Mapping the World of the Sorcerer's Apprentice (Harry Potter) (Smart Pop series)

Book Description

** COMPLETELY UNAUTHORIZED **

This book has not been authorized by J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or anyone associated with the Harry Potter books or movies.

New and old fans of the Harry Potter series will welcome this collection of fresh essays on Potter lore, plotlines, and characters. With up-to-date information through book six in the series, this companion volume offers a comprehensive look at the world of Potter through the eyes of leading science fiction and fantasy writers such as David Gerrold, Joyce Millman, and Martha Wells, and religion, psychology, and science experts. Along with feminism, fascism, and moral life, topics include the Three Faces of Severus Snape, Harry Potter as Luke Skywalker, I Am a Hufflepuff: A Look at the Houses, and Harry Potter and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Customer Reviews:

Adults only, self important, disappointing........2007-06-03

My personal disappointments are these:
1. There are no warnings on the outside that this book is NOT suitable for underage readers.
2. Many of the authors seem smug.
3. I expect better commentary from this group of otherwise seemingly talented authors. What do I mean by "better"? How about something that is really about the Harry Potter series instead of what these authors wish it to have been?
4. How sad is it when the cover artwork far exceeds the book?
I've read a lot of Harry Potter "fan" books. This is the only one that brought less than ten minutes of enjoyment. If you want this book, you can have mine.

Excellent book for adults who think HP is not "just for kids".......2007-03-25

I am a college professor of english literature and composition, but I am also a huge Harry Potter fan. "Mapping the World of Harry Potter" appealed to both sides of my reading pleasure: it gave great insight into the HP books as well as providing really well-written and though-provoking literary analysis and criticism. I couldn't put the book down, and as I read each subsequent essay, I was more and more intrigued and it gave me so much to think about. Really fantastic!

Finally An Adult Take on This Series.......2007-03-13

Finally I found it. A book worth reading, with views offered by real intellects on this series. This book has been a great read and well worth the money spent on it. I find it fun and enlightening. Some of the chapters seemed to drag on but overall they are very good. I found the chapter on Neville Longbottom great, since I completely share the sentiment felt for this character. A lot of thought provoking ideas in here. BE WARNED that there is a chapter on the sex symbol that has become of Severus Snape...this chapter and book are intended for adults. Overall really great!

Awesome!.......2007-03-11

I was really thrilled to get this book, seeing as it is a more serious treatment of the Harry Potter stories. Glad to see that other authors are taking Rowling seriously!

Disappointed but probably my fault.......2007-01-10

I was disappointed in this book, but I think it was probably my fault. I actually thought it was by Mercedes Lackey, not edited by Mercedes Lackey. And it was actually a collection of essays by various people. Boring essays. By people I don't read.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice: My Life with Carlos Castaneda

Average customer rating:

A Painful and Troubling Revelation
cold shower
We will come back for you...
The good, the bad and the ugly.
Energy Drainning

The Sorcerer's Apprentice: My Life with Carlos Castaneda
Amy Wallace
Manufacturer: Frog, Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1583940766
Release Date: 2003-08-12

Book Description

With the skill of a master storyteller and the spiritual courage of a lifelong seeker, Wallace takes us from early meetings to a romantic idyll in Mexico; she shares previously unpublished material straight from the Nagual and explores the harrowing aftermath of Castaneda’s death – including the mystery of five missing disciples who may have left Los Angeles in a suicide pact – and the shattering long term effects of his legacy. Finally, we see her ultimate, uplifting escape from the group, as she learns the danger of giving away her power to another and the consequent joy of recovering the strength of her spirit, a power each one of us possesses.

Customer Reviews:

A Painful and Troubling Revelation.......2007-06-22

A man of mystery, Carlos Castaneda was one of the most controversial writers of the twentieth century. Some in academia branded him a fraud for claiming his stories to be biographical rather than fiction, while others left-handedly lauded him as a novelist of the first order for exposing a mass audience to otherwise inaccessible philosophical abstractions, only to turn around and accuse him of conceptual plagiarism. To me it all smacked of professional jealousy.

I'm reminded of the time back in 1977 when a girlfriend of mine offered to introduce me to a friend of hers over dinner who graduated with Castaneda from the same anthropology department Phd program at UCLA back in the 60's. We were barely into our first course when I asked her to tell me what she thought of Castaneda. "Kinda weird I guess," was all she offered. "In what way," I pressed further. "He was just very secretive," she continued, "never wanted anyone to know anything about himself, where he lived, what he was into, things like that."

