# Books about Ceremonial Magic **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 30, 2006, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-about-ceremonial-magic/378449 "2006-10-30T16:25:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-about-ceremonial-magic/378449/1 "2006-10-30T16:25:19Z")
This is inspired by the recent “Books about Wicca” thread : What are some good books about ceremonial magic? ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2006, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-about-ceremonial-magic/378449/2 "2006-10-30T16:41:22Z")
[Modern Magick](http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Magick-Llewellyns-High/dp/0875423248/sr=8-5/qid=1162225628/ref=sr_1_5/102-3726372-0803316?ie=UTF8&s=books) by Donald Michael Kraig. Absolutely without a doubt where you should begin. After that, I’d go with some of the Golden Dawn classics: [The Golden Dawn](http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Dawn-Llewellyns/dp/0875426638/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b/102-3726372-0803316), [Middle Pillar](http://www.amazon.com/Middle-Pillar-Balance-Between-Magic/dp/1567181406/ref=pd_sim_b_4/102-3726372-0803316) and [Garden of Pomegranates](http://www.amazon.com/Garden-Pomegranates-Israel-Regardie/dp/1567181414/ref=pd_sim_b_5/102-3726372-0803316) by Regardie. [Magick in Theory and Practice](http://www.amazon.com/Magick-Theory-Practice-Aleister-Crowley/dp/0486232956/ref=sid_dp_dp/102-3726372-0803316) is good, but laden with Crowleyism and half-truths. When he’s not trying to shock you, he’s probably lying to you. But if you have a solid theoretical understanding from elsewhere, you’ll recognize the bullshit. Anything at all by [Lon Milo DuQuette](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/102-3726372-0803316?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=lon+milo&Go.x=0&Go.y=0&Go=Go). He’s a master of his art, and the best historian on Crowley and the Golden Dawn around today, as well as being a practitioner himself and also incidently very, very funny. Lon’s going to be out is Des Plaines next weekend teaching the whole weekend. If you’re in Illinois, it’s worth the trip to hear him speak. [Details.](http://www.brotherhoodofthephoenix.org/node/395) Lon’s books are good to have around for when you feel overwhelmed by Regardie and Crowley. His writing, while no less accurate, is much less dense. If you’re beyond the basics, let me know and I’ll hit my bookshelf for more particulars. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-about-ceremonial-magic/378449/3 "2006-11-02T21:37:58Z")
Thanks for the recommendations! I have bought the “Modern Magick” book and have looked at some of Lon Milo DuQuette’s books. He is very amusing! I will likely buy several of his books! ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2006, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/books-about-ceremonial-magic/378449/4 "2006-11-03T01:41:44Z")
If you can find it (and i think it may be rare nowadays) I’d recommend the five volumes of “The Magickal Philosophy” by Melita Denning and Osborne Phillips.