I periodically (usually once a year) make an updated post of my annotated bibliographies for witchcraft, magick, and divination studies. I recently noticed that I hadn’t done this in a long time!
Since I’ve read a lot of new books in that time, and since many are worth adding, I thought I’d go ahead and post an updated list.
I’ve added just ten new ones this time! Unfortunately, still, it’s getting quite long, so I’m splitting it into two posts – one for divination, and one for magick/witchcraft. I will be tagging both as #long and #long+post because I realize this is pretty extreme in terms of length.
For Absolute Beginners
Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, by Judika Illes. Even better than the Weiser Field Guide to Witches – this book is huge and chock-full of information. It’ll explain in easy-to-understand language how the concept has developed throughout time, why witches do what they do, and different types of witches.
The Weiser Field Guide to Witches, by Judika Illes. This gives an excellent look at the historical lore concerning witches, from the perspective of a witch herself. It’s kind of tongue-in-cheek, but it does have some information that won’t be found elsewhere.
The Modern Guide to Witchcraft, by Skye Alexander. Great book for those who’re really absolute beginners and are wondering what witchcraft is all about. Skye takes a very postmodern, utilitarian, and unfailingly honest approach, and it’s geared towards those of almost any belief system.
Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard, by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart. Attractively packaged and readible for almost all ages, this is a great (mostly) non-denominational look at the foundations of magical practice. It’s extremely detailed. Some of it only applies to Zell’s own tradition, but it’s quite useful, anyways.
Of Witchcraft and Whimsy, by Rose Orriculum. Written by Tumblr’s own @orriculum, this is one of the best, most modern an no-nonsense Craft introductory books I’ve seen. It’s unabashedly up-to-date and self-aware in its portrayal of the contemporary Craft.
Basic Techniques
Protection and Reversal Magick, by Jason Miller. This gets a little woo-woo at times, but he gives good advice on how to avoid serious problems that can come up as you begin to practice. Take with a grain of salt, though – some of this has the potential to make you feel paranoid.
City Magick, by Christopher Penczak. If you’re at all interested in tech witchery, or just want to practice magick within an urban setting, do check this out. It is by far the best look at the subject I’ve seen, and his discussion of urban tutelary spirits is worth the price alone.
Power Spellcraft for Life, by Arin Murphy-Hiscock. Nicely done, quite secular book providing basic beginner information regarding writing original spells and workings. It does fall prey to the trap of just listing correspondences with little information at times, but also contains a great deal of detail about ritual timing, raising power, and other topics essential for the beginner.
Sorcerer’s Secrets, by Jason Miller. This is a decent volume that describes a lot of techniques you don’t usually see in books, such as gesture and gaze-based magick. Be warned that Miller writes extensively about manipulative techniques, but it’s useful theory regardless of how you put it into practice.
Witch’s Bag of Tricks, by Melanie Marquis. This is not recommended for beginners, because the whole point of this book is to help existing practitioners refine and improve their already-established techniques. It’s got some novel ideas in it, and I like the author’s approach to symbolism in spellcasting.
Spirit Conjuring for Witches, by Frater Barrabbas. Frater B. is a very learned and rather famous magician and witch. This book is mostly geared towards Wicca, but even if you’re not Wiccan, his techniques are innovative and interesting, many utterly unlike anything I’ve seen elsewhere.
Direct Magick (Energy Work)
The Un-Spell Book, by Mya Om. This non-denominational guide to working with magical forces is filled with useful exercises that go beyond the author’s previous work. I recommend reading this after readingEnergy Essentials.
Instant Magick, by Christopher Penczak. Excellent beginner’s guide for those who don’t have access to a lot of fancy tools or prefer to work without them. This book won’t instantly teach you magick, but it will help even a seasoned practitioner find quicker, less-complicated ways of achieving results.
Energy Essentials for Witches and Spellcasters, by Mya Om. Though I balk at the use of the term “energy” to describe magical forces, this book is worth a look. It’s a bit like a workbook, with various exercises. Expect a lot of pseudoscience, though, and there are many religious references, but the techniques are solid.
Hedgewitchery and Astral Travel
Ecstatic Witchcraft, by Gede Parma. This is actually probably my favorite book on this subject, even though hedgeriding is only a part of what the book discusses. The only bad thing I can really say about this book is that it’s really not recommended for beginners, and it’s helpful to have the basics of visualization already mastered (for example) before doing the exercises Parma recommends.
By Land, Sky and Sea, by Gede Parma. This book goes into even greater details regarding different ways of conceptualizing the cosmology of hedgeriding, and I find it a very refreshing book that appreciatively draws from a number of different perspectives while grounding itself, so to speak, with the overarching metaphor of land, sky, and sea as the three worlds.
The Temple of Shamanic Witchcraft, by Christopher Penczak. Penczak is usually a pretty mixed bag, and this book is no exception. It gives a lot of good practical information and a very in-depth exploration of the three worlds (a useful concept), but it’s primarily framed by Wicca, so it might not resonate with those of other faiths and particularly those who aren’t pagan at all.
Ascension Magick, by Christopher Penczak. There’s a chapter or two in this that address alternate ways of conceptualizing the architecture of reality, and it’s pretty helpful for a hedgerider. Beyond that, this book is mostly about ceremonial magick, but it’s a (mostly) good book. Certain parts (such as the bit about UFOs) are a little off, in my opinion.
