The Concise Lexicon of the Occult
Gerina Dunwich
Citadel Press
Nonfiction, Magic/Reference
Themes: Encyclopedias, Occult
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Description
As stated in the title, this is a listing of terms, people, concepts and things associated with various pagan practices. Many different cultures are covered, from Hawaiian to African. Not a spellbook or instruction manual, it is a simple glossary of words and phrases.
Review
Another treasure from the Bargain Books section at Barnes & Noble. As a fantasy fan and aspiring author, I find this kind of thing useful, as well as amusing. The Lexicon is a great little reference without going so deep as to discourage the casual reader. If I have any complaint, it's that some theologies aren't mentioned at all, and some terms could use a little more background to help explain them to outsiders. I don't know that I would've paid the original price (eight dollars) for it, but at half price I was more than happy to take it home.