their treasure hunting exploits were not as successful as hoped. Edward Kelley ended up getting arrested. John Dee retired.
Low magic is using magic to procure things like love, money and even fighting of sickness. It had much in common with Anglo Saxon sorcery. The people that come to mind are Witches, Wiccans and Cunning folk. Wicca was introduced in 1954 by Gerald Gardner. Without going into his life details Wicca has been controversial. It made the term witch a positive connotation. Their focus was on positive magic. The controversy is the actual age of whatr is called Wicca. Witch craft is not the same as Wicca in al cases.
The original witches were actually cunning folk who lived in the countryside villages. They would perform magick to protect people from the evil work of witches. They would also say their incantation invoking Jesus. The second group of witches were those accused of witch craft and burned at the stake. Many were innocent. Finally there is Wicca.
Wicca took many things of ceremonial magic including invocations from the Key of Solomon. They also took the initiation from the Masons. Combining theories from India and the far east, Gerald Gardner formulated his own brand of magic.
The history of magic continues with descriptions of Alesister Crowley, Freemason The Golden Dawn all the way through Chaos Magick. The book is too exhaustive to give a thorough summarization unless you are writing a term paper. It has interviews, places to visit, activities, book you name it. This book gets five stars out of five stars if you are any way into magic then buy the book ASAP.
July 26, 2025
I've finally finished this book and it only took a week's holiday to do it! Really enjoyed the start and end but got stuck in the middle. I found the weird self-imposed ranks and bureaucracy of Freemasons and Rosicrucians and the Order of the Golden Dawn kind of hard to wade through and hard to pick up again. Also, although the interviews are a nice idea, writing them in light grey text is a crime against readability. Would have given it three stars, but it's regained another star bc it's such a good collection of resources on magic that I know I'll revisit it again and again. Overall, a nice introduction to a huge part of this country's heritage and a very clear-headed encouragement for people wanting to get into magic, and a text that avoids getting bogged down in the common and confusing quarrels about which practitioners are 'right' or 'moral'.
July 30, 2025
Incredible compilation of historical magic.
The shear volume of information is staggering, It will inform you of the many forms and pathways magic has taken throughout history, it will totally inspire you to read and discover more and as a magic resource for pursuing your own magic path this is second to none.
Start here and let your magic flourish.
The shear volume of information is staggering, It will inform you of the many forms and pathways magic has taken throughout history, it will totally inspire you to read and discover more and as a magic resource for pursuing your own magic path this is second to none.
Start here and let your magic flourish.
May 26, 2019
The Book of English Magic turned out to have two very special magic powers:
1) It made me realise that I’m nowhere near as open-minded as I think I am, and
2) It managed to make one minute of reading fell like ten years of slogging through swampland
Let me explain…
Despite not being at all spiritual or religious myself, I do enjoy reading about the beliefs that some people hold as a way of trying to better understand them. Whilst I’ve often then arrived at some kind of understanding, in the same way that I would understand a story, I still find myself really struggling to understand how someone can actually believe whatever it is I’ve just read to the point of living their lives by it (in the case of real believers, that is. I better understand the people that I come across more regularly, who simply like to use those beliefs as a stick to beat others with whilst ignoring whatever part of those doctrines don’t conveniently fit their own lifestyles).
That said, I also spend most of my reading life inhabiting a world that is full of the magic that I don’t believe in in real life. The Book of English Magic promised to bring this all together, and talk about the history of practising magic in England while also looking at the literature in which it has flourished, topping it all off with some pointers for those looking to begin their own magical practice. I was in this for the first two promises, thinking that I could just ignore the third. That didn’t really work so well for me.
The Book of English Magic is an extremely comprehensive book on the various strands of magic that have been practiced in these isles, whether that be dowsing, the casting of runes, numerology, tarot, crystal balls, transmutation, and so on. In doing so, it also looks at the various orders that have sprung up over the ages, be they pagans, freemasons, chaos magickians (their own spelling, not mine) and so on. Each chapter includes notes on further reading resources, interviews with current practitioners, and notes on how to practice this type of magic yourself.
