Semitic Magic: Its Origins and Development

Book Description

A study of magical practices including direct translations of spells, rituals, and incantations in ancient Western Asia, the birthplace of Western civilization. Using knowledge preserved in cuneiform incantation tablets from Assyria, aided by Rabbinic tradition, Syriac writings, and Arabic tales, Thompson tracks early magical practices through 3000 years to its vestigial traces in contemporary society. Smythe-sewn. Index. Appendix. Collectors: these special editions go quickly!

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Primer for the curious.......2007-09-03

Although some of its suggestions and theories would appear to be outdated, it is an excellent work and will drive the curious to seek out more information on the varied subjects it covers beneath the umbrella of Semetic magic as traced or linked to older sources and its influence over various cultures and religous ideologies.

It is filled with accounts of ghuls, ghosts, demons and gods. It roams amidst their horrid habitations and divulges some of their strange and terrible secrets whilst giving the wary some ideas of ancient protective measures against them. It covers many of the concepts of demonic possesion amoungst the ancients and expands on curious myths you may have seen only hints of through the Quran, Tanak or Christian bible. It is a great source for myths and magical details including an Assyrian ritual that would seem to be an ancient origin for the modern concept of the Qabbalistic Cross Ritual, the idea of laying on of hands in faith healing and the concept of a guardian being. To quote:

"Unto the house on entering
Samas (is) before me,
Sin (is) behind [me],
Nergal (is) at [my] right hand,
Ninib (is) at my left hand;
When I draw near unto the sick man,
When I lay my hand on the head of the sick man,
May a kindly Spirit, a kindly Guardian, stand at my side."

The quote above is one of many very interesting bits of information contained in this book. I recommend it highly.

Average customer rating:

Disappointing

Arabian Parts Decoded
Lind Weber
Manufacturer: American Federation of Astrologers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Arabic Parts in Astrology: A Lost Key to Prediction
Brady's Book of Fixed Stars
The Vertex: The Third Angle
The Fixed Stars And Constellations in Astrology
The Combination of Stellar Influences

ASIN: 0866904719

Book Description

The Arabian Parts Decoded is an all-encompassing work on the ancient techniques of the Arabian Parts, also called Points, Lots, and Fortunes. First used more than 2,000 years ago, their mystique has survived and thrived throughout the centuries. Lind Weber, an astrologer who has calculated and studied thousands of Parts as they apply to various events, thoroughly explains how to formulate the Arabian Parts for any event or question. He reveals the startling discoveries he made regarding the calculation of the Parts, thus taking their use to a new level. Also in this dynamic volume, which includes thorough attention to Fortuna, is the use of the Arabian Parts in natal charts and in forecasting an unlimited variety of events-with many examples to illustrate the author's concepts. He includes progressed Parts, midpoints, and aspects to Jupiter and Saturn. Never has a volume about the Arabian Parts been as complete as this one, which brings one of astrology's most ancient techniques to the modern age.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing.......2007-06-13

If you have ever tried to use astrological parts, you know that a good understanding of their delineation and outstanding examples are the prerequesites for the integration of these tools in daily practice. In that sense, the book of Robert Zoller maked some years ago a breakthrough. It is not really the case with this study. Its meaning is obscure and the structure of the content is not well thought. It is also quite difficult to read. AFA has done a fine job with the translation of fine classic astrological books. This one is desappointing, alas...

