John Dee's Five Books of Mystery: Original Sourcebook of Enochian Magic [Paperback]

Joseph H. Peterson (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2008

Discovered in a hidden compartment of an old chest long after his death, the secret writings of John Dee, one of the leading scientists and occultists of Elizabethan England, record in minute detail his research into the occult. Dee concealed his treatises on the nature of humankind's contact with angelic realms and languages throughout his life, and they were nearly lost forever. In his brief biography of John Dee, Joseph Peterson calls him a 'true Renaissance man, ' detailing his work in astronomy, mathematics, navigation, the arts, astrology, and the occult sciences. He was even thought to be the model for Shakespeare's Prospero. All this was preparation for Dee's main achievement: five books, revealed and transcribed between March 1582 and May 1583, bringing to light mysteries and truths that scholars and adepts have been struggling to understand and use ever since. These books detail his system for communicating with the angels, and reveal that the angels were interested in and involved with the exploration and colonization of the New World, and in heralding in a new age or new world order. While Dee's influence was certainly felt in his lifetime, his popularity has grown tremendously since. His system was used and adapted by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and subsequently by Aleister Crowley. This new edition of John Dee's Five Books of Mystery is by far the most accessible and complete published to date. Peterson has translated Latin terms and added copious footnotes, putting the instructions and references into context for the modern reader.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joseph Peterson has translated many esoteric and religious sourceworks.He contributed to Scriptures of the World’s Religions. Peterson is an active member of the American Academy of Religion and the Society for Biblical Literature. He lives in Kasson, Minnesota.

Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: RedWheel / Weiser (January 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578631785
• ISBN-13: 978-1578631780
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #429,145 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

133 of 135 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth More Than Five Stars, September 9, 2003

By 

Aaron (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: John Dee's Five Books of Mystery: Original Sourcebook of Enochian Magic (Paperback)

For the true Enochian scholar, this is the ONLY book of its kind. John Dee's "Five Books of the Mysteries" was written hundreds of years ago- partly in English, partly in Latin, and even somewhat in Angelic(!). Since its rediscovery and publication, mystical scholars have poured over it in search of classical wisdom, magickal technique, and the hidden secrets behind Dee's "Enochian" system of magick.

However, like all of Dee's work, the Five Books remained very obscure and hard to understand. That is, until Joseph Peterson's publication of "John Dee's Five Books of Mystery." Here are the five books we all know and love- with ALL of the Latin translated, complete footnotes and commentary, and even an exploration of Dee's source material (ancient mystical texts from which Dee drew his own ideas about magick).

I cannot recommend Joseph Peterson- as an author and scholar- highly enough. His work is always top-notch and completely trustworthy (and this statement does NOT come lightly!). Just the same for his "John Dee's Five Books of Mystery." I hope we see more of Dee's work re-published by Peterson in the future.

In LVX...

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very well done, January 5, 2006

By 

L. Giliberto (Duvall, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: John Dee's Five Books of Mystery: Original Sourcebook of Enochian Magic (Paperback)

If you are interested in John Dee, "behind the scenes" of Enochian, Medieval/Renaissance philosophy or occult matters, this is a must have.

The editor did a great job of making the texts readable and clear in the layout. The footnotes (including explanatory, reference, and translation of the Latin parts) are extremely useful to the understanding of the text and related texts that Dee had access to.

The introductory information written by the editor is short and straightforward, and also fairly objective.

The book contains the 5 Books of Mystery that were found after Dee's death. These books provide a clear insight into the goings on around the Skrying done by Dee and Kelly; they are a journal or set of lab notes on what went on at each session detailing what was seen in the crystal as well as how the "angels" taught them to render the Sigilum Dei, the tables, and a few other things.

Whether you believe Dee actually talked with angels or not, this is a great insight into an Elizabethan Mage's project. A must have for anyone interested in such subject matter for whatever reasons.

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enochiana straight from the source, March 28, 2006

By 

Tony H. (New England, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: John Dee's Five Books of Mystery: Original Sourcebook of Enochian Magic (Paperback)

Kudos to Joseph H. Peterson, not only for this exceptional book, but to his service to the Occult community with his scholarly treatment of the classical literature that is the backbone of the Western Magickal Tradition.

Here Peterson compiles Dr. John Dee's "Mysteriorum Libri Quinque" from the original notes and documents written(and hidden - you could be burned at the stake for stuff like this back then!) by Dee himself, preserved in the British Museum. It adds much detail to Dee's politics, science, and his occult activities with seer Edward Kelly, especially during the years 1581-1583, widely considered the peak of Dee's career. That being said, I will caution casual readers that the archaic English used throughout the books can be abit taxing to read, but the rewards are well worth the effort. Peterson also translates many Latin passages, and includes copious notes and references.

If you are at all interested in Enochian, or 'Angel Magick', you will be very happy with this purchase. I would recommend this edition over Casaubons' "A True & Faithful Relation..." for readablility and accuracy. A "must-have" addition to the serious occultists' library.