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2nd out of 5 books
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The Book of English Magic
The Book of English Magic explores the curious and little-known fact that of all the countries in the world, 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 e...more
Hardcover, 562 pages
Published
June 2009
by John Murray
(first published January 1st 2009)
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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 pers...more
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 pers...more
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,...more
Jul 28, 2011
Steve Cran
added it
Philip 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...more
Not only does the book offer a rich textured history of magic but it also...more
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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 mag...more
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 mag...more
The Book of English Magic is one of the best works I have read on magic in a long time. It focuses exclusively on English magic through the ages, touching on hedgewitchery, Druids, Wiccans (as started by Gerald Gardner), cunning folks, Ceremonial Mages, Alchemists, and Chaos Magicians to name a few. One of the aspects of the book I like best is that each chapter comes with a recommended reading list that covers both primary source material pertinent to the chapter’s subject as well as fiction wo...more
The Book of English Magic explores the curious and little-known fact that of all the countries in the world, 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. Most people are torn between a...more
Sep 20, 2012
Miranda Boyer
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
nonfiction,
new-age
A wonderful comprehensive beginners guide to the history of occult magic in England.
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 th...more
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 th...more
A very interesting book giving an overview of magical practices throughout the history of England. Including practical tasks to try out, places to visit and a wealth of suggested reading material for anyone wanting to find out more information.
It did feel that some areas were glossed over, where I would have liked more detail, but at over 500 pages how much more can you put in without becoming too weighty?!
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in finding out more about the rich tapest...more
It did feel that some areas were glossed over, where I would have liked more detail, but at over 500 pages how much more can you put in without becoming too weighty?!
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in finding out more about the rich tapest...more
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).
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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.
This is the best overview of the history, traditions and personalities of magic in England that I have ever read.
It's broad enough in scope to give the reader a complete overview, it's full of hints and tips for further study (and practice) for those who wish to add flesh to these bones, and it charmingly champions eccentricity.
It comes across as warm and chattily enthusiastic instead of dryly academic, and the frequent diversions to discuss personalities, with contributions by several notable m...more
It's broad enough in scope to give the reader a complete overview, it's full of hints and tips for further study (and practice) for those who wish to add flesh to these bones, and it charmingly champions eccentricity.
It comes across as warm and chattily enthusiastic instead of dryly academic, and the frequent diversions to discuss personalities, with contributions by several notable m...more
This is a wonderful book! It is amazing how detailed it is. The authors go into the history of so many aspects of English magic and it's really wonderful. I haven't finished it completely--but it's a heavy book. It can at times be rather dry so take your time when reading this.
This book was so entertaining as well as very informative. It told the story of magick in England from early on to modern times and covered each bit throughly. Sprinkled within are book recommendations, web-sites and locations to explore. I really enjoyed this book.
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 ta...more
Basic overview of magic in England over the ages. Not enough detail, but interesting nonetheless.
Superb! Full of information, Idea's, reference etc
Couldn't recommend more!
Couldn't recommend more!
Review soon @ thefaeryromanticlibrarian.blogspot.com
Excellent read
Jun 06, 2012
Johanna Varnander
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
non-fiction
Interesting - but it only touches the very surface of the subject matter... which is a shame. I did however enjoy the many tellings of all the historical peoples who helped caracterize England as the most influential country when it comes to Magic... both philosophically and religously.
Very interesting journey through the history of English Magic - thoroughly enjoyed it
Excellent book - good references. Provides sources for further reading and study.
A wonderful beginners guide to the history of occult magic in England. Comprehensive, with plenty of examples and sufficient recommendations for the beginner (like me!), I thoroughly give this 5 stars.
Brilliant book written by v nice man xs
Jun 17, 2013
Amy
is currently reading it
Jun 15, 2013
Tod Jones
marked it as to-read
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Philip 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 Ir...more
More about Philip Carr-Gomm...
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 Ir...more
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“Ultimately, the purpose of magic is to free our potential, not bind us to ideas.”
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4 people liked it
“The risks involved in the pursuit of magic are--put simply--either getting frightened by unpleasant perceptions or becoming deluded. Unfortunately it is possible to suffer from both symptoms at the same time.”
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3 people liked it
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