Lost Cities and Ancient Mysteries of Africa and Arabia (The Lost City Series)

Average customer rating:

I hope no one takes this book seriously
Lots of flavor, little facts...
Very interesting read
Sublimely Goofy Entertainment
A very interesting historical travelogue

Lost Cities and Ancient Mysteries of Africa and Arabia (The Lost City Series)
David Hatcher Childress
Manufacturer: Adventures Unlimited Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Africa | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books

Lost Cities of China, Central Asia and India (The Lost City Series)
Lost Cities of Atlantis, Ancient Europe & the Mediterranean (Lost Cities Series) (Lost Cities Series)
Lost Cities and Ancient Mysteries of South America (Lost Cities Series)
Lost Cities of Ancient Lemuria and the Pacific (The Lost City Series)
Lost Cities of North & Central America (The Lost City Series)

ASIN: 0932813062

Customer Reviews:

I hope no one takes this book seriously.......2006-01-02

A synopsis of the first chapter: around 12,000 BCE, three very powerful civilizations existed in and around the Mediterranean. Atlantis was a mini-continent in the Atlantic Ocean west of the Straight of Gibraltar. The Osirian Empire was located in the basin of what is now the Mediterranean Sea and the Rama Empire existed throughout Persia and into India. The civilizations of both Atlantis and Rama possessed flying airships, very similar to those commonly reported as modern-day UFOs. In addition, the Rama Empire had some type of laser-based weapon. They used anti-gravity technology to levitate giant cut stones weighing three million pounds into position at a site in modern-day Lebanon as a landing pad for their airships.

According to Jared Diamond, a preeminent cultural anthropologist, the development of agriculture did not occur until around 11,000 BCE and was localized in the Fertile Crescent until 7,500 BCE. Since one can trace food surpluses as a requirement for the settlement of cities and subsequent development of technology in cultures all over the world, it seems unlikely, at best, that the Rama Empire possessed airships, laser weapons and anti-gravity technology before humans domesticated the pea (in 8,500 BCE). It just seems a little difficult to believe that in between hunting and gathering, people had time to construct flying ships, weaponize lasers and employ anti-gravity technology. This is especially remarkable given that it took humans 14,000 years to redevelop the technology for flight and we still haven't been able to weaponize lasers or develop anti-gravity technology.

The book may appeal to people looking for an interesting read, but it should not be taken as a scholarly work. In fact, the author's attempts to cite scholarly sources and research to justify his claims are laughable. Also, there are numerous typographical errors (mostly omitted prepositions and possessives as well as punctuation errors).

Lots of flavor, little facts..........2002-05-05

Ok, let's get one thing out of the way. David Childress is not an archeologist. Some people seem to get hung up on this, so let's make that real clear. I always see his books in the "Travel Narrative" section of the bookstore, and that's exactly what they are... great travel narratives.

The books has two modes. Mr. Childress' travel stories, and his telling of "wacky" theories of the places he visits. Within the first 25 pages, you have stories of ancient nuclear weapons, flying machines, and continent spanning civilizations that no one has heard of! And he explains that this is the "easiest" way of rationalizing the things he has seen! (Such as, giant blocks of stone that are too big to move, "even by modern engineering").

On the whole, this is a great read if you want some insight into the crazy ideas that exist out there. Childress seems to have a mainline into most of them. His travel writing is pretty good too.

One note: the editing is terrible. Spelling and typos all over the place. The typography & layout of the book do leave something to be desired.

Very interesting read.......2002-03-11

I picked up this book not realizing that I had already read excerpts from it in another of Childress' books. I was headed for Jordan and was interested in reading up on Petra when I found this book. As I read more, it began to get really interesting. His broad coverage of various theories of ancient civilizations is fascinating, if sometimes hard to believe. But, that being said, there are so many unexplained civilizations out there that, however fanciful the explanations may be, who knows, some may even be correct!! It's an entertaining read, and really causes you to reconsider some very basic historical facts that may turn out to be in error. How DID those guys at the Temple of Ba'al move 2 million pound stones?!? Makes you wonder!!

