百

Bibliography on magic

Intended as a resource for people pursuing spiritual transformation. No matter how useful a text may be, it can never be a substitute for the actual practice of magic. Only with the deepest of seriousness can spirit free itself from the shackles of mundanity. This requires a revolution in (un)consciousness, involving the whole body. For spirit, when it is stripped of all pretense at teleology, is nothing but self-determining body.Our manifesto can be found here and here.The lists are entirely non-exhaustive, only indicating some texts we believe to be useful. Links break often; if you’re looking for a digital copy, check for active mirrors of Anna’s Archive.

“Magic is the […] art
of causing change to occur
in conformity with will.”
Peter J. Carroll,
Liber Null

Entry points

Any one of these texts can serve well as an introduction to magic, depending on your background and which topics interest you most.

  • 07th Expansion Umineko no Naku Koro ni Original, PS3 port & Manga ★
    By far the most accessible and engaging introduction to magic we know of. For those choosing the Steam release, we recommend either using the original sprites and backgrounds or, if applying the voice patch, selecting original sprites and turning off ADV mode (original backgrounds are not available). Note, however, that if you wish to use PS3 graphics, the port is better.

  • Carroll, Peter J. Liber Null & Psychonaut ★
    An indispensable guide to the practice of magic. Be aware, however, that the history presented is extremely dubious.

  • Foucault, Michel The Hermeneutics of the Subject: Lectures at the Collège de France, 1981–1982 ★
    The beginning of a life-changing lecture series on spiritual transformation in Ancient Greek philosophy. If you are entering magic from the field of academic philosophy, this is essential. Recommended alongside The Government of Self and Others, The Courage of Truth and the work of Pierre Hadot.

  • Fowden, Garth The Egyptian Hermes: A Historical Approach to the Late Pagan Mind ★
    Provides a brilliant introduction to historical magic through a study of the cult of Hermes-Thoth in Roman Egypt. We highly recommend reading Hanegraaff’s incredible Hermetic Spirituality and the Historical Imagination afterwards.

  • Hadot, Pierre What Is Ancient Philosophy?
    The most useful introduction to philosophy we know of. Hadot focuses on philosophy as a way of life, placing spiritual exercises – practices that are meant to change who you are – at its heart.

  • Hanegraaff, Wouter J. Western Esotericism: A Guide for the Perplexed
    Useful introduction to the history of ‘discarded knowledge’ within the eurocentric paradigm, including hermetism, gnostic religion, astrology, theosophy, alchemy, secret societies, hypnosis and modern occultism. Aimed at an academic audience.

  • Lagalisse, Erica Occult Features of Anarchism: With Attention to the Cospiracy of Kings and the Conspiracy of the Peoples
    Outlines the entangled history of magic and socialism up to the early 20th century, while arguing that a disenchanted perspective only makes our political imaginary poorer. Note that the author is too dependent on the framework of Frances Yates, which leads to some factual errors. See our notes on Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition below. Recommended alongside Glenn Alexander Magee’s Hegel and the Hermetic Tradition with similar caveats.

  • Perlman, Fredy Against His-story, Against Leviathan! An Essay ★
    A poetic history of the rise of civilization and the peoples who have fought against it.

  • Shaw, Devin Zane Philosophy of Antifascism: Punching Nazis and Fighting White Supremacy ★
    A short but philosophically dense book which manages to cover an impressive amount of ground. Argues for the necessity of an independent, militant antifascism as a means of bringing new ways of living and a new world into being.

  • Wittgenstein, Ludwig Lecture on Ethics
    A short exploration of the distinction between facts and spirit.

Classics

Histories

Supplemental bibliography on politics

Made as a supplement to Zoe Baker’s excellent reading list. Please read her book about the history of anarchism.

What can be said at all can be said clearly; and whereof one cannot speak thereof one must be silent.