Customer Reviews

The Complete Book of Spells, Ceremonies & Magic (Llewellyn's Sourcebook)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Be aware that this is not a grimoire! This is an excellent book for someone who is exploring the world of magick, but is not Wiccan. Even if you are unsure, this book is great, as it places no real leanings towards any one religion (Well, maybe there is a little emphasis on the Kabbalistic system). All to often, I find that most books on magick are strongly intertwined with Wicca, and it is hard to get a good broad view of magick without the religious touting. This book provides a comprehensive study of magick through history, the parts it played in different cultures, and it outlines many different practices. A great starting text!

I'd feel a whole lot better about this book and its quality of research if I hadn't noticed that the author quotes Lewis Spence word for word over several paragraphs without quotes or attribution (save for briefly citing him in the definition of demonology). If you're curious, compare her writing on pages 187 and 188 to the entry on page 119 of Spence's Encyclopaedia of Occultism (find it on Googlebooks, since the work is out of print). I know Spence's work is in the common domain now, but that means only that it can be freely reprinted without getting permission from the author first. When whole sections are taken word for word, the original author still needs to be credited, whether he's long dead or not! Even one instance of such irresponsible scholarship in a work like this brings the entire text into question!

Not a recipe book for spells or a grand grimore, but this book is excellent for its diversity. An absolute must for beginners, and enjoyable for adepts.

I borrowed it from a friend, and was supprised to find that it didn't have as many spells as I thought it might. Most of it is just the History, and education on Witches. There are some spells in it, but none of them were really what I was looking for. Most of them are too extreme; like, if you WANTED to break up a boyfriend and a girlfriend, all it had was a spell for breaking up a marridge. Or if you wanted to cast a spell on someone, She would use rare words, some of which i couldn't even understand ( and i have used MANY books before). All im saying is that the book isn't totally complete with everything that someone would need. If you are looking for an educational book, with a little bit of over exadurated, strange, mis-understandable words in it, then buy this book, but if you are looking for a complete book of spells, don't.

GREAT FOR ANYONE: FROM THE INFORMED READER TO THE CURIOUS THINKER. MANY CULTURES ARE COVERED AND QUITE A BIT OF INTERESTING KNOWLEDGE, FOR USE OR JUST TO HAVE. I WOULD HIGLY RECOMMEND TO ANYONE WITH EVEN THE SLIGHTEST INTEREST IN MAGIC.:)

This booked seemed so full of promise, since it contains all kinds of information on a variety of things. Once I started reading the book, though, it was like reading one short story after another. Most of the information in the book can easily be found on the Internet or in other books. She touches very briefly on the topics presented in the book. By the time I was done with the book, I didn't feel I gained any knowledge. Some of the things in the book were very stereotypical portrayals and insulting. It's a good coffee table book, but by no means the best book on spells, ceremonies, and magic.

The stereotypes in this atrocity are hard to stomach. Ms. Wipplers obviously an educated woman but after reading this book it appears that she got caught in the writer's trap of thinking her opinion is indisputable fact. She presents information that is totally apocryphal, stereotypes that are very demeaning, and historical knowledge with absolutely no foundation in reality. To all appearences she scrambled together a motley collection of her ideas and half-formed ramblings and bound them with a most misleading name. Anyone who has no knowledge of this subject is going to be led away from independent thought by Ms. Wippler's writing and anyone who does has knowledge is going to be very insulted at her presumption.

Ms.Whippler isn't only knowlegeble on the subject of spells and such, but is a scholar in the religion of Santeria. She certainly knows the subject matter well and could probably teach most people out there a little truth in the realm of rites and rituals. Try some of her other works, you'll understand.

When I first picked up this book, I already had an extensive knowledge of Magic and the occult. But what I though was extensive was WAY off. This purple little paperback has been one of my greatest reference materials to this date. The information covers such an extensive variety of Magick and the occult that it could easily be substituted for ones whole library.
I was skeptical when I first received it as a gift, so I didn't really bother with it for about a month. But ever since I picked it up, I haven't been able to put it down. . .I enjoyed this book so much that I intend to but others from this author on the mysteries of the Qaballa.
Whether your a Christian, Wiccan, Pagan, or even a Satanist, this book is DEFINITELY worth the money. . . .

Well, it was not what I expected, so I was a little disappointed. Nothing negative, mind you, just not my cup of tea and was not what I needed as far as a resource I could go to often:)