Sublimely Goofy Entertainment.......2000-05-04

Let's face it: this isn't a very good book. Then again, "Godzilla vs. Monster Zero" wasn't a very "good" (if we must assign labels) movie. Childress, a "maverick archaeologist" who seems to spend most of his time floundering around grimly impoverished Third World locales and getting nowhere with evasive women at bars, provides an insanely amusing travelogue of his journeys through the jungles and exotic landscapes of Africa and Arabia, commenting along the way on the unknown Atlantean, Lemurian, and other civilizations that flourished once upon a time and were responsible for the Pyramids, THE MAHABHARATA, and presumably Jimmy Hoffa's and D.B. Cooper's whereabouts. The most insane thing about this book is that a lot of it might be true. So far as I know, we still know very little about the Neolithic era, and the concept of "lost" civilizations would imaginably appeal to many readers depressed at the state of the world (including myself). However, I must agree with the other negative reviewer that Childress offers no convincing evidence to support his theories (and not very much UNconvincing evidence, either). The only sources he uses are hopelessly mossbound Victorian "explorers" (who knows how many African bearers' lives they may have used up to supply this book with fodder for speculation?) who had their own "issues" to deal with. Don't even get me started on the possible cultural-studies implications of this book. That being said, it WAS a lot of fun, and he does occasionally come up with some exciting memories and fantastical theories that NEARLY make up for my having read this book.

A very interesting historical travelogue.......2000-04-10

David Hatcher Childress' Lost Cities series has proven to be consistently interesting, and Lost Cities and Ancient Mysteries of Africa and Arabia is no exception. Taking the everyman approach to travel writing, Childress' accounts of his travels through Arabia and Egypt are very interesting and insightful, full of both interesting travel advice relevant to the regions he travelled through and accounts of personal experiences that make his stories very interesting to read. He thoroughly covers all of the major and most of the minor historical sites to be found throughout Africa and Arabia, often at great personal risk. It took guts to make the journeys he has made, many of which were in areas very dangerous for Americans, and a talent for writing to make them interesting. I thoroughly recommend this and all of the other Lost Cities series of books to all would-be travelers with an open mind and an interest in the unusual.

Average customer rating:

High Praises for Arabian spirit

Arabian Spirit (Spirit of the Horse)
Betsy Sikora Siino
Manufacturer: BowTie Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Veterinary Medicine | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Animal Husbandry | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

Arabians pb
The Arabian Horse (Edge Books: Horses)
The Arabian: A Guide for Owners
Flight without Wings: The Arabian Horse and the Show World
Arabians From the Camera of Johnny Johnston

ASIN: 1889540161

Book Description

Elegant, brave, and possessing extraordinary physical gifts, the Arabian was the horse of choice of Noah and George Washington, among others. This book captures the Arabian in all its glory for today's horse lovers.

Customer Reviews:

High Praises for Arabian spirit.......2000-08-02

Nothing but high praises from me on this book. I found it to be a great book. The pictures are great, the text and information is clear, and imformative. I'am a major Arabian devotee and I think that this book is one of the best on the Arabian breed. Its a must have for all Arabian enthusists!

Gay Tales and Verses from the Arabian Nights

Average customer rating:

Hidden Tales

Gay Tales and Verses from the Arabian Nights

Manufacturer: Banned Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Folklore & Mythology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0934411271

Customer Reviews:

Hidden Tales.......1998-01-06

When I came across this book, I was extremely surprised. Among a well-known anthology of stories known the world over, there are "gay" tales! These tales are like the other tales of the 1001 Arabian Nights, with the invoking of Allah at the beginning of each story, and the dreamlike quality of the other Tales. Also included within the book are poems and verses, all gay-themed, of course. This book is highly recommended. Find it if you can.

Average customer rating:

Arabian And Syriac Alchemy
Arthur Edward Waite
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Magic | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Alchemy | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1417906634

Book Description

THIS 22 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Secret Tradition in Alchemy, by Arthur Edward Waite. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 0922802831.

Average customer rating:

Of Furnaces
GEBER THE ARABIAN ALCHEMIST
Manufacturer: Holmes Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Occultism | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0916411389

Book Description

The Ways of their Alchemical Operation, illustrated with numerous examples, and a glossary appended.

