Magick Matters

23.02.2021

“Promethean Horrors: Classic Tales of Mad Science” edited by Xavier Aldana Reyes (British Library Tales of the Weird)

Magick Matters
"Promethean Horrors: Classic Tales of Mad Science" edited by Xavier Aldana Reyes (British Library Tales of the Weird)
"From the imaginations of Gothic short-story writers such as Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Mary Shelley, and later weirdists such as H.P. Lovecraft came one of the most complex of villains—the mad scientist. Promethean Horrors presents some of the greatest mad scientists ever created, as each cautionary tale explores the consequences of pushing nature too far. These savants take many forms: there are malcontents who strive to create poisonous humans; technologists obsessed with genetic splicing; mesmerists interested in the way consciousness operates after death, and inventors who believe in a hidden reality. United by an unhealthy obsession with wanting to reach beyond their circumstances, these mad scientists are marked by their magical capacity to alter...>>
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23.02.2021

“Unbelievable: Investigations into Ghosts, Poltergeists, Telepathy, and Other Unseen Phenomena, from the Duke Parapsychology Laboratory” by Stacy Horn

Magick Matters
"Unbelievable: Investigations into Ghosts, Poltergeists, Telepathy, and Other Unseen Phenomena, from the Duke Parapsychology Laboratory" by Stacy Horn
"What would you make of rain barrels that refill themselves? Psychic horses? Mind-reading Cold War spies? For a group of scientists at the Duke Parapsychology Lab under the leadership of Dr. J. B. Rhine—considered the Einstein of the paranormal—such mysteries demanded further investigation. From 1930 to 1980, these dedicated men and women attempted to test the bizarre, the frightening, and the unexplainable against the rigors of science, ultimately finding proof that the human mind possesses telepathic powers."...>>
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23.02.2021

“Shamanism: An Introduction” by Margaret Stutley

Magick Matters
"Shamanism: An Introduction" by Margaret Stutley
"Shamanism is one of the earliest and farthest-reaching magical and religious traditions, vestiges of which still underlie the major religious faiths of the modern world. The function of the shaman is to show his or her people the unseen powers behind the mere appearances of nature, as experienced through intuition, in trance states, or during ecstatic mystical visions. Shamans possess healing powers, communicate with the dead and the world beyond, and influence the weather and movements of hunting animals. The psychological exaltation of shamanism trance states is similar to the ecstasies of Yogis, Christian mystics and dervishes. Shamanism: An Introduction traces the development of shamanism in its many fascinating global manifestations. Looking at shamanic...>>
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23.02.2021

“The Complete and Original Norwegian Folktales of Asbjørnsen and Moe” by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe

Magick Matters
"The Complete and Original Norwegian Folktales of Asbjørnsen and Moe" by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe
"A new, definitive English translation of the celebrated story collection regarded as a landmark of Norwegian literature and culture The extraordinary folktales collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe began appearing in Norway in 1841. Over the next two decades the publication of subsequent editions under the title Norske folkeeventyr made the names Asbjørnsen and Moe synonymous with Norwegian storytelling traditions. Tiina Nunnally’s vivid translation of their monumental collection is the first new English translation in more than 150 years—and the first ever to include all sixty original tales. Magic and myth inhabit these pages in figures both familiar and strange. Giant trolls and talking animals are everywhere. The winds take human form. A...>>
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23.02.2021

“Everything Is Bullshit: The Greatest Scams on Earth Revealed” by Priceonomics (Zachary Crockett et al)

Magick Matters
"Everything Is Bullshit: The Greatest Scams on Earth Revealed" by Priceonomics (Zachary Crockett et al)
"Many of our society’s most cherished traditions are actually based on historical accident, the profit motives of a few companies, or the agenda of someone who died long ago. A lot of what we believe and do is bullshit, yet we walk around thinking our way of doing things is inherently correct. Why do we exchange diamond engagement rings? Why is wine so expensive? How does art become “art”? Why do so many non-profits want us to donate cars to them? Why does college cost so much? Why do so many pets die in animal shelters? Why is the world the way it is? Everything is Bullshit, by Priceonomics, is an investigation to find the answers."...>>
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