Book Review: Modern Magick

AUTHOR: Donald Michael Kraig

FORMAT: I read it in ebook format, but it also comes in print format.

AVAILABILITY: I purchased this book from Amazon. It is also available from Barnes & Noble (though the prices are much higher).

WHAT THE BOOK OFFERS: In this book, the author outlines practices that the reader should develop into habits. As much a book on self-improvement as anything else, Donald Michael Kraig includes rituals that aid in visualization, building confidence, and developing self-discipline. This is no simple book on Magick, but seems to offer the groundwork for the reader becoming an all-round better person through the use of ritual and the development of their Magickal ability. 

Within these twelve lessons, I found Magickal applications for many of the things I've learned through being treated for bipolar disorder. And, in fact, Donald Michael Kraig includes Neuro-Linguistic Programming as part of his lesson for the developmental process of the modern practitioner of Magick.

Not only that, the author includes at the end of each chapter extensive bibliographies, and lesson questions to be answered by the student. 

WHAT I DISLIKED ABOUT THE BOOK: Mainly its price. I have a limited budget. Even $9.99 (USD) is a lot to spend on an ebook.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE BOOK: I found the book an enjoyable read, and even tried to tough out the entire section on sex magick, which, as an asexual, I doubt I'll ever participate in under any capacity. All of the information I read (even that on sex magick) was easy to understand. Donald Michael Kraig took the time to explain the jargon, sometimes in excruciating detail, but I appreciated it all. By doing it his way, he ensures that his readers understand even some of the finer nuances of the lessons he wrote. It may be a bit tedious and boring for a more experienced practitioner of Magick, but I have a feeling I'll be referring to this book for information I need for many years to come, even if it's only to find another book to buy from his bibliographies.

One of the things I especially liked was the FAQ section he included at the back of the book. It was nice to see that a number of my own questions had been asked by other readers, and then answered by the author.

And, an interesting phenomenon happened as I read this book. To be honest, at the beginning, I wasn't sure that I should even bother reading this book. And, in fact, I was expecting a lot of what I tend to call woo-woo stuff—information that was incomplete or too "out there" for me to believe in. However, that was not what I found, and in fact, whenever I began to doubt that I should be looking into this particular branch of the occult, the next time I opened it to read more after such thoughts, the text would address my thoughts. This happened on more than one occasion—every single time I began to doubt that this is the right path for me. 

I'm not usually one who sees Signs in everything, but it became pretty clear to me that this was the right book, at the right time, for me. 

WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK?: I would definitely recommend this book, particularly to the newcomer to Magick. Donald Michael Kraig's overview of Ceremonial Magick offers, I think, a good starting point for anyone who thinks this particular style of Magick may be for them.

CLOSING REMARKS: Modern Magick offers concrete guidelines for beginning one's Magickal journey and points at many other books for the continuation of study. I did not feel talked-down-to or condescended to by the author, who repeatedly advises his readers to perform further study. Given my overall experience with this book, I feel it was the best place for me to start my reading on the occult.