Average customer rating:

Searching for Mooneyes
Angie Grainger
Manufacturer: Athena Press Publishing Co. UK
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

New Age | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1844019721

Book Description

Clairvoyant, hypnotherapist, reiki healer and spiritual guide... the author's astonishing life story has turned from one of negative thoughts to one where she uses her gifts generously to help others advance along life's pathway. Why waste time being unhappy? seems to be her principle, and with a varied career behind her as an air hostess in the Gulf States, then as a supply teacher to problem children in southern England, the author has seen her fair share of unhappiness in others. Her personal life too, with its well of loneliness, difficult relationships, a brief marriage and - as yet - an absence of children, has raised issues that would have smothered frailer souls for ever. The breakthrough came in a mysterious way in South Dakota, where the author found kinship in a profound sense with the Lakota Sioux, of Wounded Knee fame. Here, helped by a spirit guide, Mooneyes, she touched base with the essence of her being and purpose. Reassembling her identity and adopting a new, brighter persona, has taken her into the realms of maturity and fulfilment. This joyful development forms the theme of her enlightening and uplifting autobiography.

The Sultanate of Oman: A Twentieth Century History

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The Sultanate of Oman: A Twentieth Century History
Miriam Joyce
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

Oman | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

Saudi Arabia | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0275952223

Book Description

This study is based on extensive research in British sources and includes material from archives in the United States. The last chapter, which covers the period from 1970, is based on Omani newspapers and interviews with Omani officials conducted in 1994. Throughout the 20th century, Omani rulers were confronted with rebellious tribes and threatened by movements originating outside the sultanate, including Wahhabism, Arab nationalism, and communism. The discovery of oil in the 1960s did not free the Omani people from poverty or seclusion. The Sultan's subjects were only liberated in 1970, when a coup d'etat led by Sayyid Qaboos bin Said, enabled Oman to build a modern infrastructure, join the Arab World and the international community.

The Wounded Spirit: T.E. Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom

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The Wounded Spirit: T.E. Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom
Jeffrey Meyers
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

World War I | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Very Rare Glassware of the Depression Years: Identification and Values (Fifth Series)
Average customer rating:

Amazing book!

You will be drooling over the photos!

Valuable asset to collectors

Very Rare Glassware of the Depression Years: Identification and Values (Fifth Series)
Gene Florence
Manufacturer: Collector Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Glass & Glassware | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Glass & Glassware | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Collector's Encyclopedia of Depression Glass

Elegant Glassware of the Depression Era: Identification and Value Guide (Elegant Glassware of the Depression Era)

Elegant Glassware Of The Depression Era: Identification and Value Guide (Elegant Glassware of the Depression Era)

Florence's Glassware Pattern Identification Guide: Easy Identification for Glassware from the 1920s Through the 1960s

Fenton Art Glass Patterns 1939-1980: Identification & Value Guide (Fenton Art Glass)

ASIN: 0891457399

Book Description

Gene Florence, the foremost authority on Depression era glassware, has compiled another edition in his Very Rare series. This book features over 200 pieces of very rare Depression glass, including kitchen and elegant glass. Many of the pieces are one of a kind and others can be found in only limited quantities. Rarity can be determined by an unusual color or pattern. This beautiful, hard-cover book presents the 'rarest of the rare' in large photos showing every detail along with values. These rarities can still surface in unexpected places. A fairly common-looking pitcher found for 50 cents at a garage sale could turn out to be one of its kind, worth hundreds of dollars. Many of these pieces will never be seen by the average collector. The exposure of these items in this book along with the other four in the series may help you discover a rarity. These essential and informative books help you know what to look for in your glassware searches. 1997 values. AUTHORBIO: A collector since childhood, Gene Florence's hobby of buying and selling glassware turned into a full-time career. First writing a book on Depression Glass, Florence has gone on to author many popular glassware titles including books on Depression Glass; Occupied Japan Collectibles; Kitchen Glassware; Very Rare Glassware; 40s, 50s, 60s Glassware;Elegant Glassware; Stemware; Glassware Pattern Identification; Anchor Hocking's Fire-King; Glass Candlesticks; and Salt Pepper Shakers. REVIEW: This book highlights those infrequently seen, hard-to-find items from the Depression era and the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. It is the 5th in a 6-book series.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing book!.......2002-04-05

I was not expecting this book to be what it is and still am surprised.It is a collection of photos with some details about the author's and other's private collections of rare collectibles(vases,bowls,lamps,etc).All are beautiful photographs and amazing peices!A totally wonderful book for anyone who loves collectible glass!!!

