Tab Article

ratings: ★★★★☆ (4.2/5)
Genre: Occult, Witchcraft, Magic, Esoteric Studies, History

Book Review:
Rollo Ahmed's ''The Black Art,'' first published in 1936, is a classic and authoritative survey of the history and practice of witchcraft and black magic. Reissued here by Senate with an introduction by the master of the occult thriller, Dennis Wheatley, this book remains a fascinating and informative read for anyone intrigued by the shadow side of human belief.

The book's timing was significant. It appeared in the wake of Wheatley's own phenomenal success with The Devil Rides Out, which had revived popular interest in the occult in the 1930s. Wheatley's introduction to this edition helps place that fascination within a 20th-century context, bridging the gap between historical study and contemporary imagination.

Ahmed's scope is impressively broad. He draws upon the ''suppressed knowledge'' of numerous cultures, tracing the development of the black art from its ancient roots. He explores the mysterious rites of ancient Egypt, the dark traditions of Jewish necromancy, the arcane pursuits of medieval alchemists, and the practices of modern magicians. The book positions witchcraft not as an isolated aberration, but as a persistent and necessary complement to organized religion. For nearly two thousand years, it argues, the forbidden and the profane have existed as the ''wilderness to the tended garden of Christianity,'' a space where the interdependence of light and dark is constantly played out.

''The Black Art'' is a serious historical study, but it is written in an accessible style that will appeal to the general reader. It provides a valuable overview of a complex and often misunderstood subject. For anyone who has ever wondered about the history of magic, the roots of superstition, or the enduring power of the occult, this book is an excellent place to start.