From a historical perspective, this was fairly interesting…however, the utter sincerity with which everything was presented started to make me feel like I was going to strain something (this was not helped by the practitioner interviews being presented in a very light grey which was absolute murder on the eyes). Before long I found myself struggling not to roll my eyes at the (in my opinion) nonsense being presented as mystical, ancient truths, especially in the cases - which were many - where the meaning for runes, tarot cards, magical rites and such had all turned out to have been made up by a handful of people in the 60s. I soon found myself reading a couple of sentences, scoffing loudly, and then wandering off to do something else instead. Which is why it took me six weeks to finish what should have been a fairly quick read (I should do what most people do and give up when they’re not enjoying a book, but it simply isn’t in me to leave one unfinished - possibly one of my biggest pet peeves about myself as I know I’m only torturing myself in these instances).
If you are (unlike me, apparently) a genuinely open-minded person who is at all interested in different belief systems, or someone who would quite like to dabble in some practical magic, you’ll find a lot more to like in this book than I did. I think I’m better off sticking with Tolkien.
**Also posted at Cannonball Read 11**
1) It made me realise that I’m nowhere near as open-minded as I think I am, and
2) It managed to make one minute of reading fell like ten years of slogging through swampland
Let me explain…
Despite not being at all spiritual or religious myself, I do enjoy reading about the beliefs that some people hold as a way of trying to better understand them. Whilst I’ve often then arrived at some kind of understanding, in the same way that I would understand a story, I still find myself really struggling to understand how someone can actually believe whatever it is I’ve just read to the point of living their lives by it (in the case of real believers, that is. I better understand the people that I come across more regularly, who simply like to use those beliefs as a stick to beat others with whilst ignoring whatever part of those doctrines don’t conveniently fit their own lifestyles).
That said, I also spend most of my reading life inhabiting a world that is full of the magic that I don’t believe in in real life. The Book of English Magic promised to bring this all together, and talk about the history of practising magic in England while also looking at the literature in which it has flourished, topping it all off with some pointers for those looking to begin their own magical practice. I was in this for the first two promises, thinking that I could just ignore the third. That didn’t really work so well for me.
The Book of English Magic is an extremely comprehensive book on the various strands of magic that have been practiced in these isles, whether that be dowsing, the casting of runes, numerology, tarot, crystal balls, transmutation, and so on. In doing so, it also looks at the various orders that have sprung up over the ages, be they pagans, freemasons, chaos magickians (their own spelling, not mine) and so on. Each chapter includes notes on further reading resources, interviews with current practitioners, and notes on how to practice this type of magic yourself.
From a historical perspective, this was fairly interesting…however, the utter sincerity with which everything was presented started to make me feel like I was going to strain something (this was not helped by the practitioner interviews being presented in a very light grey which was absolute murder on the eyes). Before long I found myself struggling not to roll my eyes at the (in my opinion) nonsense being presented as mystical, ancient truths, especially in the cases - which were many - where the meaning for runes, tarot cards, magical rites and such had all turned out to have been made up by a handful of people in the 60s. I soon found myself reading a couple of sentences, scoffing loudly, and then wandering off to do something else instead. Which is why it took me six weeks to finish what should have been a fairly quick read (I should do what most people do and give up when they’re not enjoying a book, but it simply isn’t in me to leave one unfinished - possibly one of my biggest pet peeves about myself as I know I’m only torturing myself in these instances).
If you are (unlike me, apparently) a genuinely open-minded person who is at all interested in different belief systems, or someone who would quite like to dabble in some practical magic, you’ll find a lot more to like in this book than I did. I think I’m better off sticking with Tolkien.
**Also posted at Cannonball Read 11**
June 11, 2023
A curate’s egg, perhaps: I can see why the other reviews have regarded it as too dense with history for those who want to get stuck in, too much like a Ladybird book with its “have a go yourself” mini-guides at the end. As we get closer to the present day, the number of well-documented historical figures increases (although of course there’s space for John Dee and Edward Kelley), as does the authors’ seeming disapproval: the section on Chaos Magicke is written with an evident frown, and there seems to be some scepticism from the authors about Wicca, which they consider a syncretic “just throw it in” approach. The “it’s not like it was in the old days” tone is echoed by several of the many guest contributors (whose pages are inexplicably typeset in virtually invisible ink): a weird approach for those in search of enlightenment of the soul, but then these are druids leading us through these wyrd woods.
