About the author
Frank Klaassen is a historian and professor at the University of Saskatchewan specializing in the history of magic in medieval and early modern Europe. His catalogued books, both published by Penn State University Press, are works of manuscript scholarship rather than practical guides. Making Magic in Elizabethan England presents critical editions of two anonymous manuscripts, the Antiphoner Notebook and the Boxgrove Manual, which Klaassen argues represent the everyday practice of magic far more accurately than famous grimoires do. The Transformations of Magic (2015) traces the split between image magic, which could be justified in scholastic terms, and ritual magic, across late medieval and Renaissance manuscripts. Klaassen's work is grounded in archival research and aimed at readers of academic history rather than practitioners, offering a documented account of what illicit learned magic actually looked like on the page.
📖 Where to start with Frank Klaassen
💬 What our editors say about Frank Klaassen's books
“Klaassen and Wright deliver a meticulous academic study that will appeal primarily to specialists in Tudor history and legal anthropology. The reliance on translated legal documents provides fresh evidence regarding necromantic…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on The Magic of Rogues: Necromancers in Early Tudor England Klaassen, Frank
“Klaassen delivers a meticulously researched analysis that fundamentally re-evaluates the relationship between medieval and Renaissance occultism. By unearthing distinct lineages of forbidden magic, he demonstrates how ritual…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on The Transformations of Magic: Illicit Learned Magic in the Later Middle Ages and Renaissance Klaassen, Frank
“Klaassen provides a rigorous academic examination of two anonymous manuscripts, offering fresh insights into early modern magical theory and practice. However, readers seeking practical grimoire instructions or entertaining…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Making Magic in Elizabethan England: Two Early Modern Vernacular Books of Magic Klaassen, Frank
📋 Editions by Frank Klaassen in the catalog
| Edition | Year | Publisher | Pages | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Magic of Rogues: Necromancers in Early Tudor England Klaasse | 2021 | Penn State University Pres | 176 | 9780271089294 |
| The Transformations of Magic: Illicit Learned Magic in the Later | 2015 | Penn State University Pres | 280 | 9780271056272 |
| Making Magic in Elizabethan England: Two Early Modern Vernacular | 2021 | Penn State University Pres | 160 | 9780271083698 |
| Making Magic in Elizabethan England: Two Early Modern Vernacular | 2019 | Penn State University Pres | 160 | 9780271083681 |