Now I was really excited. All of his writings were coming true right before my eyes. "So Castaneda really did practice `becoming inaccessible' and `erasing personal history' just as don Juan had instructed him," I went on. The woman looked across the table at me like I'd just said something in ancient Aramaic. "I wouldn't know anything about all that," she replied. "Surely you remember those concepts from his books," I went on. "I never read any of his books," she stated flatly. I was crushed. Had I been able to lift my chin from the table I would have called for the check. It was the most disappointing dinner conversation of my entire life. How many more critics from the world of academia were lurking about out there that had never opened one of his books, I wondered to myself.

But then came "The Sorcerer's Apprentice," a scathing expose by well-known writer Amy Wallace, daughter of the late best selling novelist Irving Wallace, recounting her life as an intimate partner of Castaneda's from 1991 until his death in 1998. While her book provided little corroboration for or against the accounts in Castaneda's books, since the time of the events she describes is well after the period when Castaneda's relationship with don Juan is alleged to have occurred, it nonetheless provides a disturbing view inside the final years of Castaneda's life, a picture of descent into sexual addiction and possibly madness, leaving one to wonder if Castaneda may have been just one cup of cool-aid short of a Jonestown.

It was enough to shake anyone's faith in a treasured icon, and I was no less vulnerable than anyone else. Over the course of the week I spent digesting her book I remembered how many people had asked me over the years why I put any stock whatsoever in Castaneda. A story from my autobiography, "The Vortex" may shed some light. A year before Castaneda published his first book I had an experience that would remain a mystery until Castaneda published "Power of Silence" twenty years later.

For a brief time, in my youth, I became a practicing Muslim, meticulously performing the complex prayer ritual five times a day. Then one night, sitting in my car, frustrated and complaining at not being able to find the address of my next sales appointment, something inside me snapped. It was as if some part of me had disconnected from my body and assumed control, lecturing me about my lack of discipline. A profound calm settled over me, rendering me simultaneously detached and engaged. For the next two days my sales figures soared. It was as if no one could say no to me. On the evening of the second day I decided to put my new state of being to the acid test by visiting my parents. Their response was cordial beyond anything I had ever experienced from them, and convinced me that I was now living in an altered reality. But by the following morning I had returned to "normal." So distracting had this event been that I had completely forgotten to perform my Muslim prayers, and in fact, never did so again.

Twenty years later, in a chapter of "Power of Silence" entitled "Place of No Pity" Castaneda describes a very similar experience. In the aftermath of the event don Juan explains that humans are like televisions stuck on a channel called "self-preoccupation," lacking the energy to tune into any of the vast array of other channels available to us. To change channels, he explains, we first need to accumulate energy, by practicing rituals that are deliberate, precise and repetitious. Do this long enough and eventually we experience a shift to a channel where self-importance and self pity are no longer possible. Once this happens we connect with the force that controls the entire universe, a force called "intent," and everything can be bent to our will and even more channels can be opened, assuming we remember to keep practicing the rituals that save our energy.

Amy's revelations notwithstanding, this one realization alone was enough to inspire me to dedicate my autobiography "To Carlos, with gratitude."

Maxwell Austin van Lack, Author of The Vortex: A True Story of Passion and Karma

cold shower.......2006-12-22

somehow this story that unfolded gave me a cold shower. my image of carlos casteneda was squattered. but sometimes that is neccesary. Amy tx!

We will come back for you..........2006-09-28

We will come back for you...when you are more willingly to die. Goodbye Amy. Thanks for the book, it's been of a lot of help in ways you wouldnt imagine nor comprehend...

The good, the bad and the ugly........2006-06-04

I was drawn to this book as many others may have been by the desire to find out more about the mysterious Carlos Castaneda. I have read his books as they came out and they had an impact on how I lived and understood the world.

As I read this book, I realized that I was getting more than I realized. Certainly, I came away with a sense of the "inner circle" that surrounded Castaneda and the inconsistencies of the teachings and the life of this gifted writer and teacher. The purpose of the book was the make sure that others don't give to their teacher's their "will power" according to the author.

This is where the book went awry for me. I understand the persuasive power of teachers. I understand that we want to believe that someone has the answer to the primary questions we have about life. I also understand that I can not give away my "will power". This would mean that others can control me and my actions. Rather, I am choosing to act in a manner that gives me something that I want.