I came to this book because I wanted an entry level understanding of the many branches of English magic, and it turned out to be a blast even at 500 pages, summaries of the history and the basic idea, additional spells you can do and resources and visits you can investigate (again q Ladybird), and testaments from Rosicrucians, Golden Dawn adherents, druids and more. The section in which a sorcerer’s apprentice wryly describes his teenage attempts to ascend the astral plane in a bus station toilets in Middlesbrough is (intentionally) the funniest: the juxtaposition of the infinite and the parochial bringing a Cocker or Bennett flavour and really, shouldn’t all English magic?
I came to this book because I wanted an entry level understanding of the many branches of English magic, and it turned out to be a blast even at 500 pages, summaries of the history and the basic idea, additional spells you can do and resources and visits you can investigate (again q Ladybird), and testaments from Rosicrucians, Golden Dawn adherents, druids and more. The section in which a sorcerer’s apprentice wryly describes his teenage attempts to ascend the astral plane in a bus station toilets in Middlesbrough is (intentionally) the funniest: the juxtaposition of the infinite and the parochial bringing a Cocker or Bennett flavour and really, shouldn’t all English magic?
June 30, 2022
It’s funny that I went to America and ended up buying a book about England, but it is what it is. I am always fascinated by myths and legends and thought that this book was going to be a history of how magic was treated throughout English history, and I was sort of right.
The Book of English Magic takes the reader through the history of magic, from ley lines, dowsing, and druids to John Dee and finally to ‘modern magicians’. It’s not, however, just a book about the past – the book interviews modern-day magicians and suggests activities that the reader can do for each chapter.
I found the history in the book to be really fascinating. For example, I didn’t know that ley lines were initially conceived as actual paths for travel, and that the man who came up with the concept, Watkins, didn’t attribute any magical power to them. I also really liked the chapters on cunning folk and how people in the past would have engaged the services of magicians and the various types of spells they would have practiced. I also appreciated that the author gave fiction suggestions for each chapter, if you want to read more.
As someone who is more interested in reading about the past, I would have appreciated it if the authors went into more discussion on the relationship between magic and the Church – it’s mentioned that the Church in England took over various holy pagan sites and that some spells were given a Christian form, but there’s not much discussion on to what extent this was authorised, if this played a part in the Protestant movement in England, etc. I was thinking of one of the stories in Forgotten Lancashire Folk and Fairy Tales, where fairies are told about Christianity and thought it would have been fascinating if the book continued the discussion since fairies are also mentioned here!
My main complaint about the book is that the text of the interviews is printed in a shade of grey. The interviews themselves are interesting since they talk about the present, but the grey colour means that there is less contrast between the book and the page and it’s harder for me to read what’s going on! It’s not impossible, but I did dread the grey text when it came and feel that a fancy section break would have been enough to differentiate the interviews from the rest of the text. This might actually be a reason to get an ebook version – I’m guessing these font colour issues would not occur?
Overall, this was a fascinating book about a topic that I’ve read obliquely about when reading about various myths and legends. It’s very interesting to see how people in England have treated the idea of magic and how it has evolved over time.
This review was first posted at Eustea Reads
The Book of English Magic takes the reader through the history of magic, from ley lines, dowsing, and druids to John Dee and finally to ‘modern magicians’. It’s not, however, just a book about the past – the book interviews modern-day magicians and suggests activities that the reader can do for each chapter.
I found the history in the book to be really fascinating. For example, I didn’t know that ley lines were initially conceived as actual paths for travel, and that the man who came up with the concept, Watkins, didn’t attribute any magical power to them. I also really liked the chapters on cunning folk and how people in the past would have engaged the services of magicians and the various types of spells they would have practiced. I also appreciated that the author gave fiction suggestions for each chapter, if you want to read more.
