BOOK REVIEW - Magic Without Mirrors

[Mike]

Magic Without Mirrors by David Conway © 2011 Logios ISBN:
978-1463761724 Paperback 336 pages $21.95 (U.S.)

For a large number of individuals of a certain age, Magic: An Occult
Primer was the introduction to the world of magick. At the time there
wasn't a whole lot of information about the author available. In the
intervening years The Magic of Herbs and Secret Wisdom: The Occult
Universe Explored were also produced by the same author, but without
(to my knowledge) as much acceptance and fanfare.

This book is essentially Mr. Conway's autobiography. It is filled
with amusing anecdotes and enlightening background information. It
also contains snippets of magickal information as well, though that is
not its primary purpose.

His reminiscences include family stories and remembrances from family
friends about some of the individuals who were the “movers and
shakers” of the occult movement in the early years of the 20th
century, as well as lesser known (or even unknown) people who helped
him to learn about magick.

If you want lots of information about the arts magickal, this is NOT
the book for you; if you want to know about the personal life of one
of the more influential writers in the magickal field in the late
middle part of the past century, this is a good book for you.

There are incidents which may seem too unbelievable to be real. And,
quite honestly, I have trouble believing them. My belief, however, is
conditioned by my own life experiences, and since I don't share his
life experiences I am not in a position to pass judgment on them. The
book is entertaining and informative, in a chatty, over-the-back-
fence, kind of way. The lives and actions of some of the “big names”
in the occult movement are slightly fleshed out although, once again,
that isn't the primary focus of this book.

Folks who have been reading my reviews for a few years know that one
of my on-going regrets is that there are very few biographies and
autobiographies available concerning the people who helped to bring
the occult movement in general (and magick and Witchcraft in
particular) into general tolerance. This is one small brick in a
memorial wall, if you will, which needs to be constructed before more
of the members of that generation pass over to the other side of the
veil. I am pleased to see this book (as well as a number of others,
coming at this time.

Even if magick is not your primary interest; even if you think you
know everything you need to know about the relationship between the
“real world” and the “magickal world”; I think you will find this book
interesting.