You will be drooling over the photos!.......2001-03-24

It is not likely you will ever encounter any of the glass shown in this book but the book is worth buying anyway for anyone who enjoys collecting depression glass. The photos in this book will have you drooling for hours. And who knows? You might actually find one of these beauties one day and buy it because you remember seeing it in the book and knowing that the $50 asking price was well worth it since Gene says its worth $2000!

Valuable asset to collectors.......1999-09-13

Excellent and informative detail. I strongly suggest adding this book to your library.

VERY RARE GLASSWARE OF THE DEPRESSION YEARS : IDENTIFICATION AND VALUES

Average customer rating:

VERY RARE GLASSWARE OF THE DEPRESSION YEARS : IDENTIFICATION AND VALUES
GENE FLORENCE
Manufacturer: COLLECTOR BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KVBEZE

Customer Reviews:

Does what it promises.......2001-07-09

This book was written many years ago, but its advice is still valid here in the 21st century. The premise of the book, as the title promises, is that gardeners can grow a vast quantity of produce in a very small space. Newcomb's book introduces the idea of intensive gardening and gives practical instructions for creating small, productive gardens.

Topics are wide-ranging and include discussions on creating raised vegetable beds; soil amendments; training vegetable plants to use less space; and planting different types of plants together for beneficial effects -- or to avoid potentially growth-retarding effects. While this sounds like it might make for a dull table of contents, Newcomb's enthusiasm makes the book fun to read.

This book appears to be ahead of its time. Not only is it practical and to the point, but it also champions environmental ideas such as efficient use of resources and organic pesticides. Newcomb even discusses how to use beneficial flowers to help ward off insect attacks and disease on specific vegetables.

Apartment dwellers in particular might today benefit from this book. Because I've employed Newcomb's methods, I know that they work. It is possible to generate an astonishing amount of fresh produce from a 4'x8' raised vegetable bed, especially if you plant seasonally. Although this book has been revised and republished, bargain-priced copies of the original edition are probably still floating around used book stores.

The Postage Stamp Garden Book: How to Grow All the Food You Can Eat in Very Little Space
Average customer rating:
The Postage Stamp Garden Book: How to Grow All the Food You Can Eat in Very Little Space
Duane G. Newcomb
Manufacturer: J P Tarcher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OV6V2Q

Book Description

There is a number of problems connected with the study and teaching of any Oriental literature in general and of Tamil literature specifically which have to date been mostly ignored, although they are indispensable for solid knowledge and correct interpretation and understanding of the literature in question. These include problems of authenticity and authorship, of transmission and tradition, writing tools and materials, of relationship of orality to literacy, of Sanskrit to Tamil, the prehistory of Tamil written literature, the numerous texts that have been lost, scholarly lineages and the rediscovery of ancient Tamil literature etc. The book deals with all these problems as well as with some specific Tamil cultural phenomena such as the concept of "threefold Tamil" or the relationship of literature ('marked') to grammar ('marker'), with the derivation of the term "Tamil" and with the history of Tamil literary historiography. It will be indispensable as an introduction to the study of the more than 2000 years of Tamil literary history. By addressing questions which have thus far been almost completely neglected, it has also decisive impact on the interpretative comprehension of Tamil literature and on the teaching of this very rich heritage of verbal art.

Companion Studies to the History of Tamil Literature.

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Companion Studies to the History of Tamil Literature.
K.V./ Zvelebil, Kamil V./ Zvelebil, K. Zvelebil
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N6C9VE

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