As someone who is more interested in reading about the past, I would have appreciated it if the authors went into more discussion on the relationship between magic and the Church – it’s mentioned that the Church in England took over various holy pagan sites and that some spells were given a Christian form, but there’s not much discussion on to what extent this was authorised, if this played a part in the Protestant movement in England, etc. I was thinking of one of the stories in Forgotten Lancashire Folk and Fairy Tales, where fairies are told about Christianity and thought it would have been fascinating if the book continued the discussion since fairies are also mentioned here!
My main complaint about the book is that the text of the interviews is printed in a shade of grey. The interviews themselves are interesting since they talk about the present, but the grey colour means that there is less contrast between the book and the page and it’s harder for me to read what’s going on! It’s not impossible, but I did dread the grey text when it came and feel that a fancy section break would have been enough to differentiate the interviews from the rest of the text. This might actually be a reason to get an ebook version – I’m guessing these font colour issues would not occur?
Overall, this was a fascinating book about a topic that I’ve read obliquely about when reading about various myths and legends. It’s very interesting to see how people in England have treated the idea of magic and how it has evolved over time.
This review was first posted at Eustea Reads
February 13, 2019
Guess who's back ? Back again! IT ME !
I mean at this point most of my goodreads friend could have entirely forgotten who I am and I wouldn't blame them, or you if it relates to you as you read this right now.
I have let my brain rest for most of January and half of february and traded books for movies for a while (add me on letterboxd @blissfulzwan) but none of that relates to this book I've just read so, HELLO AGAIN! Alright now let's jump into the actual review.
This is a wonderful book for anyone with a casual interest in magic or a total beginner. The world of magic is so wide, there are tons of different ways to practice, different belief systems, some practice it as part of their religions while others view it as a simple philosophy and considering the amount of people who to this day find it truly shameful or even absolute blasphemy, it can be hard to find a mentor. This book could help you begin your journey as a magician. It presents the reader with an array of easy magical projects you can realise with next to nothing and gives a great introduction to english magic from the middle ages to current day, along with an incredibly long list of resources ranging from books to websites, to bookshop adresses and sites you might want to visit, magical festivals you could take part in or simply assist to etc..
I think knowing about well known magicians and the movements they have created certainly would help a newcomer to find their footing in the magic world and decide what they want to explore most.
It is also a great ressource if you want to understand more profoundly the basis of the magical worlds of books like Harry Potter,the Lord of The Rings, His Dark Materials series etc.. particularly in the chapters that discuss alchemy.
The only reason why I didn't give 5 stars to this book is that it's definitely not advertised as a beginner book and I wish I had known that prior to reading it. If you are familiar with the history of the UK and magic in Europe you probably won't learn too many new things. However, it is a very easy and even entertaining read, the historical bits being spaced apart with small essays -from professors and other magic practitioners- on whichever subject the chapter is about, giving us a more modern take on everything we just read.
The book contains really beautiful illustrations such as these you may see on the cover, really giving the impression that it is an old grimoire.
It is for sure a nice addition to my collection and one I would consider giving to a teen or young adult with an interest in the occult since it touches on so many things, from dowsing to chaos magic and wicca, not to mention the old norse gods and druidry !!!
I mean at this point most of my goodreads friend could have entirely forgotten who I am and I wouldn't blame them, or you if it relates to you as you read this right now.
I have let my brain rest for most of January and half of february and traded books for movies for a while (add me on letterboxd @blissfulzwan) but none of that relates to this book I've just read so, HELLO AGAIN! Alright now let's jump into the actual review.
This is a wonderful book for anyone with a casual interest in magic or a total beginner. The world of magic is so wide, there are tons of different ways to practice, different belief systems, some practice it as part of their religions while others view it as a simple philosophy and considering the amount of people who to this day find it truly shameful or even absolute blasphemy, it can be hard to find a mentor. This book could help you begin your journey as a magician. It presents the reader with an array of easy magical projects you can realise with next to nothing and gives a great introduction to english magic from the middle ages to current day, along with an incredibly long list of resources ranging from books to websites, to bookshop adresses and sites you might want to visit, magical festivals you could take part in or simply assist to etc..
I think knowing about well known magicians and the movements they have created certainly would help a newcomer to find their footing in the magic world and decide what they want to explore most.