The author was excited and repulsed by the relationship. She was a woman of fame and personal wealth so Castaneda did not hold her hostage in some physical way. Rather, Ms. Wallace wanted to believe in what Castaneda was offering. Even when she became clear of the incongruities of his life and teaching, she continued on. She is no victem. She is a willing participant in the deception of Castaneda and for that she should take responsiblity. If she had the book would have been much more creditable for me.

Energy Drainning.......2006-04-21

I was very excited to receive and begin reading The Sorcerer's Apprentice as I am with all books that can further my knowledge and guide me in the realm of personal growth. I was unfortunately very disappointed in this book.
I have read all of Castaneda's books including many, many others like Ken Eagle Feather, Teun Mars, Sanchez, Ruiz, Summer Rain, Millman ect. One important feature of all these are that they have furthered my understanding of the Toltec knowledge, its applications and increased my energy level. This book however did none of those. I found it to be draining and nonproductive.
To be fair I must admit I only read half of it. I did find it well written and interesting however I found it to be very unimpeccable. Not to say that the truth shouldn't be put out there (I do believe Amy's account)however I don't need an entire book full of examples to tell me that Castaneda as Nagual was like Castaneda as the apprentice , Weak and Egotistical. I would have rather go on believing that if an idiot such as he could do it anyone could.
PS Anyone CAN but this book is unlikely to help!

Sorcerers' Apprentices: 100 Years of Law Clerks at the United States Supreme Court

Average customer rating:

Fascinating Inside Look
The Role of Supreme Court Law Clerks
A Must Read

Sorcerers' Apprentices: 100 Years of Law Clerks at the United States Supreme Court
Artemus Ward , and David Weiden
Manufacturer: NYU Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0814794041
Release Date: 2006-04-01

Book Description

View the Table of Contents. Read the Introduction.

"Ward and Weiden have produced that rare book that is both a meticulous piece of scholarship and a good read. The authors have . . . sifted through a varied and voluminous amount of archival material, winnowing out the chaff and leaving the excellent wheat for our consumption. They marry this extensive archival research with original survey data, using both to great effect."
—Law and Politics Book Review

"Helps illuminate the inner workings of an institution that is still largely shrouded in mystery."
—The Wall Street Journal Online

"The main quibble . . . with contemporary law clerks is that they wield too much influence over their justices' opinion-writing. Artemus and Weiden broaden this concern to the clerks' influence on the thinking of the justices about how to decide cases."
—Slate.com

“Provides excellent insight into the inner workings of the Supreme Court, how it selects cases for review, what pressures are brought to bear on the justices, and how the final opinions are produced. Recommended for all academic libraries.”
—Library Journal

“Artemus Ward and David L. Weiden argue that the clerks have more power than they used to have, and probably more power than they should.”
—Washington Post

“The book contains a wealth of historical information. . . . A reader can learn a lot from this pioneering study.”
—Cleveland Plain Dealer

“Meticulous in scholarship. . . . Sorcerers' Apprentices presents convincing statistical evidence that the aggregate time that law clerks spend on certiorari memos has fallen considerably because of the reduction in the number of memos written by each clerk.”
—Judge Richard A. Posner in The New Republic

”Ward and Weiden have produced that rare book that is both a meticulous piece of scholarship and a good read.”
— The Law and Politics Book Review

“Based on judicial working papers and extensive interviews, the authors have compiled the most complete picture to date of the transformation of Supreme Court law clerks from stenographers to ghost-writers. This will instantly become an essential resource for students of the Court.”
—Dennis J. Hutchinson, editor of The Supreme Court Review

"A truly excellent study on an interesting and important question. As we know from the popularity of The Brethren and Closed Chambers, people love insider accounts of Supreme Court decision making, and this book provides that from a very unique point of view."
—Howard Gillman, author of The Votes That Counted: How the Court Decided the 2000 Presidential Election

"An urgently needed and highly readable study of the most powerful young lawyers in America: law clerks at the Supreme Court. Law clerks themselves tend to vastly overstate or underestimate their importance, but authors Artemus Ward and David Weiden have gotten it just right: law clerks wield significant and growing power at the nation's highest court. This eye-opening book charts that growth and points to the potential for abuse."
—Tony Mauro, Supreme Court Correspondent for American Lawyer Media

”...[E]xceptionally informative in tracing the history of the institution of the Supreme Court clerks. The analysis of the evolution of both the job and the influence that clerks have on the Court's decisions.”
—Georgia Bar Journal

Law clerks have been a permanent fixture in the halls of the United States Supreme Court from its founding, but the relationship between clerks and their justices has generally been cloaked in secrecy. While the role of the justice is both public and formal, particularly in terms of the decisions a justice makes and the power that he or she can wield in the American political system, the clerk has historically operated behind closed doors. Do clerks make actual decisions that they impart to justices, or are they only research assistants that carry out the instructions of the decision makers—the justices?