The Shamanic Witch, by Gail Wood. This book is really best suited for someone who practices Wicca and, besides the background info and cosmological descriptions, is really only useful in the context of that tradition. If you’re Wiccan or willing to pick around a lot of Wiccan-talk, though, this is a good foundation.
Witches, Werewolves and Fairies, by Claude Lecouteux. It can be hard to find scholarly works on these phenomena that are affordable, but here’s one I personally enjoyed. It details many accounts of journeying experienced by both pagans and Christians in earlier times, and gives a good description of the concept of the astral double, the architecture of the soul, and other topics throughout history.
Betwixt and Between, by Storm Faerywolf. This book is mostly a guide to the Feri tradition of witchcraft, but while I myself don’t practice that, those who do seem to know a lot about hedgeriding! The book has several chapters on the subject and is highly recommended for this reason.
The Psychic Energy Codex, by Michelle Belanger. A lot of people have strong opinions about this author, but this is book actually provides a lot of good information about so-called “energy work” which can be a step in the right direction for those wanting to ride the hedge.
Psychic Dreamwalking, by Michelle Belanger. In this book, Belanger discusses, essentially, how to use your non-waking life as a vehicle to for journeying, and while I myself don’t usually dreamwalk, much of what she says applies to hedgeriding in other states, too.
Hedge Rider by Eric De Vries. Considered a classic on this subject, this book contains a lot of good information on making the jump across the Hedge, but with a lot of editorializing about “true witchcraft,” etc. A mixed bag, but still recommended.
To Fly by Night, edited by Veronica Cummer. This is an anthology about hedgecraft by many different authors. The essays vary in quality but there’s something for everyone, and the text doesn’t shy away from tough topics, either.
Magical Writing, Words, and Symbols
Dictionary of Ancient Magic Words and Spells, by Claude Lecouteux. Mostly a historical text, this book isn’t exactly practical or terribly useful. It is, nevertheless, incredibly interesting. It’s a bit difficult to navigate, but worth a glance.
Composing Magick, by Elizabeth Barrette. A very general, but well-done, look at writing in a magical context. Some of the ritual templates are slightly specific to religious witchcraft traditions, but most information is widely applicable.
Crafting Magick with Pen and Ink, by Susan Pesnecker. Focuses both on the physical act of writing as a magical act, and the mental state associated with it. Highly recommended
The Modern Witchcraft Grimoire, by Skye Alexander. This book is for those who want to create their own grimoire. It gives fairly good advice for doing so, as well as providing hints and tricks for spellcasting and useful correspondences.
General Concepts
Practical Astrology for Witches and Pagans, by Ivo Dominguez, Jr. This book, unlike most astrology texts, won’t tell you much about interpreting a chart – instead, it’s an entire book on timing your magick with the stars!
Planetary Magick, by Melita Denning and Osborne Phillips. If you want to work with the planets at all, particularly in a highly ritualized context, I recommend this book. It’s large, comprehensive and gives a good foundation beyond what you find in general astrology books.
Practical Planetary Magick, by Sorita d’Este and David Rankine. Shorter than I would have liked, but a useful reference to have on your shelf, with excellent tables and appendices in the back. The meditations are also quite useful.
Practical Elemental Magick, by Sorita d’Este and David Rankine. Should be read alongside the other book by this pair. Comprehensive guide to working with the elements in a ritualized fashion. Not as accessible to newbies as Lipp’s book, but good for seasoned practitioners.
The Way of Four, by Deborah Lipp. Though mostly geared towards Wiccans, I found this author’s in-depth treatment of the four elements highly fascinating. I will note that it’s probably best to get the print version of this book, as it contains exercises and quizzes.
A Handbook of Saxon Sorcery and Magic, by Alric Albertsson. I really enjoyed this little book, which focuses on older magical traditions common among the ancient Saxons. It is very much introductory, but worth a read for those new to those traditions.
Ingredients and Correspondences
The Herbal Alchemist’s Handbook, by Karen Harrison. I cannot praise this book enough for its concise and well-formulated approach to astrology, herbs, and magick as a whole.
The Weiser Concise Guide to Herbal Magick, by Judith Hawkins-Tillirson. This is excellent for anyone who’s interested in any kind of magick. Yes, the focus is generally herbs, but there’s a lot to be learned here about Kabbalah and other correspondence systems, as well.
Mixing Essential Oils for Magic, by Sandra Kynes. Fills a very difficult gap in published knowledge regarding the use of essential oils by discussing, in great detail, how scents interact with each other and how to create a formula that’s not only palatable, but evocative.
Dunwich’s Guide to Gemstone Sorcery, by Gerina Dunwich. Given the New Age fascination with all things shiny, it was quite a chore to sort through the myriad crystal books to find something with good information. While far from perfect and not exactly devoid of fluff, this book does give a level of detail about the lore surrounding gemstones not seen in many other texts.
Real Alchemy, by Robert Allen Bartlett. Excellent book, lots of history and detail. There’s a strong focus on tradition within the text, yet the author is quite accommodating of his audience and describes alternate methods that work better in a modern context.
Spagyrics, by Manfred M. Junius. With a highly-developed academic tone and attention to detail, this book is a meaty look at traditional alchemy. I recommend this more for intermediate practitioners due to the sheer density of information.
The Hearth Witch’s Compendium, by Anna Franklin. This book is essentially a recipe book for various home remedies and magical purposes. For the most part, it focuses on healing work, but there’s some great tips in there for making your own cleaning products and such, too. Highly recommended.
