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22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Truly Goodly, November 25, 2005
First off, I've got to say this: this book is beautiful! The outside cover is ugly, in my opinion, but the interior design more than makes up for it.
Besides looking beautiful on the inside, this book is also written beautifully. These authors have a way with words, and they know it! Although the title has "spellbook" in it, only half of the book is devoted solely to spells. The other half has various chapters on spellcraft history, correspondences, divination, numbers, chants, magical alphabets, singing, dancing, knot magic, kitchen witchery, making poppets, making amulets and talismans, and much more! There are illustrations throughout that show the steps for the dances, musical notes, sigils, etc. that are discussed in the book. This book is exploding with spellcraft wisdom and I think that any spellcaster could find something of interest inside.
The spells themselves are quite interesting as well. Some are taken from ancient sources and are made useful for the modern witch. To show you how versatile this spellbook really is, the spells range from "To Reveal the Identity of a Thief" to "To Lure People to Your Website." There are also some personal stories of how some of the spells worked. That was an added plus and I think that every spellbook should include those. If you buy a spellbook, wouldn't you be interested if the author actually tried their own spells? I know I would.
In conclusion, a wonderful addition to any spellcaster's library!
-Ater
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Buy it now. Brag about owning the First Edition later., July 1, 2006
Sometimes, rarely, a classic can be recognized from the moment it is published. "The Goodly Spell Book," like "The Art of French Cooking," or "The Elements of Style," is such a work.
As Julia Child did in the former, Deerman and Rasmussen organize, consolidate and instruct without condescension. And like "Elements" author Strunk, they take refinement of written language to a pleasurable max.
The result is a readable compendium of the dustiest, rarest and hardest-to-fathom old books . It's an instruction manual that takes readers from spellcraft 101 to the outline for their graduate course. And it's a cookbook that can be followed by anyone with a few tools and the daring to try.
"Goodly"'s clear tables and copius footnotes make it an excellent reference for fast look-ups, and an index to the old classic works. Its introduction to magickal principles -- the first half of the book -- makes basic principles clear to any novice, yet covers a breadth that will abash most initiates.
Sections like the correspondences of planets to musical modes and specific sound, make accessible layers of power previously unknown to all but a few.
"Goodly"'s second part is stuffed with historic recipes enhanced by long use, and new spells adapted from time-tested charms. Annotated with shopping lists and "why it works" explanations, it's perfect for browsers-of-oddities and the I-know-it-alls who read books from the back page to front.
For most readers interested in magick, this single title will replace an entire shelf of difficult to read, rambling tomes. The rest -- esoteric wizards and fanatic bibliophiles -- will buy it to be sure their collection is complete.
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I've read hundreds, and this is the BEST!, February 21, 2006
The woman who gave this book 2 stars (below this) can't spell and made up false quotes from it.
I love this book, you've got to buy it! This is the best book I've ever read about magic and I've read hundreds.
Its woodcuts haunt me (like the one of Miles Standish pointing angrily at the pioneer Pagans dancing around a Maypole in early American colonial times).
These people know what they're writing about. Their personal stories of magic experiences, teaching, and helping others are fascinating and inspiring.
They worded the history section (Scope) explaining the class, economic, and political upheavals that caused magic's persecution so well, I can now say I really understand (I never really got it before).
The how-to section (Skills) has stuff I've never seen before. Off the top of my head... I was glad for the Witch dance steps, the secret Witch words. Now I know how to make people mad, sad, or happy using music and how to make my own herbal medicines.
The Spells section has charms that are really useful and make sense because they explain the reasons behind them, instead of just giving the recipes like so many other books. They're real spells from all over the world (some I even recognize from my grandmother).
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