In addition to the great suggestions from others (I'll definitely have to grab WITCHCRAFT CONTINUED...), I'd add Judith Devlin's THE SUPERSTITIOUS MIND. That's just in the European context, mind you - there's much more material on the use of such works overseas...
On the other hand, I would also question whether I'd include your typical grimoire as "high magic" (which to me applies more to Ficino, Agrippa, and rites of a more theurgic character). Also, the term "use" could be problematic. Does a practitioner just keep the book on their shelves to establish their credentials? Do they make use of the charms within? Do they use some more than others? Are they unable to read the book, but do they take inspiration from the illustrations? I think Devlin and Davies will illustrate the complexity of these determinations.
Dan Harms
Coordinator of Instruction Librarian
State University of New York - Cortland
Memorial Library B-110
(607) - 753-4042
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From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic on behalf of jason winslade
Sent: Fri 2/3/2006 5:08 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: grimoire reference
This was mentioned some time ago in someone's post, but I was looking for some sort of academic reference to the fact that uneducated folk practitioners also used high magick grimoires. Basically, I just wanted to make the point that the distinction between high and low magick is less clear than is usually established. Just for a footnote, you know? If anyone can point me to a text, that'd be great. Thanks,
JLW
oisin
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