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A review by bear_ridge_tarot
Magic: A History: From Alchemy to Witchcraft, from the Ice Age to the Present by Chris Gosden
informative
fast-paced
3.0
From the studies of Oxford professor Gosden, we are treated to the smooth narrations of Clarke Peters as we are taken back in time, through the ages, in an exploration of magic and its co-evolution with science and religion. An intellectual triple-helix theory is presented in this audiobook in order to put into perspective how magic has gained such a poor reputation. At the same time, science and religion vie for supremacy. Professor Gosden includes the first known horoscope, an exiled statue, the mystical powers of tattoos, and more as he urges us to reconsider how we think about magic and its relationship with our society.
As a practicing witch who also lives a life of science and medicine on a daily basis, this book was a must read. While it became a tad repetitive after the first few chapters, the information overall was well worth the read. It may have been a more in-depth read if it had a smaller scope of how far back in history it covers. While I loved the parts about prehistoric magic, the information was presented in so little detail that it was a bit disappointing.
As a practicing witch who also lives a life of science and medicine on a daily basis, this book was a must read. While it became a tad repetitive after the first few chapters, the information overall was well worth the read. It may have been a more in-depth read if it had a smaller scope of how far back in history it covers. While I loved the parts about prehistoric magic, the information was presented in so little detail that it was a bit disappointing.