Magical Housekeeping, by Tess Whitehurst. This is worth reading if you keep your own house/apartment and are looking for practical magical techniques for cleanliness and inviting harmony into your spaces. It could be more detailed, but I enjoyed it.
A Kitchen Witch’s Cookbook, by Patricia Telesco. This is a recipe book. It is mainly geared towards Wiccans and those who celebrate the eight sabbats, but the dishes are tasty and sure to please anyone.
Spellbooks
The Goodly Spellbook, by Dixie Deerman and Steve Rasmussen. The title sounds horribly fluffy, but this is a hidden gem. It explains obscure concepts like alternative alphabets and potential uses of musical notes, as well as plant lore and other bits and pieces. Definitely worth checking out. It’s way more than just “a book of spells.”
Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells, by Judika Illes. The title sounds trite to some, but it delivers. This book has spells from almost every culture and spiritual philosophy, as well as a very detailed formulary. I read it when I’m bored sometimes, too, just because I always learn some tidbit from it.
Book of Spells, by Nicola Pulford. In most editions, this book is absolutely gorgeous and describes spellcasting traditions from a variety of perspectives and traditions. Recommended for those who already understand the basics, as this book jumps straight into spellcasting and gives only a small amount of information about how things work.
Ceremonial Magick
Modern Magick, by Donald Michael Kraig. I received this as a gift several years ago. It is essentially a workbook meant to be completed slowly, step by step, and while the format will not appeal to everyone, it’s a good easy-to-read introduction to ceremonial magick.
Familiar Spirits, by Donald Tyson. Though geared towards ceremonialists, any practitioner can likely learn a thing or two from Tyson’s interesting stroll through the whys and wherefores of spirit work and thoughtform creation. This is by far the best book I’ve seen on the topic of familiar spirits.
Secrets of High Magick, by Francis Melville. The most recent edition of this (the one I own) is lavishly-illustrated and full of rudimentary, yet useful information. He stresses the basics of ceremonial practice, and his writing style is very accessible. Highly recommended for absolute beginners.
My Life With The Spirits, by Lon Milo DuQuette. This is a memoir of a ceremonial magician, but it gives a good look at the magickal mindset in a highly developed form from someone who’s experienced quite a lot. I havemajor issues with DuQuette’s approach to Qabalah, but his memoirs are worth a read.
Chaos Magick
Liber Null and Psychonaut, by Peter Carroll. Classic book of chaos magick. I consider it required reading for almost anyone interested in the occult. Even if you have no love for chaos magick, do give it a read, just to understand how influential Carroll is, and why.
Hands-On Chaos Magic, by Andrieh Vitimus. Knowing some of the people involved in the creation of this book, I’m a bit biased towards it. That said, even if I didn’t know them, I would still recommend it. It’s especially interesting to read alongside Liber Null and Psychonautin order to see how the chaos “current” has developed over the years.
Pop Culture Magic 2.0 by Taylor Ellwood. There aren’t a lot of books on using pop culture symbolism in magick, but this one is nearly perfect. The author writes in a highly erudite, literate fashion, while still being accessible to newbies. Many useful resources cited, as well, so prepare to branch off a bit while reading it.
History-Related
Triumph of the Moon, by Ronald Hutton. An inside no-holds-barred look at the history of Wicca and Modern paganism. Highly recommended. This is sort of the book that fluffbunnies don’t want you to read.
Book of Lies: The Disinformation Guide to Magick and the Occult, by Richard Metzger. Lots of facts and history of magick in the context of Postmodernity. This is different from the Crowley text of the same name, which I wouldn’t recommend unless you want to focus on his tradition.
The Place of Enchantment, by Alex Owen. This is a purely historical text that documents the occult revival within the context of Modernity. I remember it being very good, but please realize I haven’t really picked it up much since graduating, and it might just have served my mindset at the time.
Tag: books
[Revised 11/1/17] Book Recommendations for Witches, Spellcasters, and the Curious
I periodically (usually once a year) make an updated post of my annotated bibliographies for witchcraft, magick, and divination studies. I recently noticed that I hadn’t done this in a long time!
Since I’ve read a lot of new books in that time, and since many are worth adding, I thought I’d go ahead and post an updated list.
I’ve added just ten new ones this time! Unfortunately, still, it’s getting quite long, so I’m splitting it into two posts – one for divination, and one for magick/witchcraft. I will be tagging both as #long and #long+post because I realize this is pretty extreme in terms of length.
For Absolute Beginners
Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, by Judika Illes. Even better than the Weiser Field Guide to Witches – this book is huge and chock-full of information. It’ll explain in easy-to-understand language how the concept has developed throughout time, why witches do what they do, and different types of witches.
The Weiser Field Guide to Witches, by Judika Illes. This gives an excellent look at the historical lore concerning witches, from the perspective of a witch herself. It’s kind of tongue-in-cheek, but it does have some information that won’t be found elsewhere.
The Modern Guide to Witchcraft, by Skye Alexander. Great book for those who’re really absolute beginners and are wondering what witchcraft is all about. Skye takes a very postmodern, utilitarian, and unfailingly honest approach, and it’s geared towards those of almost any belief system.
Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard, by Oberon Zell-Ravenheart. Attractively packaged and readible for almost all ages, this is a great (mostly) non-denominational look at the foundations of magical practice. It’s extremely detailed. Some of it only applies to Zell’s own tradition, but it’s quite useful, anyways.
Of Witchcraft and Whimsy, by Rose Orriculum. Written by Tumblr’s own @orriculum, this is one of the best, most modern an no-nonsense Craft introductory books I’ve seen. It’s unabashedly up-to-date and self-aware in its portrayal of the contemporary Craft.
