This book helps introduce you to new ways to think about reality. It also integrates/combines several different philosophies (religious/pschological/sociological) and reduces them down to their bare bones usefulness. Required reading for anyone wanting to know more about how to "create their own reality." ( )

This book is OK but rather dated and not very deep. It's a genuine puzzle, the division between objectively verifiable scientific results and the routine technology that can be built on that, versus the fuzzy side of experience that is variously subjective, unverifiable, erroneous, fraudulent, illusory, etc. Magic and various sorts of psychic phenomena certainly, hmm, well they don't really straddle the line. More like they huddle on the illusion side of the line and regularly knock on the door, requesting entry into the objective realm. Sometimes they are granted tourist visa or restricted residence visas.

This book is a kind of 1970s request for magic to be granted citizenship in the world of science, or at least a plan for pulling together the necessary documentation for a formal request.

For me, the much more interesting game is to look at various facets of experience and to examine how we try to categorize them and how those categories help or hinder the various projects of happiness, power, etc.

Bonewits provides an excellent annotated bibliography - again, a bit dated, but still very worthwhile. ( )

The first book to scientifically state the "laws" of magic from a cross-cultural stance. Without this book, most of current magical theory would be very different.

Read this quite a while back, but I found it very entertaining and informative. His way of thinking about magic and energy appeals to me a great deal, as it strokes the scientific side of my nature and makes it easier for me to get into the magical mindset. That said, it was dry sometimes, and people who have a dogmatic view of religion or magic probably won't like it. ( )

Review located at http://lupabitch.wordpress.com/2006/12/30/real-magic-isaac-bonewits/