The Giant Book of Magic
Cassandra Eason
Magpie Books
Nonfiction, Magic
***
DESCRIPTION: In ancient times, the world was full of magic. From the stars in the sky to the flowers in the field, from the gods of Greece to those of the remote isles of the South Pacific, countless systems of magic, manifesting, and divination were derived and performed by people around the world. These helped everyone from housewives and children to priests and kings to manage their lives and clarify their thoughts. In today's hectic world, where modern science promises answers but only hands us more trouble and doubt, these ancient methods can still be useful. The author compiles notes on all manners of magic and offers tips on using it in practical, everyday terms.
REVIEW: I found this for less than four bucks at Half Price Books, and bought it as a reference for my fantasy writing efforts. The table of contents promised information on everything from culture-specific magic (Mayan, Celtic, Maori, etc.) to elemental magic (sea, fire, sky), seasonal magic (Christmas, Hallowe'en) and more. Unfortunately, by trying to cover so many, many different topics, Eason must summarize to the point of confusion and even contradiction. Some few bits of interesting information here and there are lost in the general rush. She also fails to provide a bibliography for further reading (or confirmation of her often-too-brief overviews.) Most of her magic rituals aren't magic per se, but rather diviniation methods, ways to help a person rethink their problems and look for other solutions, and several of them don't seem nearly as practical for modern life as she implies. In the end, this book didn't provide nearly enough of what I bought it for: inspiration or information. If I'd paid much more for it, I'd have been upset enough to lower the rating to Bad, but it's hard to get too upset at a four dollar purchase.
You might also enjoy:
The Learned Art of Witches & Wizards (Anton and Mina Adams, Nonfiction - An overview of magickal traditions)
D. J. Conway's books (D. J. Conway, Nonfiction - Using power animals real and mythical in life and magick)
The Little Giant Encyclopedia books (The Diagram Group, Nonfiction - Quick-reference guides to fortune telling, spells, and more)
Merlin's Book of Magic and Enchantment (Nevill Drury, Fiction - Merlin tells his tale and explains his magic)
The Concise Lexicon of the Occult (Gerina Dunwich, Nonfiction - A glossary of magical terms)
The Complete Book of Amulets and Talismans (Migene González-Wippler, Nonficton - How to make protective charms)
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Divination (Stephen Karcher, Nonfiction - How cultures around the world divine the future)
The Element Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures (John & Caitlin Matthews, Nonfiction - Magical beasts and beings from around the world)
The Wandmaker's Guidebook (Ed Masessa, YA Fiction - Based on real-world traditions, this kit includes a starter wand and a book on magic)
The Complete Book of Magical Names (Phoenix McFarland, Nonfiction - How to give names extra meaning, in life and fiction)
The Book of Alchemy (Francis Melville, Nonfiction - The history and practice of alchemy)
The Wizardology books (Dugald A. Steer, editor, YA Fiction - A fictionalized overview of wizards and wizard practices)
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