Read our books for free
This companion and follow-up book to Shah’s Oriental Magic surveys the source literature on magic, much of it translated into English for the first time.
First published in 1957, The Secret Lore of Magic is a compendium of material from rare source books describing magical beliefs and practices around the world, and throughout history.
Together with Oriental Magic it provides one of the widest-ranging studies of human magical belief systems, and is thus a priceless reference for psychologists, ethnologists and others interested in the rise and development of human beliefs.
The Secret Lore of Magic helps readers understand what magic is and isn’t, while offering dependable information about what was previously a shadowy and confusing subject.
‘Essential reading for research in the fields of human beliefs, practices and ceremonies.’
The Book Exchange
‘[A] mammoth survey, never before attempted in any language.’
Liverpool Post
Idries Shah was born in India in 1924 into an aristocratic Afghan family. He was an author and teacher in the Sufi tradition and is considered one of the leading thinkers of the 20th century.