Based on Supreme Court archives, the personal papers of justices and other figures at the Supreme Court, and interviews and written surveys with 150 former clerks, Sorcerers' Apprentices is a rare behind-the-scenes look at the life of a law clerk, and how it has evolved since its nineteenth-century beginnings. Artemus Ward and David L. Weiden reveal that throughout history, clerks have not only written briefs, but made significant decisions about cases that are often unseen by those outside of justices' chambers. Should clerks have this power, they ask, and, equally important, what does this tell us about the relationship between the Supreme Court's accountability to and relationship with the American public?

Sorcerers' Apprentices not only sheds light on the little-known role of the clerk but offers provocative suggestions for reforming the institution of the Supreme Court clerk. Anyone that has worked as a law clerk, is considering clerking, or is interested in learning about what happens in the chambers of Supreme Court justices will want to read this engaging and comprehensive examination of how the role of the law clerk has evolved over its long history.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating Inside Look.......2007-07-02

A book ten years in the making, Sorcerers' Apprentices is an intriguing and sometimes unsettling look at the world of law clerks. Most people know precious little about this field. Ward and Weiden provide an eye-opener.

Being a law clerk is to basically be a research assistant for a judge. Being that the United States Supreme Court is the highest court in the land, being a clerk for an U.S. Supreme Court judge (a `Justice') is the pinnacle in this field. As former clerks to a Supreme Court Justice, these young men and women will be the most sought after candidates at law firms across the country. Many will later be offered judgeships themselves.

After a decade of research, pouring through the personal papers of justices and court employees, and interviews with former clerks, the authors discovered that the law clerk went from being little more than a secretary in the 1930's to a position of enormous power today. Perhaps the greatest power is in the "certiorari process" of choosing what cases the Supreme Court will hear. Of the over 8,000 cases submitted annually to the Supreme Court, only a few hundred perhaps will be heard. It would appear that the law clerks suggestions to their respective Justices on which cases to hear has had a great impact on the types of cases heard. And changes on the constitutionality of specific laws in specific areas literally changes people's lives.

Another issue of concern is that for some Justices, the bulk of their decisions may come not from legal research, but from the opinions written by their law clerks. Some have gone so far as to say that in some cases it is the law clerk who actually writes the final opinion; the Justice simply signing it. Others point out that the opinions expressed verbally by law clerks to their Justice may actually hold more sway over a decision than the attorneys presenting the case.

Filled with quotes, text, research, analyses, and charts galore, Sorcerers' Apprentices: 100 Years of Law Clerks at the United States Supreme Court is a revealing look at the workings of the U.S. Supreme Court. It sheds light on an institution that few in America have any knowledge about, but that affects us all. Ward and Weiden present nearly as many questions in this book as they do insights. Do law clerks have more power than they used to? Do they have more power than they should? Should this be rectified, and if so, how? In the end, Sorcerers' Apprentices is a fascinating look at a world few ever see.

The Role of Supreme Court Law Clerks.......2006-05-02

The role of Supreme Court law clerks became somewhat controversial when former clerk William Rehnquist, then in private practice, wrote a highly influential magazine article in 1957 alleging that clerks asserted undue influence over their Justices which impacted on the Court's decisions. Since then, the issue has popped up every so often, usually generating much more heat than light in examinating the role of clerks. Fortunately, we now have probably as solid an analysis of the role of clerks as we will ever get in this fine book by two political scientists.

The authors have reviewed all printed material on clerks, checked judicial biographies, surveyed oral history collections, conducted extensive interviews, and submitted an extensive written questionnaire to 600 former clerks selected on a random basis. The picture that emerges is skillfully developed, with helpful charts and figures, as well as an exceptionally detailed set of notes and bibliography for those interested in further research. At around 250 pages, the authors have managed to strike a beneficial balance between detail and survey, so the narrative moves along smoothly.

