an abundance of unsupported speculation. There are no footnotes, bibliographical references, or documentary
attributions. Accordingly this volume is best used as an introduction to interesting areas of study rather than as a
definitive text concerning them. It [particularly the larger/more expensive editions] looks nice on a coffee-table. The
biggest one (Golden Anniversary monster edition) is heavy enough so that you can bash a rat with it and be
reasonably assured he’s now a two-dimensional rat. The information in this book is also handy for confusing
[equates to impressing] Masons and Rosicrucians whose cages you want to rattle. [If you want to understand what
Freemasonry and Rosicrucianism are all about, your best bet is #3E.]”
3I. Encyclopedia of Occultism by Lewis Spence. New Hyde Park: University Books, 1960 (originally published
1920). (TOS-3) MA: “There are three ‘occult’ encyclopædias on this reading list, the others being #4E and #4F.
Although dated, this one is extremely well researched, objective, and thorough. Its companion volume, Nandor
Fodor’s Encyclopedia of Psychic Science, is less likely to be of interest or practical value. Before acquiring a copy of
#3I, consider whether #4E, which reprints extensively from it, will suffice for your needs and interests.”
3J. The Occult Sciences in the Renaissance by Wayne Shumaker. Berkeley: University of California Press,
1972. (TOS-3) MA: “Shumaker is Professor of English at U.C. Berkeley. This definitive work includes sections on
astrology, witchcraft, White Magic, alchemy, and Hermes Trismegistus - painstakingly footnoted and with
thoughtful critical analyses. ‘The analyst does not take for granted the necessary existence of truth, much less of
profound, forgotten wisdom in any of the systems, but treats them objectively as historical efforts to understand the
world in which man is placed and to use his knowledge for human purposes.’ [See also #3N.]”
3K. The Dark Side of History: Magic in the Making of Man by Michael Edwardes. NY: Stein & Day, 1977.
(TOS-3) MA: “A fascinating investigation by a Professor of History and Political Science into the roles of magic in
major social movements of history - from Mesopotamia to the French Revolution to Maoist China. This might be
considered a reflective essay rather than a documentary analysis, but Edwardes’ work is a commendable effort
towards bridging the gap of ignorance that usually separates magic from the social sciences. Not as much fun to read
as #4B, perhaps; but one doesn’t feel quite so far out on a limb either.”
3L. The Western Mystical Tradition by Thomas Katsaros and Nathaniel Kaplan. New Haven, Conn.: College &
University Press, 1969. (TOS-3) MA: “A very good history of mysticism from Hellenic Greece onwards. Offers the
‘mystical perspectives’ of many of the philosophers whose more materialistic concepts are treated in tomes such as
#16A.”
3M. A History of Magic and Experimental Science by Lynn Thorndike. NY: Columbia University Press, 1923
(eight volumes). (TOS-4) MA: “Frazier’s Golden Bough - which would seem to be an inevitable component of a
reading list such as this - was ultimately not included because its focus on mythology as such (i.e. as an essentially
anthropological phenomenon) offers no thesis which is usable by magicians. ‘Magic,’ said Frazier in an oft-quoted
passage, ‘is science that doesn’t work.’ Since Black Magic as defined by the Temple of Set does work, and since we
are not interested in variations that don’t work, we seek more illuminating histories to trace its development.
Thorndike’s is one such. In this massive work he shows the complex interrelationships between the magical, the
scientific, and the philosophical from the time of ancient Egypt to the 17th century CE - after which the influence of
materialism and logical positivism acted to suppress both magic and philosophy in favor of an all-embracing
scientific method. Like the unabridged Golden Bough, Thorndike’s opus is usually to be found only in major
libraries. You should be aware of its existence for advanced research purposes.”
