cover image Homemade Magick: The Musings & Mischief of a Do-It-Yourself Magus

Homemade Magick: The Musings & Mischief of a Do-It-Yourself Magus

Lon Milo DuQuette. Llewellyn, $16.99 trade paper (240p) ISBN 978-0-7387-3298-5

Practical magick takes center stage in DuQuette’s (Low Magick) latest effort. He may have 40 years of practice under his belt, and 16 books to his name, but DuQuette never takes himself too seriously. This time around, he encourages others to follow suit; he shows readers how to explore magickal rites and rituals in the context of everyday life. The esoteric scholar uses gentle, self-deprecating humor to explain why you needn’t seek the Holy Grail if you want to learn magick. A suitable cup, sword, wand, and pentacle can all be found at the bar on the corner: a bottle cap, a plastic cocktail sword, a swizzle stick, and a coaster will get you on your way. Instructions for using your new tools are clear and concise, and carry the authority of a longtime practitioner of the craft. Family photographs extend DuQuette’s homespun tone, which fans will recognize from earlier works like The Book of Ordinary Oracles, and complement his discussion of family dynamics in the magickal home. (Aug.)