Temple of Set Reading List: Category 23
Lesser Black Magic
Reprinted from: "The Crystal Tablet of Set" (c) Temple of Set 1989 CE Weirdbase file version
by TS permission by Michael A. Aquino, Ipsissimus VI* Temple of Set
There are Lesser Black Magical principles to be found throughout this reading list, to be sure, but there are also works which focus primarily or principally on the concept or technique itself. LBM is defined and discussed in "Black Magic in Theory and Practice" in the "Crystal Tablet of Set", and generally embraces what ordinary human minds conceive as "magic". Hence this category begins with four books on stage-magic, which will (a) enable the Setian to satisfy those who ask to "see some magic", and (b) offer the Setian excellent training in the basic techniques of attention control and behavior & attitude manipulation so crucial to more serious applications of LBM.
Following the stage-magic works are books dealing with the social environment so conducive to LBM operations. Setians are advised to pursue active operations of LBM only after they have schooled themselves in the relevant ethical fields as treated in category 16. 23A. "The Great Book of Magic" by Wendy Rydell with George Gilbert. NY: Harry N. Abrams, 1976. (TS-2)
MA: "There are a great many stage-magical manuals on the market, but I have recommended this one because it fills a great many requirements: It is a large, well-printed, clearly illustrated, quality paperback. It is reasonably priced ($10). It contains instructions for over 150 very effective tricks. It contains an excellent introduction (the first half of the book) dealing with the history and major personalities of stage-magic, with major sub-sections on the Black Arts [including some rare photos of the Church of Satan's Central and Lilith Grottos ca. VII]." 23B. "Thirteen Steps to Mentalism" by Corinda. NY: Louis Tannen, 1967. (TS- 3)
MA: "This and #23C are the recognized classic texts in the stage-magic art of mentalism. It is one of the more difficult fields to master, but it is also one of the most impressive - even frightening - to use in a non- entertainment setting. The same principles used for these mentalism tricks can be adapted to a great many LBM situations. Both this and #23C are usually stock items in stage-magic shops. Despite this, it is surprising how few people read the books, hence know their secrets." 23C. "Practical Mental Effects" by Theodore Anneman. NY: Tannen Magic, 1963. (TS-3)
MA: "The second classic in the mentalism field. Since it is a reprint of a 1944 work, I would recommend #23B as being more clearly printed and in general easier to read. But either work is excellent from a technical standpoint." 23D. "The 1985-86 Magic Directory" by Christopher Monson (Publisher). Monson Productions, P.O. Box 5324, Madison, WI 53705. (TS-3)
MA: "This is a magazine-size, annually-revised paperback directory of almost every store, association, publication, company, club, and venture associated with stage- magic. It is subdivided into state and national sections, as well as English and foreign-language sections. There is nothing else quite like it. Even if you are not a stage- magic devotee, it is a good book to toss into your suitcase when traveling, since local magic shops are always good points of interest and contact in unfamiliar areas. [And many of them, particularly in Europe, are impressive mini-museums as well.]" 23E. "The Prince" by Niccolo Machiavelli. NY: Washington Square Press, 1963. (TS-3)
MA: "You'll find a summary of The Prince in #16A, but if you're going to get seriously involved in the social jungle, you should probably read the book itself, since it is still the classic of practical power politics. A short, succinct work written in a crisp, no-nonsense style. Nevertheless it is not, as the vulgar assume, an argument for viciousness or callousness in political affairs, but is predicated upon the prince's underlying ethical goals for his country." 23F. "The B.S. Factor: The Theory and Technique of Faking It in America" by Arthur Herzog. NY: Simon & Schuster, 1973. (TS-2)
MA: "In Machiavelli's day the world was sufficiently lawless to make force a viable alternative in day-to-day affairs. In a highly ordered nation such as the United States, however, manipulation must often take more subtle and psychological forms. This book is one of the best analyses of them. It focuses on the twisting and warping of language to mold opinions and behavior. Written humorously, but with serious underlying principles." 23G. "A Primer of Politics" by James E. Combs and Dan Nimmo. NY: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1984. (TS-3)
MA: "A political science textbook dealing with the study of power according to the definitions, maxims, and recommendations of Machiavelli. Individuals, episodes, organizations, governments, and ideologies from ancient times to the present are offered as case studies. Mini-biographies of the various political leaders used in the case studies are included, with the result that this book reads like an anthology of dramatic episodes in the shaping of history - which in a way it is.
Some leaders treated: Walter Lippman, Jefferson, Catherine the Great, Charles de Gaulle, Hitler, Madison, Madame de Pompadour, Disraeli, John Marshall, Elizabeth I, Eva Peron, Gandhi, Richard III, Mao, Cicero, Lincoln, FDR, Richelieu, Bismarck, Jackson, J. Edgar Hoover, Henry II, Tallyrand, Lenin, Goebbels, Stalin, Augustus Caesar, and Nicholas II.
Whenever I have prescribed this text for a Political Theory course, students have gone wild over it, reading far more than assigned and using its concepts as a knife to cut through the jungle of doubletalk, deceit, hypocrisy, and inertia of modern political society. A book for the 1980s - in some ways regrettably so." 23H. "The Hidden Dimension" by Edward T. Hall. Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Co., 1966. (TS-3)
MA: "The best study to date of 'proxemics' - the LBM technique involving, in the author's words, 'social and personal space and man's perception of it'. Included are both a discussion of the principles involved in the design, control, and manipulation of proxemics, and a number of case studies - several ethnic and/or national/cultural in orientation - illustrating these principles. #23H is reviewed in "Runes" #III-4." 23I. "Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In" by Roger Fisher and William Ury. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1981 (Penguin paperback edition available). (TS-3)
MA: "This is a succinct (160 pages) manual on how to win arguments, particularly in a group or organizational setting. The step-by-step process results from studies and conferences by the Harvard Negotiation Project, a group which deals continually with various levels of conflict resolution. This is a book which raises what for most people is a 'blind, stumbling' ("Pistis") experience to a deliberate, controlled ("Dianoia") exercise."