3N. Pythagorean Palaces: Magic and Architecture in the Italian Renaissance by G.L. Hersey. Ithaca: Cornell
University Press, 1976. (TOS-4) MA: “According to Pythagorean philosophy, numbers and proportions possess
quality as well as quantity, and the elements of architecture approach excellence as they maximize incorporation of
these elements of quality. In this book Hersey, Professor of Art History at Yale University, analyzes several Italian
Renaissance buildings according to the Pythagorean standards employed by their architects. [See also category #12
in general, as well as #3J. See also #6O for observations concerning architecture which is conspicuously lacking in
Pythagorean excellence.]”
3O. A History of Secret Societies by Arkon Daraul. NY: Citadel Press, 1961. (TOS-3) (COS-3) AL: “A fine essay
on the subject, with objectivity and much attention to detail.” MA: “This survey includes chapters on such groups as
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the Order of the Peacock Angel (Yezidi), Knights Templar, Assassins, Sufis, Gnostics, Castrators, Vehm,
Rosicrucians, and of course the Masters of the Himalayas. Used by the early Church of Satan as a source document
for appropriate magical and ritual material. No documentation is offered, so this book is best considered at face
value.”
3P. The Lost Key to Prediction: The Arabic Parts in Astrology by Robert Zoller. NY: Inner Traditions, 1980.
(TOS-3) MA: “The first part of this book is an exacting examination into the philosophical and metaphysical bases
for astrological theory, resulting in the author’s postulate that the true astrologer deals ‘with the material globes in
astrology only insofar as they are used to time the movements of the inner “planets” and “stars” that lie hidden at
the center of man’s being’. Part Two consists of Zoller’s translation of a 13th-century Latin astrological text by Guido
Bonatti. In Part Three Zoller applies Bonatti’s concepts to the construction of horoscopes. One of the most
sophisticated conceptual studies of astrology yet penned. Reviewed in detail in Runes #III-1. The excellent
bibliography is supplemented by extensive notes. The author is an ex-Adept II° of the Temple of Set and a practicing
astrologer. [See also his review of #3R, described in that entry.]”
3Q. Larousse Encyclopedia of World Mythology by Pierre Grimal (Ed.). NY: Excalibur Books, 1981. (TOS-3)
MA: “As the title indicates, this is the ‘mythology’ volume in the Larousse series of encyclopædias. 550 pages - in
fine print - jammed with information. Note that this book focuses on mythology, not on occultism, so it is more
descriptive of systems [from an archæological/anthropological/ sociological point of view] than analytical
concerning their various merits, drawbacks, substance, etc. The editor is a Professor at the Sorbonne in France.”
3R. The Serpent and the Rainbow by Wade E. Davis. NY: Warner Books #0-446-34387-0, 1987.
[Deutschland: Die Toten kommen zurück. Drömer-Knaur Verlag, München, 1986.] (TOS-3) MA: “This is the book
explaining the Voodoo system of Haiti and the manner in which zombis are actually created - not by supernatural
means, but by the secret use of poisons. The book is based upon field research by the author, who holds
undergraduate degrees from Harvard University in Ethnobotany and Biology, and more recently a Ph.D. in
Ethnobotany. #3R is reviewed in detail by Adept Robert Zoller (author of #3P) in Scroll #XII
-3, June 1986.”
3S. The Books of the Beast by Timothy d’Arch Smith. London: Crucible (Aquarian Press/Thorsons Publishing
Group, 1987. (TOS-4) MA: “This is a 126-page, high-quality paperback collection of essays on Aleister Crowley,
Montague Summers, Ralph Nicholas Chubb, Francis Barrett (author of The Magus, the book which revived an
interest in sorcery & ceremonial magic in 19th-century England), Florence Farr (author of #10I), and the British
Library’s catalogue of erotica. This collection is cited here because of some interesting anecdotes it contains re
Crowley, Summers, Barrett, and Farr. If you are interested in one or more of them, you might enjoy this book as a
‘casual read’. But I would not consider it essential.”
3T. Testament: The Bible and History by John Romer. NY: Henry Holt, 1988. (TOS-3) MA: “A superb study
of the history of the Judæo/Christian Bible, to include its sourcing from pre-J/C cultures and mythologies and its
assembly and revision over the Christian period in Europe. There is also a companion PBS television series, also
excellent, narrated by Romer. This study is valuable for its objectivity; Romer is not unsympathetic to the J/C
cultural heritage, but neither does he seek to distort its true historical origins. The author is a distinguished
Egyptologist and archæologist.”
