Review: Little Giant Encyclopedia of Spells and Magic
A little review with a big title!
I recently purcahsed The Little Giant Encyclopedia of Spells & Magic, which is a neat, inexpensive, little book. It’s a very brief, simple encyclopedia of superstitions and magic beliefs that covers a lot of ground. First off, let me say that I don’t think anyone should try 99% of what’s in this book! A lot of it involves either dangerous materials or cruelty to animals. However, as a reference to what the people of Europe thought of or about magic, it’s pretty cool.
There are several sections, each highlighting a different area of magic. Everything from witches to alchemy to the Kabbalah. And, while I have to admit it’s not always the most accurate information, it at least gives a good overview of what was going on. Each section has a little bit of history, a couple of important historical figures related to that particular practice, and some of the general ideas involved.
While this is far from a book of practical magic, it is nice for either a writer or RPG game master who wants to add a bit of color to their work. At the very least, it’s a good reference overview that let’s you decide what general area to focus on and then find more information. If you take it for what it is, it’s a good little reference book.
