Book Review

Title: The Encyclopedia of Natural Magic

Author: John Michael Greer

Genre/Type: Herbal Magic, Reference, Spellbook

My Personal Thoughts: This book is a good combination of practical exercises, theory, and reference material, and I think it is great book for beginners just starting out. I think it would also make a great reference for anyone who has been practicing for a while, and maybe wants to learn or incorporate a new kind of magic into their practice as well. The information is presented in a way that is easy to understand, and my favorite part of it is probably the way the book approaches magical theory. I'd say overall the book fully addresses each of the primary components of what makes up magic based on the natural world.

Technical: The information is presented pretty neutrally, without much overt catering to any one tradition, though Greer's background as a druid is present. The book is well organized, moving from the theoretical to the practical to the creative personalization/choice of how to incorporate the magic being taught into your practice. It includes a section in the middle with organized tables of correspondences and uses of a variety of materials using a variety of categories for quick reference. It includes a decently sized bibliography in the back with relevant sources, and has an index as well for easier look-up. I think this is a good resource on combining multiple specific magics into a broader practice.

Overall Rating: 4/5