It is also a great ressource if you want to understand more profoundly the basis of the magical worlds of books like Harry Potter,the Lord of The Rings, His Dark Materials series etc.. particularly in the chapters that discuss alchemy.
The only reason why I didn't give 5 stars to this book is that it's definitely not advertised as a beginner book and I wish I had known that prior to reading it. If you are familiar with the history of the UK and magic in Europe you probably won't learn too many new things. However, it is a very easy and even entertaining read, the historical bits being spaced apart with small essays -from professors and other magic practitioners- on whichever subject the chapter is about, giving us a more modern take on everything we just read.
The book contains really beautiful illustrations such as these you may see on the cover, really giving the impression that it is an old grimoire.
It is for sure a nice addition to my collection and one I would consider giving to a teen or young adult with an interest in the occult since it touches on so many things, from dowsing to chaos magic and wicca, not to mention the old norse gods and druidry !!!
June 6, 2021
Quite an eclectic read. This is a whistle stop tour of all areas of magic in England which the authors make the case of being the most magical of countries. There are chapters on various aspects of magic including divination, numerology, Druidry, Wicca, etc, and boxes giving potted biographies of various characters important in the history of English magic. There are also personal accounts by various living practitioners, although the practice of putting these into faint grey print makes them a bit tricky to read depending on light levels.
Each chapter has suggestions for further study and practical exercises which the reader can carry out if they wish. I did try out some of those on numerology which were interesting. This is probably more of a book to dip into than to read cover-to-cover as it does become a bit ‘dry’ if you attempt to do that. Overall, a 3 star rating from me.
Each chapter has suggestions for further study and practical exercises which the reader can carry out if they wish. I did try out some of those on numerology which were interesting. This is probably more of a book to dip into than to read cover-to-cover as it does become a bit ‘dry’ if you attempt to do that. Overall, a 3 star rating from me.
March 13, 2025
This was disappointing. It tried to toe the line between historical accounts and instructions, and it wasn't successful in my opinion. It made it confusing to read at times.
The book also felt poorly thought out with things like the sections of grey text being almost unreadable.
The book also felt poorly thought out with things like the sections of grey text being almost unreadable.
March 16, 2022
This isn't just a history of magic and magic belief in England; it's also a how-to guide if you wish to learn dowsing or scrying. I found it a mixed bag with some bits that were really interesting and some bits I skimmed.
May 12, 2013
There is some good writing here, and the book is an entertaining read. Some of the chapters are excellent for beginners to the subjects, particularly the ones on the history of Enochian and other Renaissance magic, and the chapters that chart the influence of these early-modern ceremonial forms of magic into more recent magical history.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of problems with the other chapters and their research, particularly the ones on 'ancient' magic, and the examples of people's personal application of magical systems get irritating when you're enjoying some of the history. There is an 'old religion' paradigm here that tries to suggest that much magic dates back to pre-Christian times, but with little evidence presented of this. (A good example of some of this poor research/editing and inaccuracies is the chart in the astrology section, which matches the sun signs with some of the wrong symbols. There are also mistakes like calling Luna the goddess of the sun. Those were the ones I noticed - there might be a lot more in the chapters where I'm not familiar with the history.)
I wouldn't rely on this as a primary source, but parts of it are interesting. Not the early parts, though - so stick with it till the end if you're interested in the better parts.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of problems with the other chapters and their research, particularly the ones on 'ancient' magic, and the examples of people's personal application of magical systems get irritating when you're enjoying some of the history. There is an 'old religion' paradigm here that tries to suggest that much magic dates back to pre-Christian times, but with little evidence presented of this. (A good example of some of this poor research/editing and inaccuracies is the chart in the astrology section, which matches the sun signs with some of the wrong symbols. There are also mistakes like calling Luna the goddess of the sun. Those were the ones I noticed - there might be a lot more in the chapters where I'm not familiar with the history.)
I wouldn't rely on this as a primary source, but parts of it are interesting. Not the early parts, though - so stick with it till the end if you're interested in the better parts.
