Three Books of Occult Philosophy (Llewellyn's Sourcebook)

Rating:
Summary: A must for the real aspirant
Review: This is a book for the serious western occult student. It is a profound study of the mechanisms of the Occult. Tyson has done a most excelent and mature work here. The student who does not want to understand the details of Magic and the reasons of the things he use, will find no interest in this book. The true aspirant will combine this teachings with the esoterical path and surelly will take the deserved advantage on this fields. To reply to this review, please e-mail me to [e-mail]

Rating:
Summary: The roots of Western magickal practice...
Review: This is the book most often found at the heart of many of the modern groups practising some form of Western esoteric/magickal system. This book influenced the Golden Dawn and many other groups which went on to form the foundation of classical magick in the West. Today, this heavy tome is still a treasure trove of information, technique, and erudition essential to anyone wishing to walk the path of Hermeticism, Rosicrucianism, or other such related paths. Even Chaos magicians will find something useful in this book. It's a tremendous resource.

Rating:
Summary: fascinating, and informative
Review: Where are the results? Agrippa seems to describe CPR long before it's official "invention"; he was one of the few physicians to cure the plague without succumbing himself; etc. etc.. Remember, Isaac Newton tried to make the philosopher's stone-Albert Einstein believed in things like "the bermuda triangle"-in Agrippa's day, they would have been magicians. This is not some dime-store "spell book". It's a compilation of Agrippa's knowledge (some of it), including the sources from whence it came. There is a small mathematical error in one of the appendices by Tyson (who otherwise does an incredible job as editor). This is not something for idle dabblers. It's a large work and not easy to get through. Oh-there are indeed parts on speaking to angels using the cabala (never tried that), and also those on conjouring ghosts (completely effective, but it requires work). Other than that, there's folklore, a little bit on alchemy and spontaneous generation (both taken seriously in Agrippa's day), and odds and ends that will lead you to wonderful places. Another word about Tyson's editing-he does such a thorough job, that his footnotes on the parts Agrippa draws from the Odyssey are easily more informative than the notes to any current edition of that work I am aware of. And of course-in the book by Mary Shelly, Agrippa's works are Dr. Frankenstein's first exposure to science, and his inspiration for the creation of the monster. Good luck in the lab, Ygor!

Rating:
Summary: fascinating, and informative
Review: Where are the results? Agrippa seems to describe CPR long before it's official "invention"; he was one of the few physicians to cure the plague without succumbing himself; etc. etc.. Remember, Isaac Newton tried to make the philosopher's stone-Albert Einstein believed in things like "the bermuda triangle"-in Agrippa's day, they would have been magicians. This is not some dime-store "spell book". It's a compilation of Agrippa's knowledge (some of it), including the sources from whence it came. There is a small mathematical error in one of the appendices by Tyson (who otherwise does an incredible job as editor). This is not something for idle dabblers. It's a large work and not easy to get through. Oh-there are indeed parts on speaking to angels using the cabala (never tried that), and also those on conjouring ghosts (completely effective, but it requires work). Other than that, there's folklore, a little bit on alchemy and spontaneous generation (both taken seriously in Agrippa's day), and odds and ends that will lead you to wonderful places. Another word about Tyson's editing-he does such a thorough job, that his footnotes on the parts Agrippa draws from the Odyssey are easily more informative than the notes to any current edition of that work I am aware of. And of course-in the book by Mary Shelly, Agrippa's works are Dr. Frankenstein's first exposure to science, and his inspiration for the creation of the monster. Good luck in the lab, Ygor!