3U. Strange Superstitions and Magical Practices by William J. Fielding. Philadelphia: Blakiston Company
(Circle Books), 1945. (TOS-3) Terry Quesenberry II°: “This little book is surprisingly objective and broad in its
include Satanism, Black Mass, Walpurgisnacht, lycanthropy, pentagram (as an emblem of perfection), evil eye,
Nietzsche, mysteries of nature, mysteries of number, ancient Egypt, divination, magic of mathematical formulæ,
dæmonology, origins of pagan holidays, and witchcraft.”
3V. The Devil in Legend and Literature by Maximilian Rudwin. La Salle: Open Court, 1989 (latest reprint).
(TOS-3) DW: “An alternative to #3B. For my money this volume, dedicated to the memory of Paul Carus, is much
the superior volume.”
3W. The Fifth Sun by Burr Cartwright Brundage. Austin: University of Texas, 1983. (TOS-3) DW: “This book
explains the Aztec mindscape rather well and includes great coverage of Tezcatlipoca, the Aztec Set. A good book to
read for a cross-cultural perspective on Set.”
3X. The Occult in America: New Historical Perspectives by Howard Kerr & Charles L. Crow (Eds.). Chicago:
University of Chicago, 1983. (TOS-4) DW: “Of historical interest to Setians both socially and in terms of the
development of occult wisdom & folly in North America. Of particular interest are the effects of the Hindu Left-
Hand Path (Vivekananda), Theosophy, and African religious practices. The opening essay, ‘Explaining Modern
Occultism’ by Robert Galbreath, almost garners the book a TOS-1 rating.”
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3Y. Hermetic Magic by Stephen Edred Flowers, Ph.D. York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser, 1995. (TOS-1) DW:
“This book is an analysis both scholarly & practical of the Southern tradition’s greatest magical success [until the
Temple of Set]. It deals with the synthesis of Greek & Egyptian traditions into Hermeticism; with ancient, modern,
& postmodern theories of magic; and with practical spell-book methodology. The Hermetic tradition involves
gaining & using power, and this is the best gateway in the English language. It is the Arrow handed by Arrabis to
me.” MA: “The term ‘Hermeticism’ brings to mind vague, inconsistent, & impotent Judæo/Christian mystical fluff.
This book has nothing to do with that. Rather Flowers explores the historical filtering of coherent Egyptian magical
theory & practice through a number of later cultures, then explains how the core concepts may be put into effective
practice.”
3Z. The Presence of Shiva by Stella Kramrisch. Princeton: Princeton University, 1981. (TOS-4) DW: “This
book, nicely reprinted as a Bollingen paperback, is a study of the figure of Rudra/Shiva, the ‘Set’ of Hinduism and
focus of much historical & current Hindu Left-Hand Path practice. It is another way to get a handle on the Prince of
Darkness beyond our usual Satanic & Egyptian lenses. ‘Rudra is consciousness, and his actions are its forms.’ A
useful initiatory model for those drawn to the gate of the East.”
3AA. The Myth of Egypt and its Hieroglyphs in European Tradition by Erik Iversen. Princeton: Princeton
University, 1961 (Mythos Edition, 1993). (TOS-4) (SKM-1) DW: “Iversen looks at Egypt’s artistic, philosophical, &
magical influence on European thought. A good historical backdrop to Schwaller, the Golden Dawn, Cagliostro, etc.”
* * *
F3A. Masada. 1981. MA: “This was originally a television mini-series, now condensed into a single
videocassette. The fortress of Masada was one of the last strongholds of the Zealots in ancient Israel to be conquered
by the Romans, and the film dramatizes this seige. Peter O’Toole is the Roman general and Peter Strauss his
Hebrew counterpart. Most relevant to this category of the reading list is the Romans’ utilitarian use of religion in
contrast to the fanatic belief of the Hebrews. The film does not pass a moral judgment as much as it highlights a
ferocious battle fought because of different perceptions of reality.”