Basic Techniques
Protection and Reversal Magick, by Jason Miller. This gets a little woo-woo at times, but he gives good advice on how to avoid serious problems that can come up as you begin to practice. Take with a grain of salt, though – some of this has the potential to make you feel paranoid.
City Magick, by Christopher Penczak. If you’re at all interested in tech witchery, or just want to practice magick within an urban setting, do check this out. It is by far the best look at the subject I’ve seen, and his discussion of urban tutelary spirits is worth the price alone.
Power Spellcraft for Life, by Arin Murphy-Hiscock. Nicely done, quite secular book providing basic beginner information regarding writing original spells and workings. It does fall prey to the trap of just listing correspondences with little information at times, but also contains a great deal of detail about ritual timing, raising power, and other topics essential for the beginner.
Sorcerer’s Secrets, by Jason Miller. This is a decent volume that describes a lot of techniques you don’t usually see in books, such as gesture and gaze-based magick. Be warned that Miller writes extensively about manipulative techniques, but it’s useful theory regardless of how you put it into practice.
Witch’s Bag of Tricks, by Melanie Marquis. This is not recommended for beginners, because the whole point of this book is to help existing practitioners refine and improve their already-established techniques. It’s got some novel ideas in it, and I like the author’s approach to symbolism in spellcasting.
Spirit Conjuring for Witches, by Frater Barrabbas. Frater B. is a very learned and rather famous magician and witch. This book is mostly geared towards Wicca, but even if you’re not Wiccan, his techniques are innovative and interesting, many utterly unlike anything I’ve seen elsewhere.
Direct Magick (Energy Work)
The Un-Spell Book, by Mya Om. This non-denominational guide to working with magical forces is filled with useful exercises that go beyond the author’s previous work. I recommend reading this after readingEnergy Essentials.
Instant Magick, by Christopher Penczak. Excellent beginner’s guide for those who don’t have access to a lot of fancy tools or prefer to work without them. This book won’t instantly teach you magick, but it will help even a seasoned practitioner find quicker, less-complicated ways of achieving results.
Energy Essentials for Witches and Spellcasters, by Mya Om. Though I balk at the use of the term “energy” to describe magical forces, this book is worth a look. It’s a bit like a workbook, with various exercises. Expect a lot of pseudoscience, though, and there are many religious references, but the techniques are solid.
Hedgewitchery and Astral Travel
Ecstatic Witchcraft, by Gede Parma. This is actually probably my favorite book on this subject, even though hedgeriding is only a part of what the book discusses. The only bad thing I can really say about this book is that it’s really not recommended for beginners, and it’s helpful to have the basics of visualization already mastered (for example) before doing the exercises Parma recommends.
By Land, Sky and Sea, by Gede Parma. This book goes into even greater details regarding different ways of conceptualizing the cosmology of hedgeriding, and I find it a very refreshing book that appreciatively draws from a number of different perspectives while grounding itself, so to speak, with the overarching metaphor of land, sky, and sea as the three worlds.
The Temple of Shamanic Witchcraft, by Christopher Penczak. Penczak is usually a pretty mixed bag, and this book is no exception. It gives a lot of good practical information and a very in-depth exploration of the three worlds (a useful concept), but it’s primarily framed by Wicca, so it might not resonate with those of other faiths and particularly those who aren’t pagan at all.
Ascension Magick, by Christopher Penczak. There’s a chapter or two in this that address alternate ways of conceptualizing the architecture of reality, and it’s pretty helpful for a hedgerider. Beyond that, this book is mostly about ceremonial magick, but it’s a (mostly) good book. Certain parts (such as the bit about UFOs) are a little off, in my opinion.
The Shamanic Witch, by Gail Wood. This book is really best suited for someone who practices Wicca and, besides the background info and cosmological descriptions, is really only useful in the context of that tradition. If you’re Wiccan or willing to pick around a lot of Wiccan-talk, though, this is a good foundation.
Witches, Werewolves and Fairies, by Claude Lecouteux. It can be hard to find scholarly works on these phenomena that are affordable, but here’s one I personally enjoyed. It details many accounts of journeying experienced by both pagans and Christians in earlier times, and gives a good description of the concept of the astral double, the architecture of the soul, and other topics throughout history.
Betwixt and Between, by Storm Faerywolf. This book is mostly a guide to the Feri tradition of witchcraft, but while I myself don’t practice that, those who do seem to know a lot about hedgeriding! The book has several chapters on the subject and is highly recommended for this reason.
The Psychic Energy Codex, by Michelle Belanger. A lot of people have strong opinions about this author, but this is book actually provides a lot of good information about so-called “energy work” which can be a step in the right direction for those wanting to ride the hedge.
Psychic Dreamwalking, by Michelle Belanger. In this book, Belanger discusses, essentially, how to use your non-waking life as a vehicle to for journeying, and while I myself don’t usually dreamwalk, much of what she says applies to hedgeriding in other states, too.
Hedge Rider by Eric De Vries. Considered a classic on this subject, this book contains a lot of good information on making the jump across the Hedge, but with a lot of editorializing about “true witchcraft,” etc. A mixed bag, but still recommended.
To Fly by Night, edited by Veronica Cummer. This is an anthology about hedgecraft by many different authors. The essays vary in quality but there’s something for everyone, and the text doesn’t shy away from tough topics, either.
