Magic: The Basics Bailey, Michael D

Name: Magic: The Basics Bailey, Michael D
Price: 167.00 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: Bailey, Michael D
ISBN: 9781138809604

✍️ Bailey, Michael D

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167 $

📚 ABOUT THE BOOK

Unravel the universal threads of magic woven through human history and society.

Michael D. Bailey offers a refreshingly direct and engaging examination of magic, presenting it not as an isolated curiosity but as a pervasive global force. This essential introduction navigates magic's manifestations across diverse cultures and historical eras, from ancient rituals to contemporary practices. Adopting a thematic structure, the book skillfully dissects the intricate social, cultural, and historical dimensions of magical beliefs, providing a comprehensive overview for anyone seeking to understand this enduring human phenomenon. It's a foundational text for exploring magic's multifaceted roles in society.

Key themes

{'title': 'Global Manifestations of Magic', 'body': "This book transcends Eurocentric perspectives, showcasing how magic has appeared in myriad forms across every human culture. It highlights magic's universal presence, demonstrating its deep roots in diverse societies and belief systems, offering a truly global understanding rather than focusing on specific, isolated traditions."} {'title': 'Historical Evolution', 'body': 'Readers will trace the development of magical thought and practice throughout history. From its earliest recorded appearances to its shifting roles in contemporary societies, the book provides a rich historical tapestry, illustrating how magic has adapted, evolved, and persisted across different epochs and civilizations.'} {'title': 'Societal and Cultural Impact', 'body': 'Delving into the profound ways magic interacts with human communities, this work explores its social functions, cultural significance, and how it shapes identities. It examines magic not as an anomaly, but as an integral component of social structures, communal rituals, and individual worldviews in various cultural contexts.'}

In stock

🏛 Routledge 📅 2017 📖 192 pages 📔 Hardcover 📐 Hardcover ISBN: 9781138809604

Fun fact

Bailey's 'Magic: The Basics' is a triumph of concise scholarship, offering an unparalleled academic grounding in the subject. It excels at synthesizing vast amounts of information into an accessible, thematic narrative, making it an ideal first step for serious students. Those seeking practical spells or a focus on specific modern traditions might find it disappointingly academic. However, for anyone desiring a robust, globally-minded understanding of magic's enduring role in human culture and history, this book is an indispensable contribution to the field of Magick Studies.

📝 Description: Magic: The Basics Bailey, Michael D

Magic: The Basics is a concise and engaging introduction to magic in world history and contemporary societies. Presenting magic as a global phenomenon which has manifested in all human cultures, this book takes a thematic approach which explores the historical, social, and cultural aspects of magic.

⭐ Reader reviews

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⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

If you're curious about magic's pervasive influence across civilizations, or seeking an accessible, scholarly entry point into its academic study, this book offers a clear, insightful journey. It's perfect for students of comparative religion, anthropology, or anyone with a broad interest in occult…

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❓ Frequently asked questions

No, this book offers an academic overview of magic's history, social functions, and cultural significance, providing intellectual understanding rather than practical instruction.

While acknowledging diverse traditions, its primary approach is thematic and global, exploring magic as a universal human phenomenon rather than concentrating on a single magical system.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Global Manifestations of Magic

This book transcends Eurocentric perspectives, showcasing how magic has appeared in myriad forms across every human culture. It highlights magic's universal presence, demonstrating its deep roots in diverse societies and belief systems, offering a truly global understanding rather than focusing on specific, isolated traditions.

Historical Evolution

Readers will trace the development of magical thought and practice throughout history. From its earliest recorded appearances to its shifting roles in contemporary societies, the book provides a rich historical tapestry, illustrating how magic has adapted, evolved, and persisted across different epochs and civilizations.

Societal and Cultural Impact

Delving into the profound ways magic interacts with human communities, this work explores its social functions, cultural significance, and how it shapes identities. It examines magic not as an anomaly, but as an integral component of social structures, communal rituals, and individual worldviews in various cultural contexts.

💬 Quotes from the book

«Magic, far from being a fringe belief, has consistently served as a foundational element in shaping human understanding of the cosmos and our place within it.»

«To truly grasp magic's essence, one must look beyond its superficial forms and delve into the social needs and cultural frameworks it addresses in diverse societies.»

📜 Historical context

This work contributes significantly to the growing academic fields of Magick Studies, anthropology, and comparative religion. It builds upon a long tradition of scholarly inquiry, moving beyond anecdotal or purely spiritual interpretations to situate magic within its broader human context, much like pioneering ethnographers and historians of religion have done in their foundational studies.

📚 Glossary

Magick Studies
Anthropology
Comparative Religion

📔 Questions to reflect on

{'prompt': "Consider a contemporary cultural practice that might be perceived as 'magic' by an outsider. How does its cultural context define its meaning and function?"}
{'prompt': "Reflect on how a society's understanding of 'magic' might reflect its broader scientific, religious, or philosophical worldview. Provide a historical example."}
{'prompt': 'In what ways has the concept of magic been both embraced and suppressed throughout history? What societal factors might account for these shifts?'}