F3B. The Devils. 1971. MA: “Probably the most graphic and horrifying treatment of the Inquisition ever
brought to the screen, this film recounts the story of the 17th-century French priest Urban Grandier (Oliver Reed)
who was accused of signing a pact with the Devil. The political schemes resulting in Grandier’s downfall are
developed with cold precision, and his torture, mutilation, and death by burning at the stake are also shown in
includes Vanessa Redgrave. Directed by Ken Russell (who also directed Altered States).”
F3C. The Serpent and the Rainbow. 1988. (07-1587). MA: “This may have started out as an attempt to bring
#3R to the screen, but by the time Hollywood was finished with it, it was more of a simple horror movie than a non-
fictional study of Voodoo and zombification. Useful perhaps to catch something of the atmosphere of the grip which
modern Voodoo has on its adherents in locales such as Haiti.”
* * *
P3A. Freethought Today. Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), Post Office Box 750, Madison, WI
53701. Telephone 608-256-8900. MA: “FFRF is a very feisty atheist organization which publishes the bimonthly
newspaper Freethought Today (subscription about US$30/year). FT is almost completely devoted to exposes of
Christian corruption and violations of church/state separation, together with scholarly articles debunking Judæo/
Christian mythology and superstition, all done to a professional standard. A major feature is the ‘Black Collar
Crimes’ column, which dutifully recounts the ongoing epidemic of sex crimes committed by Christian officials. The
Temple of Set does not spend much time J/C-bashing in the way that the old Church of Satan did, so if you’re
nostalgic for that kind of confrontation and would like lots of ammunition for debates, an FT subscription is
essential. It will also astound you to see how much dirt there is to dig up.”
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Category 4: Occultism in Contemporary Perspective
Okkultismus in zeit
genössischer Perspektive
as of February 26, 2003
Aside from the Temple of Set itself, what may be said concerning the positive achievements of
occult research? Is the field substantive? And what is “the occult”? The following books explore these
and other questions in terms of current scientific and cultural knowledge.
4A. The Occult by Colin Wilson. NY: Random House, 1971. [Deutschland: Das Okkulte. Heyne Taschenbuch-
Verlag (01/7282), München, 1986.] (TOS-2) MA: “This book is divided into two principal sections - a history of
European and American occultism to the present century, and an extensive commentary concerning occult
methodology from an existentialist point of view. Wilson postulates a ‘Faculty X’ of the human mind to explain
psychic phenomena. Here the weakness of a non-initiated approach to the subject is glaringly demonstrated,
because Wilson’s bibliography includes many sources of questionable quality. Moreover Wilson becomes
predictably confused as he tries to explain his ‘Faculty X’ as a natural potential of the mind. The history section of
the book is nicely done, though it also suffers from Wilson’s reliance upon some biased sources. A more careful and
reflective argument for ‘Faculty X’ is presented in Wilson’s Mysteries: An Investigation into the Occult, the
Paranormal, and the Supernatural (NY: Putnam, 1978), providing that one exercises prudence in crediting some of
the case studies.”
4B. The Morning of the Magicians (original French title: The Dawn of Magic) by Louis Pauwels and Jacques
Bergier. NY: Avon Books, 1968. [Deutschland: Aufbruch ins dritte Jahrtausend. Wilhelm Goldmann Verlag (Nr.
11711), München, 1979.] (COS-3) (TOS-1) (TRP-1) (LVT-1) AL: “First and best work ever done describing the Satanic
influence in the world.” MA: “This is the book that kicked off the occult revival of the 1960s and started the whole
van Däniken show on the road. It highlights many phenomena for which non-occultists cannot account [somewhat
after the fashion of Charles Fort]. Included is an especially interesting section on German Nazi esoterica, which until
recent years was virtually the only account of such material easily available to the public. It is also the only recent