Customer Reviews

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Alchemy

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There are countless books on alchemy out there. What is obvious about alchemy is that it is a wide field, filled with ambiguities. This is not the sort of subject your average person thinks that they can understand. Too many books are written using language in unexpected ways. Where can a novice turn in order to begin exploring such a difficult yet rewarding study? This book is an excellent place to start. I love the Idiot's Guides in general, and this one is great. Although it is a primer, it still has much to offer those who already have some preliminary knowledge. And unlike many other primers, the author does not merely focus on one type of alchemy. He discusses spiritual, mental, and physical forms of alchemy both in a historical and modern living setting- both theoretical and practical. There are a few books and website that I can recommend- but if I was asked which one book to start with, I would say this one.

I am no alchemist and I don't pretend to be one. However I have been intensely interested in this facet of history that tends to be omitted from most history books. I have spent many hours scouring bookstores for texts explaining in a concise and clear manner about what alchemy is and its history, and have rarely ever been able to find more than radical new age hooey and self-improvement books. While this book does have a certain metaphysical smell about it later on, the first half of the text provides a great summation of the obscure history of Alchemy, and even goes so far as to describe certain symbols and imagery that can be used to decipher more ancient alchemical texts. As an aspiring student of archaeology, this is highly useful to me. I could use a bit more in the way of deciphering the highly opaque alchemical texts and images that one can find in books like "Alchemy and Mysticism" by Roob, and I hope to see more books do just that. Surprisingly after I read this, I see alchemical symbols everywhere!

You can find them on architecture, on tarot cards, in old astronomical illustrations, and most every other place you can look. Alchemy seems to be a hidden river of knowledge that ran through the culture and history of the past, providing a forgotten perspective of old events and important figures. Isaac Newton was an alchemist, even canonized Saints of the Church were Alchemists, such as Albertus Magnus and Thomas Aquinas. There is a wealth of information in this book that is easily accessible by almost anyone. (Hence, for Complete Idiot's, like me. =] )

I recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about Alchemy.

I was looking for a basic beginner's book about Alchemy and I am glad I found this one. It was concise and easy to understand. Alchemical ideals can be difficult and confusing but the author explains things in such a way that even the novice can grasp the process. The author also has a neat way of reiterating things ie,"remember that....." or "don't forget that we learned...." so that you DON'T forget. The order of the book is logical and builds up step by step. Like all the Idiots Guides the writing is in small bytes so you do not lose interest. Hauck takes you through both laboratory(you can use your kitchen) and personal alchemy and shows you how you can begin to do both. A chart for alchemical ciphers is included and some good online sites for other useful tables. The resources are excellent for those who wish to go further and learn more. For a beginning book and a good overview this book is a GREAT starting point and excellent reference to keep for later, too.

Perhaps the notion of Alchemy and an Idiot's Guide is a conflict in terms because anyone interested in the subject would neither think of being called an idiot nor consider the subject as one to be described on an elementary level. If you can get past all that and place yourself as a humble, empty crucible, however, you will find one of the most fascinating, readable and enlightening books about Western culture and many keys for personal growth.

I sent for this book by mail order on the strength of its author because I once heard Dennis Hauck give a lecture and I know he can explain a complex subject without being pedantic. Rather than getting bogged down in the practical aspect of alchemy (he does talk about kitchen alchemy, too) he keeps his sights on the real purpose of the discipline, which is the transformation, evolution and healing of the practitioner. A multitude of subjects is brought together to give you a sense of the process-- quantum physics, dark matter, chaos magick, planetary signatures and properties of metals, animal-coded symbols, the bird language, psychology, medical concepts, Taoist concepts, Hindu Rasayana, and biographical information about many of the key figures in alchemy's history, and yes, even including Harry Potter. He discusses the opposing essences of soul and spirit. To quote, "The product of this union is the Philosopher's Stone, which in spiritual alchemy is the embodiment of a permanent state of perfected consciousness." Save yourself hundreds of dollars in self-improvement courses and get this book instead. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Being a novice when it comes to Alchemy I do find this book quite enlightening. However I must point out an obvious error in the sentence that spans the pages 123-124. The sentence reads " However, since the moon shines only by reflected light of the sun, Earth casts shadows on it's face that make it appear to change shape in a 28-day cycle. " This is obviously false. The "Phases" of the moon are caused by the visual observation of lack of sun light on one side of the moon and it's position in it's orbit around the Earth. It is basic astronmy. When the moon is full we see none of the shadow on the surface of the moon, when we see a cresent we can see the lack of sunshine on part of it. The only time the Earth casts shadows on the moon is during an elclipse. The 28-day "Phase or shape of the moon" is caused by our location with respect to the moon's sun facing side. Obviously when new moon happens the moon is between the Earth and the Sun and Earth could not create any shadow at all on the moon. I like the book, but I could not let people beleive that the "Phases of the moon were created by Earth's shadow - it is simply not true. I hope it was truly an erron on the authors part and that he does not beleive this to be true. Respectfully,

