REVIEW: The Book of Lies, by Richard Metzger

[Packie99]

A book I'd like to share with all of you:

The Book of Lies : The Disinformation Guide to Magick and the Occult

This is a book that I have read through several times. The author is a very interesting guy by the name of Richard Metzger. Although he authors the book, it mostly consists of individual articles and essays by famous occultists like Hakim Bey and Phil Hine. It covers so many topics and such a large scope, though don't expect to find any formula or hand holding along the way.

I would not recommend this book to a beginner, though I definitely won't say it won't benefit some people just beginning their exploration into all things occult. This is not ancient knowledge, and is instead a postmodern or post postmodern (or as Paul Laffoley might say "Bauharoque") book. It is something that will make you think.

What this book is not:
- A beginner's guide to the occult.
- About wicca or witchcraft, or any specific path (though it does touch on some, but not as a beginning manual)
- Step by step instructional formula for doing spells, or a dogmatic view of correspondences or any of that

This is something I'd recommend as an addition in every Occultist's, Magician's, or Witch's library. It will make you think, challenge your ideas of "reality", and possibly give you some new insight.

Just thought I'd share with everyone a book that has influenced me in many ways, and isn't your normal "how to book"--though there is absolutely nothing wrong with those books, they fill a big need.

Packie

[aphroditemoon]

This seems really cool! I'd love to pick it up, thanks for the recommendation!