September 13, 2021
If you’ve ever wondered about the history of magic, where certain beliefs, societies, practices or superstitions come from- then this is the book for you. Fascinating thumbnail sketches of the people, events and items that make up English magic past and present. And if you want to pursue a particular topic, there are extensive suggestions about where to look, books to read and places to go.
February 25, 2016
review to come :)
August 21, 2016
A good book to read about the different types of magic you want to know about, but a little bit boring for the parts you don't.
September 22, 2019
This book reminded me a little of the "KnowHow Book of Spycraft" and similar books I used to read as a kid: it's a bit of a jumble of factual and historical background interspersed with things you can try at home, great fun to read but not something to be taken too seriously. Its chapters provide a rough timeline of different types of magic in England, from the pre-roman right up to the Chaos Magic of the present day. Each chapter starts with some historical background, with small features on key concepts and figures, then has interviews with specialists, lists of further reading, and "things to do" - some of which describe practical magic ceremonies, but most are lists of places you might like to visit and websites which provide courses and more information.
As background reading on the way that English magic has developed over the millennia I found it very interesting, but in the few areas where I already have some knowledge I noticed several sloppy mistakes, and from reading other reviews it appears that there are many more of these throughout the book. The authors are very careful (sometimes painfully so) to avoid expressing any kind of opinion as to the practicality or otherwise of all this stuff, they are just there to lay out the information for the reader to do with as they will. For anyone with a modicum of knowledge of the areas covered, the book will no doubt seem very basic, but like I said it's a fun and useful primer, covering an awful lot of ground, just don't take any of it too seriously.
As background reading on the way that English magic has developed over the millennia I found it very interesting, but in the few areas where I already have some knowledge I noticed several sloppy mistakes, and from reading other reviews it appears that there are many more of these throughout the book. The authors are very careful (sometimes painfully so) to avoid expressing any kind of opinion as to the practicality or otherwise of all this stuff, they are just there to lay out the information for the reader to do with as they will. For anyone with a modicum of knowledge of the areas covered, the book will no doubt seem very basic, but like I said it's a fun and useful primer, covering an awful lot of ground, just don't take any of it too seriously.
April 5, 2021
A strange book that I enjoyed reading, while still being left slightly disappointed.
It is broad in scope, and offers a decent overview of trends in pagan religions, occultism and magic practitioners through the ages. But nothing seems done with enough depth to feel I've really appreciated all there is to know. Of course the argument is then to do further reading, and each chapter includes a list of additional books on the subject, but if I am forever feeling I need to read other books, it raises the question of what have I actually got out of reading this one.
I am generally a fan of the authors and enjoyed the read, but found some parts of the book unhelpful - the 'Things To Do' section usually just suggests visiting the places mentioned or reading the books listed, and there are frequent inclusions by modern-day thinkers and practitioners that became a chore for me to read. Some accounts are too personal to the writer to mean much to me, and others seem a little boastful, but the biggest problem (in my edition at least) is that they are all printed with such a pale grey ink as to be barely legible!
This write up sounds too negative to justify the three stars, but as mentioned, the style is sufficient to read through quite happily, and its an interesting subject. I just wish I felt a little more nourished by the thing as a whole.
It is broad in scope, and offers a decent overview of trends in pagan religions, occultism and magic practitioners through the ages. But nothing seems done with enough depth to feel I've really appreciated all there is to know. Of course the argument is then to do further reading, and each chapter includes a list of additional books on the subject, but if I am forever feeling I need to read other books, it raises the question of what have I actually got out of reading this one.
I am generally a fan of the authors and enjoyed the read, but found some parts of the book unhelpful - the 'Things To Do' section usually just suggests visiting the places mentioned or reading the books listed, and there are frequent inclusions by modern-day thinkers and practitioners that became a chore for me to read. Some accounts are too personal to the writer to mean much to me, and others seem a little boastful, but the biggest problem (in my edition at least) is that they are all printed with such a pale grey ink as to be barely legible!
This write up sounds too negative to justify the three stars, but as mentioned, the style is sufficient to read through quite happily, and its an interesting subject. I just wish I felt a little more nourished by the thing as a whole.