Magical Writing, Words, and Symbols
Dictionary of Ancient Magic Words and Spells, by Claude Lecouteux. Mostly a historical text, this book isn’t exactly practical or terribly useful. It is, nevertheless, incredibly interesting. It’s a bit difficult to navigate, but worth a glance.
Composing Magick, by Elizabeth Barrette. A very general, but well-done, look at writing in a magical context. Some of the ritual templates are slightly specific to religious witchcraft traditions, but most information is widely applicable.
Crafting Magick with Pen and Ink, by Susan Pesnecker. Focuses both on the physical act of writing as a magical act, and the mental state associated with it. Highly recommended
The Modern Witchcraft Grimoire, by Skye Alexander. This book is for those who want to create their own grimoire. It gives fairly good advice for doing so, as well as providing hints and tricks for spellcasting and useful correspondences.
General Concepts
Practical Astrology for Witches and Pagans, by Ivo Dominguez, Jr. This book, unlike most astrology texts, won’t tell you much about interpreting a chart – instead, it’s an entire book on timing your magick with the stars!
Planetary Magick, by Melita Denning and Osborne Phillips. If you want to work with the planets at all, particularly in a highly ritualized context, I recommend this book. It’s large, comprehensive and gives a good foundation beyond what you find in general astrology books.
Practical Planetary Magick, by Sorita d’Este and David Rankine. Shorter than I would have liked, but a useful reference to have on your shelf, with excellent tables and appendices in the back. The meditations are also quite useful.
Practical Elemental Magick, by Sorita d’Este and David Rankine. Should be read alongside the other book by this pair. Comprehensive guide to working with the elements in a ritualized fashion. Not as accessible to newbies as Lipp’s book, but good for seasoned practitioners.
The Way of Four, by Deborah Lipp. Though mostly geared towards Wiccans, I found this author’s in-depth treatment of the four elements highly fascinating. I will note that it’s probably best to get the print version of this book, as it contains exercises and quizzes.
A Handbook of Saxon Sorcery and Magic, by Alric Albertsson. I really enjoyed this little book, which focuses on older magical traditions common among the ancient Saxons. It is very much introductory, but worth a read for those new to those traditions.
Ingredients and Correspondences
The Herbal Alchemist’s Handbook, by Karen Harrison. I cannot praise this book enough for its concise and well-formulated approach to astrology, herbs, and magick as a whole.
The Weiser Concise Guide to Herbal Magick, by Judith Hawkins-Tillirson. This is excellent for anyone who’s interested in any kind of magick. Yes, the focus is generally herbs, but there’s a lot to be learned here about Kabbalah and other correspondence systems, as well.
Mixing Essential Oils for Magic, by Sandra Kynes. Fills a very difficult gap in published knowledge regarding the use of essential oils by discussing, in great detail, how scents interact with each other and how to create a formula that’s not only palatable, but evocative.
Dunwich’s Guide to Gemstone Sorcery, by Gerina Dunwich. Given the New Age fascination with all things shiny, it was quite a chore to sort through the myriad crystal books to find something with good information. While far from perfect and not exactly devoid of fluff, this book does give a level of detail about the lore surrounding gemstones not seen in many other texts.
Real Alchemy, by Robert Allen Bartlett. Excellent book, lots of history and detail. There’s a strong focus on tradition within the text, yet the author is quite accommodating of his audience and describes alternate methods that work better in a modern context.
Spagyrics, by Manfred M. Junius. With a highly-developed academic tone and attention to detail, this book is a meaty look at traditional alchemy. I recommend this more for intermediate practitioners due to the sheer density of information.
The Hearth Witch’s Compendium, by Anna Franklin. This book is essentially a recipe book for various home remedies and magical purposes. For the most part, it focuses on healing work, but there’s some great tips in there for making your own cleaning products and such, too. Highly recommended.
Magical Housekeeping, by Tess Whitehurst. This is worth reading if you keep your own house/apartment and are looking for practical magical techniques for cleanliness and inviting harmony into your spaces. It could be more detailed, but I enjoyed it.
A Kitchen Witch’s Cookbook, by Patricia Telesco. This is a recipe book. It is mainly geared towards Wiccans and those who celebrate the eight sabbats, but the dishes are tasty and sure to please anyone.
Spellbooks
The Goodly Spellbook, by Dixie Deerman and Steve Rasmussen. The title sounds horribly fluffy, but this is a hidden gem. It explains obscure concepts like alternative alphabets and potential uses of musical notes, as well as plant lore and other bits and pieces. Definitely worth checking out. It’s way more than just “a book of spells.”
Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells, by Judika Illes. The title sounds trite to some, but it delivers. This book has spells from almost every culture and spiritual philosophy, as well as a very detailed formulary. I read it when I’m bored sometimes, too, just because I always learn some tidbit from it.
Book of Spells, by Nicola Pulford. In most editions, this book is absolutely gorgeous and describes spellcasting traditions from a variety of perspectives and traditions. Recommended for those who already understand the basics, as this book jumps straight into spellcasting and gives only a small amount of information about how things work.
Ceremonial Magick
Modern Magick, by Donald Michael Kraig. I received this as a gift several years ago. It is essentially a workbook meant to be completed slowly, step by step, and while the format will not appeal to everyone, it’s a good easy-to-read introduction to ceremonial magick.
Familiar Spirits, by Donald Tyson. Though geared towards ceremonialists, any practitioner can likely learn a thing or two from Tyson’s interesting stroll through the whys and wherefores of spirit work and thoughtform creation. This is by far the best book I’ve seen on the topic of familiar spirits.