Robert McGowan

Writing a primer on alchemy, a subject deliberately clouded in misinformation, ancient symbols, and misdirection of every sort, would present a tremendous challenge to any author, but Dennis William Hauck has instead written a concise introduction notable for clarity, concision, and as full an explanation as space in a book such as this allows. It is an excellent place to start one's research into an almost limitless subject, touching on everything from the hardest of empirical sciences to the realms of the subconscious, to magic, and to personal spiritual development.

Hauck defines terms, and gives us a very short overview of the history and development of alchemy as a pursuit, and then guides the reader through the basics. The planets, the metals, the connexions and relationships - all defined clearly. The laboratory operations are laid bare; some introductory experiments are suggested and described, some that could be perfomed in anybody's own kitchen. From there we go deeper into the effects of each metal, how they have been used.

Besides the physical/spiritual aspects of the work, Hauck is good at laying out the spiritual, social, mental and psychological aspects of alchemy, and the alchemical process in all things, principles that take us from meditational work on the self, all the way to the Unified Field Theory in physics. It is fascinating.

Finally, Hauck offers an excellent assortment of resources for further study, some old and some very new, including a long list of websites offering information, courses, and much deeper discussion of alchemy.

An excellent book if you are at all interested in the topic.

...These are the words left behind and inscribed by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung The World Within: C.G. Jung In His Own Words on a monument in his garden. For Jung it was the Philosopher's Stone and a sign that he followed the right path. Dennis William Hauck's book dispels the misconceptions and clarifies the essence of Alchemy and its principles throughout the ages and takes you on a historic and enlightening path. You may be surprised to learn of history's Alchemists which range from Greek philosopher Aristotle through most recently scientist David Bohm and the cultural influence of Hollywood's interpretation of Alchemist themes in films like The Fifth Element (Ultimate Edition), The Matrix and The Da Vinci Code (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition) and even more far-reaching J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: 10th Anniversary Edition (Harry Potter).
Mr. Hauck's book provides the tools and resources to begin your personal journey towards Quintessence, or the Fifth Element, and ultimately the Philosopher's Stone. Alchemist theories can then be applied to all areas of your life including social alchemy, marriage work and even business. What makes us, as humans, different and unique from ordinary matter is that we can consciously participate in our own perfection and we all carry this seed or pattern of perfection which can be recognized and refined through Alchemy.
This book also provides additional resources and websites in the Appendix to further immerse yourself in this ancient discipline that dates back at least 2,000 years.

The perfect book to get started in Alchemy. Mr. Hauck does an incredible job explaining the history and the principles behind Alchemy. I highly recommend it for anyone getting started or just curious about it.

This is a great book. Well thought and guides the reader through the complex world of Alchemy!
Plane and simple, if you are a 20 year veteran of Alchemy (Hermetic) study or a first time reader this book will appeal to you. Dennis (the author) always bring new insight to the curriculum of Alchemy.

I have read over 3/4 of the book and have found it an excellent read. I have learned so much! It's great for the beginner who just wants to get a overview of terms, ciphers, and symbolism. I think I'm ready to start reading a little more challenging material on the subject now. I would definitely recommend this book to beginners on the subject of Alchemy!