Encyclopaedia of Magical Herbs (Llewellyn's Sourcebook Series)

Cunningham, Scott

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0875421229 ISBN 13: 9780875421223

Publisher: Llewellyn Publications,U.S., 1996

Expanded and revised, this comprehensive guide features magical uses of over 400 herbs and plants from all parts of the world. With over 400,000 copies in print, this reference book is a must for all who perform natural magic. It features illustrations for easy identification of every herb, in addition to common names, use, and rulership.

Review:

Some time ago I started to get into programming computers. There are books that teach programming languages. There are others that simply tell you what the commands are. They don't teach you how to program, but you can use the information to make your programs work. In a sense, programming books don't teach programming.
In a similar way, Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs doesn't teach you how to do spells (although it does give a brief outline so you can use this without any other book). What it does do is give you all the information you need to make your spells, talismans, amulets, and rituals work better.
This book has become a classic in its field. Every time I visit an occult shop that sells herbs, I look to see what books they use as resources. Inevitably, this book is there, usually quite beaten up from constant use. The pros use it and so do over 200,000 people like you.
The cross-referenced index of folk names could be a book by itself. Did you know that if a magical spell calls for "bats' wings" you should use holly? Or did you know that if a magical recipe called for "lapstones" you should use potato? If you had this book you would know all that and more. You'd also learn that ragweed can be used for courage; lily of the valley can enhance mental powers and happiness; and chrysanthemums can be used for protection.
This book by Scott Cunningham is truly encyclopedic. It gives information on over 400 herbs in an easy-to-use format that makes working with the book clear and simple. If you do any sort of magic with herbs, or if you are interested in folklore, this is a book you must have.

About the Author:

Scott Cunningham practiced magic actively for over twenty years. He was the author of more than fifty books covering both fiction and non-fiction subject matter; sixteen of his titles are published by Llewellyn Publications. Scott's books reflect a broad range of interests within the New Age sphere, where he was very highly regarded. He passed from this life on March 28, 1993, after a long illness.