Secrets of High Magick, by Francis Melville. The most recent edition of this (the one I own) is lavishly-illustrated and full of rudimentary, yet useful information. He stresses the basics of ceremonial practice, and his writing style is very accessible. Highly recommended for absolute beginners.
My Life With The Spirits, by Lon Milo DuQuette. This is a memoir of a ceremonial magician, but it gives a good look at the magickal mindset in a highly developed form from someone who’s experienced quite a lot. I havemajor issues with DuQuette’s approach to Qabalah, but his memoirs are worth a read.
Chaos Magick
Liber Null and Psychonaut, by Peter Carroll. Classic book of chaos magick. I consider it required reading for almost anyone interested in the occult. Even if you have no love for chaos magick, do give it a read, just to understand how influential Carroll is, and why.
Hands-On Chaos Magic, by Andrieh Vitimus. Knowing some of the people involved in the creation of this book, I’m a bit biased towards it. That said, even if I didn’t know them, I would still recommend it. It’s especially interesting to read alongside Liber Null and Psychonautin order to see how the chaos “current” has developed over the years.
Pop Culture Magic 2.0 by Taylor Ellwood. There aren’t a lot of books on using pop culture symbolism in magick, but this one is nearly perfect. The author writes in a highly erudite, literate fashion, while still being accessible to newbies. Many useful resources cited, as well, so prepare to branch off a bit while reading it.
History-Related
Triumph of the Moon, by Ronald Hutton. An inside no-holds-barred look at the history of Wicca and Modern paganism. Highly recommended. This is sort of the book that fluffbunnies don’t want you to read.
Book of Lies: The Disinformation Guide to Magick and the Occult, by Richard Metzger. Lots of facts and history of magick in the context of Postmodernity. This is different from the Crowley text of the same name, which I wouldn’t recommend unless you want to focus on his tradition.
The Place of Enchantment, by Alex Owen. This is a purely historical text that documents the occult revival within the context of Modernity. I remember it being very good, but please realize I haven’t really picked it up much since graduating, and it might just have served my mindset at the time.
hello! i’ve been trying to research magic, but unfortunately most books i find are specific wicca, which i’m not interested in. do you have any book reccomendations that arent wicca centric? thank you! i love your blog :^)
Oh heckin yes I do My amazon wishlist is literally like six pages long… ALL BOOKS
WARNING: This Is Going To Be Extremely Long!
First though I want to note that while I 100% understand your feelings about the Wicca stuff (being a very NOT Wiccan Witch), not all books that are Wicca leaning are bad! I’ve gotten loads of useful information from books that tended to be a little new agey. That’s where being objective comes in! With ANY book, you should take it with a grain of salt, and some with a whole shaker. But it’s up to you to pay attention to misinformation and conflation, and to know how to do research to prove or disprove that something in a book you read is true or not. Does that make sense??
Anywho, a couple of books that are still kind of “Wicca-y” but great:
- Grimoire of the Green Witch
- The Goodly Spellbook (This one is an INCREDIBLY AWESOME REFERENCE)
- The Modern Guide To Witchcraft (Written By Skye Alexander who seems to mass produce books, so need some good fact checking here)
- The Modern Witchcraft SpellBook
(Written By Skye Alexander who seems to mass produce books, so need some good fact checking here)
- The Witches Broom (LOTS OF SALT but good basic history)
- The Witches Athame
(LOTS OF SALT but good basic history)
- The Witches Mirror
(LOTS OF SALT but good basic history)
- Cottage Witchery (This author is pretty good about keeping away but there’s still some slips)
- Practical Protection Magick
(This author is pretty good about keeping away but there’s still some slips)
- The Big Book of Practical Spells (Written by Judika Illes, who did the Encyclopedia of 5,000 Spells; it’s a good book, but there’s too much Cultural appropriation for my taste. Tread Lightly, and bring that shaker I was talking about)
Those are all books from my personal collection that I would recommend! Now as for the Non-Wicca Books, Let’s dive in! Not all of these have I read or owned, and they are in no particular order. You’ll notice most of them relate to “Traditional Witchcraft” or West Country, because that is where my practice is focused.
- The Tradition of Household Spirits: Ancestral Lore and Practices
The High Magic of Talismans and Amulets: Tradition and Craft
- Cornish Charms and Cures
- To Fly by Night: An anthology of Hedgewitchery
Treading the Mill: Practical Craft Working in Modern Traditional Witchcraft
Popular Magic: Cunning-folk in English History
The Black Arts: A Concise History of Witchcraft, Demonology, Astrology, and Other Mystical Practices Throughout the Ages
- Grimorium Verum
The Devil’s Dozen: Thirteen Craft Rites of the Old One
The Witching Herbs: 13 Essential Plants and Herbs for Your Magical Garden
Defences Against the Witches’ Craft – Anti-cursing Charms from English Folk Magick, Traditional Witchcraft and the Grimoire Traditions
Nummits and Crummits: Devonshire Customs, Characteristics, and Folk-lore
Encyclopedia of Folk Medicine: Old World and New World Traditions
The Art of Black Mirror Scrying
Enchantment: The Witches’ Art of Manipulation by Gesture, Gaze and Glamour
CHILDREN OF CAIN: A Study of Modern Traditional Witchcraft.
- The Pillars of Tubal Cain
- Witch’s Workbook
The Left Hand: The Cabal Grimoire of Walking in Darkness
Profane Seals: A Compendium of Vile Sigil Magick – Volume I
Eye of the Oracle: The Cabal Grimoire of Psychic Magick
The Book of Smokeless Fire
- Azoetia: A Grimoire of the Sabbatic Craft
Between the Living & the Dead: A Perspective on Witches & Seers in the Early Modern Age
The Night Battles: Witchcraft and Agrarian Cults in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
The Horn of Evenwood: A Grimoire of Sorcerous Operations, Charms, and Devices of Witchery
The Cunning Man’s Handbook: The Practice of English Folk Magic, 1550-1900
Ecstasies: Deciphering the Witches’ Sabbath
The Book of Oberon: A Sourcebook of Elizabethan Magic
The Grimoire of Arthur Gauntlet (PB)
Witchcraft: A Handbook of Magic Spells and Potions
Cecil Williamsons Book of Witchcraft: A Grimoire of the Museum of Witchcraft
Under the Witching Tree: A Folk Grimoire of Tree Lore and Practicum
Veneficium: Magic, Witchcraft and the Poison Path
- Witchcraft For Tomorrow
Pharmako Gnosis: Plant Teachers and the Poison Path
The Witches’ Ointment: The Secret History of Psychedelic Magic
- The Visions of Isobel Gowdie
The Taper That Lights The Way: Robert Cochrane’s Letters Revealed)
- The Call of The Horned Piper
- A Deed Without a Name
- Heritage Witchcraft (This one is kind of useless unless you’re taking his Classes)
Letters from the Devil’s Forest: An Anthology of Writings on Traditional Witchcraft, Spiritual Ecology and Provenance Traditionalism
The Devil’s Plantation: East Anglian Lore, Witchcraft & Folk-Magic
Liber Nox: A Traditional Witch’s Gramarye
Thirteen Pathways of Occult Herbalism
Traditional Witches’ Formulary and Potion-making Guide: Recipes for Magical Oils, Powders and Other Potions
- The Black Toad
- Traditional Witchcraft: A Cornish Book of Ways
That was a lot! Okay anon I hope this gives you a good starting place!
constantly-disheveled.tumblr.com/ask
MLM Books by Male Authors
This isn’t a very long list; these are just the ones on my to-read list.
Also, there are some works from the included authors that I have not listed because I haven’t looked too closely into their other books, or they aren’t up my alley genre-wise. If you don’t mind female authors or authors of any other genders, feel free to check out this list.
If you have more to add, feel COMPLETELY free to reblog and do so.
- Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sáenz
- Ash and Echoes; Ice and Embers; Iron and Ether; Cairn and Covenant; Calling and Cull; Wine and Roses (I don’t know exactly where this one fits in or if it does) by August Li
- At Swim, Two Boys by Jamie O’Neill
- The Beauty’s Brother by Leon Hart (read; ☆☆☆)
- Call Me by Your Name by André Aciman
- Captured Shadows by Richard Rider
- The Cat in the Cradle; From Darkness to Darkness by Jay Bell
- The Chosen; The Standing Dead; The Third God by Ricardo Pinto
- Dangerous Moonlight by Mel Keegan
- The Devil in the Dust; Tower of the King’s Daughter; A Dark Way to Glory (doesn’t say LGBT on Goodreads; unsure if it actually is); Feast of the King’s Shadow (doesn’t say LGBT on Goodreads; unsure if it actually is); Hand of the King’s Evil; The End of All Roads (doesn’t say LGBT on Goodreads; unsure if it actually is) by Chaz Brenchley
- Dreamer by Steven Harper
- An East Wind Blowing by Mel Keegan
- Fortunes of War by Mel Keegan
- The God Eaters by Jesse Hajicek (enjoying this one so far; not super far into it)
- Haffling by Caleb James
- The Lightning-Struck Heart by T.J. Klune
- The Lonely War by Alan Chin
- Lord Mouse by Mason Thomas
- Maurice by E.M. Forster
- Mordred, Bastard Son by Douglas Clegg
- One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva
- A Royal Affair; Aleksey’s Kingdom by John Wiltshire
- The Sallee Rovers; Men of Honor; Iron Men; Heart of Oak; Man in the Crescent Moon; The Sea Leopard by M. Kei
- Seidman by James Erich
- Shadowdance by Robin Wayne Bailey
- The Sheltered City by John Tristan
- The Steel Remains; The Cold Commands; The Dark Defiles by Richard K. Morgan
- The Still; The King by David Feintuch
- Thunderbolt: Torn Enemy of Rome by Roger Kean
- Two Boys Kissing by David Levithan
- Wingmen by Ensan Case
Happy World Book Day!
Isobel’s Occult Library
Hey! This is a post version of my Occult PDF Library. I am constantly updating the library so this post will soon become dated, but this is what I have as of 07/12/2015 (UK). If you want to see if there’s been any updates since then, look here.
Non Fiction
- Free Pagan Books
- A Practical Guide To Witchcraft And Magic Spells Cassandra Eaton
- Witchcraft Today Gerald Gardner
- The Gardnerian Book Of Shadows Gerald Gardner
- The Meaning of Witchcraft Gerald Gardner
- Natural Magic Doreen Valiente
- The Witch’s Master Grimoire Lady Sabrina
- The Spiral Dance Starhawk
- Divination for Beginners Scott Cunningham
- Wicca; A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner Scott Cunningham
- Living Wicca Scott Cunningham
- Encyclopedia Of Gem And Crystal Magic Scott Cunningham
- Earth, Air, Fire and Water Scott Cunningham
- Encyclopedia Of Magic Herbs Scott Cunningham
- Wicca In The Kitchen Scott Cunningham
- The Magical Household Scott Cunningham, David Harrington
- Spell Crafts – Creating Magical Objects Scott Cunningham, David Harrington
- Buckland’s Complete Book Of Witchcraft Raymond Buckland
- A Witches Bible Janet and Stewart Farrar
- The Complete Idiot Guide To Witchcraft And Wicca Denise Zimmermann, Katherine A Gleason
- Timeline Of Esoterica
- Pseudomonarchia Daemonum Johann Weyer
- The Magus Francis Barrett
- The Key Of The Mysteries Eliphas Lévi
- Dogme Et Rituel De La Haute Magie Eliphas Lévi (English Translation)
- The Study Of Solomonic Magic In English Don Karr
- The Greater Key Of Solomon Book I Liddell MacGregor Mathers, British Museum
- The Greater Key Of Solomon Book II Liddell MacGregor Mathers, British Museum
- Charge Of The Goddess Doreen Valiente
- The Book Of Oberon Multiple Authors
- Cornish Witchcraft Books Multiple Authors (Does not include PDF)
- The Art Of Drawing Spirits Into Crystals Trithemius of Spanheim
- A Reformed Druid Anthology Isaac Bonewits, Robert Larson
- Doctor Beowolf’s Handy Guide To The Runes Doctor Beowolf
- A Brief Handbook Of Exorcism
- Grimoire Of Chaos Magick
- LaVey’s Satanic Bible Anton LaVey
- The Satanic Rituals Anton LaVey (safe download)
- The Satanic Witch Zeena LaVey
- Practical Sigil Magic Frater U.D
- Dictionary Of Craft Terms
- The Book Of Runes Ralph Blum
- Witchcraft In Scotland Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe
- The Ultimate Encyclopedia Of Spells Michael Johnstone
- Of Geomancy Henry Cornelius Agrippa
- Three Books On Occult Philosophy Book I Henry Cornelius Agrippa
- Three Books On Occult Philosophy Book II Henry Cornelius Agrippa
- Three Books On Occult Philosophy Book III Henry Cornelius Agrippa
- Beginner’s Guide To Crowley Books Frater Julianus
- Aleister Crowley Book Collection
- Magic Without Tears Aleister Crowley
- Magick In Theory And Practise Aleister Crowley
- The Book Of Thoth Aleister Crowley
- The Book Of Law Aleister Crowley
- Basic Techniques Of Sex Magick Aleister Crowley (Safe download)
- The Book Of Lies Aleister Crowley (Safe download)
- Natural Magic Pamela Ball
- Herbal Magick – Herbal Enchantments, Folklore and Divination Gerina Dunwich
- The Ultimate Book of Spells Pamela Ball
- The Great Book of Spells Pamela Ball
- Spells for the Solitary Witch Pamela Ball
- The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Spells by Michael Johnstone
- 8 Sabbaths of Witchcraft Mike Nichols
- Celtic Mythology and Religion Alexander Mcbain
- An Introduction to the Study of Tarot Paul Foster Case
- Encyclopedia of Acient Roman and Greek Mythology James Belton
- Asgard and the Gods, by M. MacDowall
- Grimoire for Modern Cunningfolk Peter Paddon
- The A to Z of Dream Interpretation Pamela Ball
- The Dream Oracle Pamela Ball
- The Techniques of Astral Projection Dr. Douglas Baker
- Amulets and Magic Budge Walli
- The Witch’s Familiar Raven Grimassi
- Wicca For Beginners Lisa Chamberlain
- Norse Magic D.J Conway
- Falcon, Feather and Valkyrie Sword D.J Conway
- Celtic Magic D.J Conway
- Gay Witchcraft Christopher Penczak
Fiction
- The Fellowship Of The Ring by J J R Tolkien
- The Two Towers by J J R Tolkien
- The Return Of The King by J J R Tolkien
- The Silmarilion by J J R Tolkien
- Marked By PC Cast and Kristin Cast
- Betrayed by PC Cast and Kristin Cast
- Chosen by PC Cast and Kristin Cast
- Untamed by PC Cast and Kristin Cast
- Hunted by PC Cast and Kristin Cast
- Tempted by PC Cast and Kristin Cast
- Burned by PC Cast and Kristin Cast
- Awakened by PC Cast and Kristin Cast
- Destined by PC Cast and Kristin Cast
- Hidden by PC Cast and Kristin Cast
- Revealed by PC Cast and Kristin Cast
- Redeemed by PC Cast and Kristin Cast
- The Secret Circle: Book Of Shadows by LJ Smith
Holy shit, why didn’t you go after @violetwitchcraft, too, @da-at-ass?
Witchy books on pdf
The Witch’s Master Grimoire by Lady Sabrina
The Complete Book of Incense, Oils, and Brews by Scott Cunningham
Book of Shadows by Scott Cunningham
Herbal Magick by Gerina Dunwich
The Magical Household by Scott Cummingham
Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem, and Metal Magic by Scott Cunningham
Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham
-theowloracle
Note: I have not read all of these books in their entirety and I do not take responsibility for any misinformation in these books, I am simply providing resources to those who would not otherwise have access to them. Please use your own judgement and discretion when reading any book, especially those regarding spiritual practices.
It’s like you didn’t even try searching “witchcraft PDF” @da-at-ass.
teakepp 