Reviews
...the Dictionary of Ancient Magic Words and Spells is a useful and trustworthy reference work, rooted in academic scholarship that will prove of interest to both researcher and magical practitioner alike., Reading the Dictionary of Ancient Magic Words and Spells confirmed for me that despite the differences in time and place, there is consistence in our desire to create less suffering, protection, and to connect with the sense of power that magick helps us glimpse. Claude Lecouteux's tone is easy to read and at times outright humorous, in that charming way that experts in a field they love tend to be. I intend to seek out his other works, as I am certain he has taken the same great care in his research and writing of these other titles., Lecouteux has analyzed more than 7000 spells from numerous magical traditions. We find spells for protection, love, wealth and healing, with a charted evolution showing how a spell can morph down through the centuries. Presenting a wealth of material on magical words, signs and charms, Lecouteux also explores the magical words and spells of ancient Scandinavia, the Hispano-Arabic magic of Spain, the ancient Egyptian traditions and customs that have stayed in use until the present day., The anything-but-dry presentation by Lecouteux makes this book a must-add for someone curating careful resources for magic work. This belongs on a shelf between that favorite, oft-used herbal and that collection of favorite spells. The history, illustrations, and above all the words themselves beg for a reintroduction into living use--although, word of warning, few of them are actually rated as valid in Scrabble.
