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Behind the Crystal Ball: Magic, Science, and the Occult from Antiquity through the New Age
In this fascinating exploration of occult practice, Anthony Aveni takes the reader on a whirlwind tour through time and space to unveil the many ways people have used magic over the millennia in hopes of improving their lives. As Aveni persuasively argues, the ancients sought what we now search for through science and religion - a clearer picture of humanity's place in the cosmos.
361 pages, Paperback
First published July 30, 1996
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About the author
Anthony F. Aveni
39 books14 followersAnthony F. Aveni is Russell Colgate Distinguished University Professor of Astronomy, Anthropology, and Native American Studies at Colgate University.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 17, 2014
This was a good (good, not great) overview of occult history, divided into chapters by time period and practice which allows for easy skimming based on area of interest. My biggest complaint would be that this is a fairly western-centric book whose interest seems to be in breadth (covering a whole lot of territory) rather than breadth (all-too-often the most interesting tidbits here were mentioned then quickly abandoned).
February 9, 2013
I could not finish this book. The topic is fascinating, but the writing is extremely dry, and the topics do not flow together well. I'd rather read other books on some of the subjects covered in the book.
July 26, 2022
Two stars only because the topics themselves were kind of interesting, but the authorship itself was very low-tier. An intellectual, academic attempt to explain the history of magic and mysticism that fails in every way, you're better off reading articles from wikipedia. Do not recommend.
January 22, 2026
A decent enough overview but it kinda felt like it tried to cover too much content in too little space.
November 4, 2012
This book is a lovely balance between the rational and the intuitive for those who enjoy the places between the two.
Mr. Aveni begins at the earliest point of Western magical tradition in Babylon and Sumeria, and moves forward chapter by chapter to the modern age, examining without a judgmental stance how what we now call magic was essential the stirrings of science in its day.
It was quite delightful to read this thoughtful analysis of the steps toward understanding how the natural world works, without bias toward one side or the other. This is so rare! Mr. Aveni leads us through the progression of each culture as it discerns what knowledge is useful, and what isn't, based on the assumptions and wisdom of the time and place. And he does this with a sympathetic and discerning eye.
I recommend this book for its ability to sweep through the history of different cultures, without doing them the injustice of an overly superficial condensation. And yet it is all so readable, it is almost like a mystery unfolding as you read. I felt drawn on, wanting to know how it all turns out.
I so enjoyed the way the author takes evaluations of science method, as expressed in cultures without access to our modern tools. The twists and turns, dead ends and leaps of insight which have brought us to our current ability to analyze are there, each with it's own intriguing story.
Grab up a copy, you'll be lost in the pleasure of the tales this book has to tell!
Mr. Aveni begins at the earliest point of Western magical tradition in Babylon and Sumeria, and moves forward chapter by chapter to the modern age, examining without a judgmental stance how what we now call magic was essential the stirrings of science in its day.
It was quite delightful to read this thoughtful analysis of the steps toward understanding how the natural world works, without bias toward one side or the other. This is so rare! Mr. Aveni leads us through the progression of each culture as it discerns what knowledge is useful, and what isn't, based on the assumptions and wisdom of the time and place. And he does this with a sympathetic and discerning eye.
I recommend this book for its ability to sweep through the history of different cultures, without doing them the injustice of an overly superficial condensation. And yet it is all so readable, it is almost like a mystery unfolding as you read. I felt drawn on, wanting to know how it all turns out.
I so enjoyed the way the author takes evaluations of science method, as expressed in cultures without access to our modern tools. The twists and turns, dead ends and leaps of insight which have brought us to our current ability to analyze are there, each with it's own intriguing story.
Grab up a copy, you'll be lost in the pleasure of the tales this book has to tell!
March 31, 2014
i really think this book has a lot of interesting information, however it took me a long time to get through it.
I like reading about historical information probably because i like discovering how things begin and evolve; what reactions these new ideas caused in the past and are still causing today.
That being said, this book was a very dry read for me and very difficult to get through. My recommendation to those who choose to read it? Take your time - read bits at a time; otherwise the style of the writing may make you close the cover and toss it in the unreadable stack forever.
I like reading about historical information probably because i like discovering how things begin and evolve; what reactions these new ideas caused in the past and are still causing today.
That being said, this book was a very dry read for me and very difficult to get through. My recommendation to those who choose to read it? Take your time - read bits at a time; otherwise the style of the writing may make you close the cover and toss it in the unreadable stack forever.
March 27, 2016
I really enjoyed parts of this book. Some areas were a bit dry imo. I would recommend.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews