Paralibrum.
An independent home for bibliophile occulture
Scroll to read or search our library of book reviews.
By keyword, author, publisher or year.
‘High Magic’ by Frater U∴D∴
There are certain books regarded as “classics” of Western esotericism, like Agrippa’s works, the Lesser Keys of Solomon, Dee and Kelley’s journals, etc. I would wager High Magic is just about as important in terms of understanding the state of postmodern schools of magic(k)al thought as those books are for understanding the magic(k) of ages long past.
‘Jim Morrison, Secret Teacher of the Occult’ by Paul Wyld
All The Doors fans should read this book and there’s a lot of value in it. The author, who is clearly a fine fellow, went through quite a journey to complete it, with a few impressive synchronicities that include a meeting outside the old Morrison family home, along the way.
‘Tarot Skills for the 21st Century’ by Josephine McCarthy
Tarot Skills for the 21st Century: Mundane and Magical Divination by Josephine McCarthy is, at present, peerless. It stands out from the pack and is a necessary addition to the contemporary tarot library. When one of the most incredible and prolific occultists of our time, one with over 45 years of tarot reading experience, publishes a book on the tarot, you sit up and you pay attention.
‘Sexual Outlaw, Erotic Mystic: The Essential Ida Craddock’ by Vere Chappell
This book by Vere Chappell is a welcome contribution to a growing body of literature related to Ida Craddock (1857–1902). After a long period of neglect, the life and writings of this amazing woman are finally emerging from obscurity.
‘Making Sense of Tantric Buddhism’ by C.K. Wedemeyer
Wedemeyer advances insightful interpretations based on his general argument that the texts need to be understood connotatively. He thus suggests that stories about wild ascetics roaming freely throughout the country engaged in transgressive practices in fact exemplify what he calls “contrived marginality.”
‘Of Cosmogonic Eros’ by Ludwig Klages
For Klages, the mystery of the enthusiasm is magically potent – as potent as the Mysteries of the pagan cults. […] In Of Cosmogonic Eros we are presented with a subterranean labyrinth of language which may return us to Soul at its centre – if we have the courage to engage.
‘The Witch’ by Ronald Hutton
Ronald Hutton writes a good book although to my mind, he does like to put the punchline at the end when sometimes it might be more important to have the thesis of each chapter at the beginning. Thus “The Witch”, in the sense discussed in this book, is, in my opinion, essentially a victim of a false accusation of causing supernatural harm.
‘The Book of the New Sun’ by Gene Wolfe
Here is a short, sharp look into the world of Severian the Torturer. We will examine nothing, but one of its most fascinating creatures and the particular magical elixir prepared from it. As we will see, the mythical alzabo holds several significant lessons in store for us as spirit-workers.
'Decad of Intelligence' by Ithell Colquhoun
In 2017 FULGUR published a set of 10 outstanding spirit-doorways, residing on the crossroads of art and magical practice. Their breathtaking book 'Decad of Intelligence' is a beast so rare and precious, it actually is not a book at all. It is the kind of object you will not want to place on a shelf, but to allow it to breathe in your temple.
‘The Testament of Cyprian the Mage’ by Jake Stratton-Kent
This fine double volume is an expedition into the ancestral blood-ties of the famous sorcerer-saint. To embark on it is to encounter Cyprian the Mage. Not only as the hero of an ancient polemic against the last surviving pagans, but more importantly as an ever present inner contact, a powerful spirit in its own right.
‘Fearless at Work’ by Michael Carroll
Fearless at Work actually isn't a book about work. It's a book about cowardice. The kind of cowardice most of us comfortably have forgotten about, and to aid that process we conveniantly began to call it everyday life. It's the cowardice that masks itself as numb acceptance or bitter withdrawal, as grudging tolerance or thick-skinned suffering.
‘The First Years of the Fraternitas Saturni’ by Volker Lechler
Just like the previous release, Mr.Lechler’s new book on The First Years of the Fraternitas Saturni will be of timeless value to future magicians and occult researchers. Without ever being judgemental or subjectively coloured in perspective the book continues to dismantle many of the myths of our tradition, which we allowed to turn cold and into false orthodoxy.
'Heinrich Tränker' by Volker Lechler
How do you review a book that begins to dismantle the myths of an entire tradition? A tradition that depends so much on the numinous, the ill-defined such as Western Ritual Magic. A tradition that was only able to develop in the absence of books like this.
‘Magic of the North-Gate’ by Josephine McCarthy
Josephine McCarthy is offering us a book that is empowering us to work in union with the forces of Malkuth - not to exploit or escape from them. It is offering a practical path to earn the privilege of growing our own magical roots into the physical matter we are made of. A book that is the ultimate antagonism to any magical escapism you might have come across in new age occulture.
