The Philosopher's Stone: A Quest for the Secrets of Alchemy [Paperback]

Peter Marshall (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0330489100 | ISBN-13: 978-0330489102 | Publication Date: January 2002

The Philosopher's Stone is the Holy Grail of alchemy, the ancient art of turning base metal into gold. Its magical and elemental power has fixated explorers, occultists and scientists for centuries. For the Philosopher's Stone, it is said, holds the key, not only to making gold but also to deciphering the riddle of existence and unlocking the secret of eternal life. Following such luminaries as Newton, Jung, St Thomas Aquinas and Zosimus, who devoted most of their lives searching for it, Peter Marshall set out to unearth the secrets of alchemy in the lands where it was traditionally practised. The result is fascinating piece of historical, scientific and philosophical detection, as well as an exciting physical and spiritual adventure. Exploring the beliefs and practises, the myths and the symbols of the alchemists, Peter Marshall takes us on an enthralling journey through the western and eastern worlds.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Peter Marshall is a serious and well-reviewed academic, author of the raved-about Demanding the Impossible: A History of Anarchism (Harper Collins) and a biography of the philosopher William Goodwin (Yale University Press).

Product Details

• Paperback: 545 pages
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan (January 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0330489100
• ISBN-13: 978-0330489102
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 4.9 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,445,502 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars In search of "the stone"..., December 12, 2006

By 

C. Jameson (Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Philosopher's Stone: A Quest for the Secrets of Alchemy (Paperback)

I enjoyed this book, with a few reservations. The range of content covered was excellent, and the author's clear prose made for an easily-understood journey through the many streams of Alchemy (islam, Chinese, Western, etc).

However, his writing style at times is almost "too" dispassionate, and on a few occasions he seems to not follow-through with an intriguing line of enquiry. For instance, taking the Rosicrucian documents of the early 17th century at face value, rather than mentioning their more allegorical significance, as outlined by Paul Foster Case in "The True And Invisible Rosicrucian Order".
Or after an important meeting in his search for Chinese alchemy, he admits afterwards that he forgot to ask several key questions of his subject. Better planning, Peter!

In terms of narrative drive, Marshall is no match for Graeme Hancock's "Fingerprints of The Gods", although that author's later works (e.g. "Supernatural") have become, to my mind, almost too zealous.

In summary, I would say Marshall has done an admirable job, and can recommend this book. He has since written a book focussing soley on Prague and the court of Rudolph II, which was apparently published in September of this year, but I've not found listed on Amazon yet.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unpretentious and Honest, March 30, 2006

By 

Daniel Pure (Barrington, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Philosopher's Stone: A Quest for the Secrets of Alchemy (Paperback)

This is really an excellent book! Globe-trotter and author Peter Marshall provides a fascinating overview of the history of alchemy in diverse cultures in both ancient and modern times. I am struck by the author's candor and sincerity, never pretending to know something he doesn't know in this arcane field of study.

Light workers, Healers, Seekers, and would-be Alchemists would do well to start here with this book, before tackling the clasic texts and the actual Practice.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars this book is the benchmark for this topic, July 1, 2011

By 

J. Munyon - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Philosopher's Stone: A Quest for the Secrets of Alchemy (Paperback)

Possibly one of the finest examples of a complex subject material given respect and yet communicated in enough of an intellectual delivery that it convinces the reader of how genuine the author is about sharing his experience on this frontier. More than likely if you have a sincere interest in this book, it will be kept in your immediate presence constantly until you have finished reading it twice, and then find a handy spot on a nearby bookcase, up high enough to keep it from getting grabbed by the crayon graffiti generation. I've read over a dozen other books on the subject that collectively shared less than 5% of what Peter Marshall teaches the reader in this book, "The Philosopher's Stone: A Quest for the Secrets of Alchemy." You will have to read above the 8th grade level, and you will need to have a genuine interest, not just a clumsy curiosity. I wish I had found this book when it was first published. I'm a little older and less able to recall what I read without going over it and over it. This book is still worth it, even if life has taken its toll on my college study skills. I recommend this book. BTW, no you won't be an alchemist when you're done reading it, nor will you be able to turn lead into gold, or mercury into silver, nor will you be able to create your own philosopher's stone. This is information, not a how-to book from Home Depot on building a backyard deck. You will however have a greater appreciation for serious seekers of this lost knowledge. I wish this had been required reading in high school, because of some of the balance to life that is shared. Today's world is so full of selfishness and materialistic greed that it is tough to believe there are people who strive for inner peace and external peace enough to feel that balance is more important than climbing the corporate ladder and amassing fortune or fame.