January 15, 2025
Такс, ну це не книга, це довідник. Цікавий, повноцінний, незалежний, але для достатньо вузької аудиторії. Людей та молоді, що цікавляться і вірять в те, що не можна доказати наукою. Тут і нумерологія, і Таро, і астрологія і закляття, привороти, завороти, отвороти. В додаток до цього біографії рандомних людей (які згадуються по разу, тому ви нічого не запамʼятаєте), якісь розповіді (знову рандомних людей).
Але загалом це текст, розбитий на теми, який розповідає про різного роду магічні практики на території Великобританії. В кінці кожного розділу список справ, які можна зробити щоб дослідити тему краще. Як правило це: Сходи сюди, доєднайся до цього клубу, прочитай цю книгу, загугли цей сайт. Майже усі кроки неможливо виконати, якщо ви не у Великобританії.
Під кінець книги ви скоріш за все почнете перелистувати сторінки з «історіями» і скіпать «біографії» щоб читати тільки основу (яка тут невелика). Тому 3/5. Не потребує перекладу на українську.
Але загалом це текст, розбитий на теми, який розповідає про різного роду магічні практики на території Великобританії. В кінці кожного розділу список справ, які можна зробити щоб дослідити тему краще. Як правило це: Сходи сюди, доєднайся до цього клубу, прочитай цю книгу, загугли цей сайт. Майже усі кроки неможливо виконати, якщо ви не у Великобританії.
Під кінець книги ви скоріш за все почнете перелистувати сторінки з «історіями» і скіпать «біографії» щоб читати тільки основу (яка тут невелика). Тому 3/5. Не потребує перекладу на українську.
August 27, 2021
This book was different to what I expected. I was worried it would be one of those too hard to read history books like I've read too many of for university. It wasn't like that. It was easy to read and I really appreciated such an approachable style. However, it wasn't historic enough for me. There were historic sections (my favourites) but they were often overshadowed by how the old is reflected in modern society and by many interviews. It was also too New Agey for me at times. I did learn a lot though and I'm sure sections of this book will help me a lot with my thesis (it even helped me to narrow down my thesis topic!). The book also includes several guides on how to experiment with magic and advice on places to visit. But sometimes it just was too much for me. I give it 3.5 stars but may change it to 4 in the future.
April 5, 2023
This was a well written, interesting and entertaining history of all things magical, from the Celts through to the present day. There were some sections that I found either extremely complicated and dull (Alchemy), or just plain silly (Numerology), but the rest of the book held my interest and more than made up for this. The inclusion of lots of illustrations and photographs greatly enriched the text, and I liked how each chapter ended with suggestions of "Things to do" as well as the usual list of websites and books. I was a little exasperated with the change of font when someone was being interviewed or providing an account of their own experiences: The text changed to a very pale grey which was really hard to read. I came away from reading this book feeling as though I'd learned a lot, been given food for thought, and had acquired a long list of websites and books to explore further.
September 29, 2020
I'm definitely in full spooky season reading mode, both fiction and non fiction. This was a particularly comprehensive and fascinating look at the History of magic in England, interspersed with interviews, recommendations, and things to try yourself. I regret being on this side of the Atlantic and being unable to easily travel to many of the sites the author mentions. But it was enlightening to see how attitudes towards magic have shaped and been shaped by societies and to see the undercurrents which have existed throughout history.
June 9, 2022
Loved this. As a complete newbie to this topic; despite a life long love of these topics in fiction, I found this to be very helpful. I came across it quite randomly in a bookshop one day in York and picked it up because it intrigued me. I didn’t expect to be as drawn in as I was. It was fascinating learning about the effects of English Magic on our history and culture. And kind of sad that I knew practically none of this considering how important these things were at points on history.
I feel like this is a good one for people like me who are starting out with this topic. This provides a great overview and so many resources are given in chapters and at the end for where to go next depending on what has sparked your interest.
I felt like this was well out together and I sense a deep dive into certain topics coming my way very soon.
I feel like this is a good one for people like me who are starting out with this topic. This provides a great overview and so many resources are given in chapters and at the end for where to go next depending on what has sparked your interest.
I felt like this was well out together and I sense a deep dive into certain topics coming my way very soon.
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