The authors discuss all key issues relating to clerks: selection, their critical role in reviewing cert. petitions and making recommendations, the drafting of bench memos, serving as communication conduits and coalition builders between chambers, and the all-important and most controversial element, their role in drafting opinions for their Justices. I think it fair to say that the authors conclude that clerks do have influence in the Court's decision-making process, but not to the extent of manipulating results. The more substantial problem that emerges from the book is whether the Supreme Court has become too bureaucratized and "depersonalized" as each term the Court works its way through thousands of cert. petitions and cranks out it published decisions on argued cases. This situation raises serious issues, as does the role of the clerks and the issue of whether the Justices have abdicated any of their constitutional responsibilities. Fortunately, we are in a much better position to grapple with both these issues because of this fine and highly interesting book.

A Must Read.......2006-03-07

This book is a must read for court watchers. You cannot understand the modern court without understanding the role of the modern court clerk. Simply the best researched book on the topic.

Average customer rating:

Great Exotic Travel Read
Perfection
Surreal indeed!
Now that's not magic
Entertaining, fascinating, and occasionally magical (a trick?)

Sorcerer's Apprentice
Tahir Shah
Manufacturer: Arcade Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1559706260

Amazon.com

Do you nurse the fond desire to try your hand--or feet, that is--at firewalking? Go ahead. Tahir Shah writes in this beautifully conceived and executed work of literary travel, "Contrary to popular belief, firewalking is dead simple. The skin on the soles of the feet and the ash which covers the coals are both poor conductors of heat. Anyone can do it."

Do we dare trust Shah's word on this point? Maybe so, maybe not, for, though another character in his book bears the sobriquet, Shah is a superbly engaging trickster. The English-born scion of Afghani nobility, Shah takes his readers on a whirlwind trip across southern India that has at its heart one of the most unusual missions in goal-directed travel literature: namely, to find and learn the art of magic from one of India's greatest practitioners, a mysterious fellow named Hakim Feroze. Finding the master in Calcutta, Shah begs Feroze to accept him as a student; unfortunately, as we see, Feroze does so, though not without hesitation. Shah takes us inside sorcery boot camp, which involves strange drills such as digging a deep hole with a dessert spoon, left-handed; separating dried rice and lentils blindfolded; and catching a dozen cockroaches at once in a small tin mug. In recounting his education, Shah reveals a few professional secrets. For one, the Indian rope trick, that classic of conjuring, is effected not by legerdemain, but by the use of hallucinogenic smoke. And as to snake charming, well, 90 percent of India's snakes are nonvenomous, and it's easy enough to find a nonfatal variety that looks like one of the killer breeds.

Full of conjures and trickery, Shah's book offers an often humorous, sidelong education in the dark arts and more: it brings readers along on a surreal tour of India, affording a window to places well off the tourist track. It all adds up to a first-rate adventure. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

As a child, Tahir Shah first learned the secrets of illusion from an Indian magician. Two decades later, he sets out in search of this man. SORCERER'S APPRENTICE is the story of his apprenticeship to one of India's master conjurors and his initiation into the brotherhood of godmen. Learning to unmask illusion as well as practice it, he goes on a journey across the subcontinent, seeking out its miraculous and bizarre underbelly, traveling from Calcutta to Madras, from Bangalore to Bombay, meeting sadhus, sages, sorcerers, hypnotists, and humbugs. His quest is utterly unforgettable.

Customer Reviews:

Great Exotic Travel Read.......2007-05-14

I loved this book !!! It is the second book I read by this author (the first was the Caliph's House which I also loved) and I intend to read ALL his books past and future.
I simply fell for his style of writing, it goes to the core and makes you feel like you are present and for me that is what books should do, suck us into the narrative. I had a travel guide of India by me to look up all the locations mentioned in the book and i just marvelled at the amount of information I learned about magic tricks. I hope more people read his books and that he keeps writing.

Perfection.......2007-03-10

I ordered my book and got it in 3 or 4 days in flawless
condition. Many thanks.

Surreal indeed!.......2006-06-13

Tahir Shah is an Englishman of Afghani/Scottish descent who writes what may be a new form: The eccentric maybe true, maybe not true, but true on a metaleval travel book. What I mean by that is that, while the details of his day-to-day experiences may be exaggerated and padded to make the book work with a coherent theme, the facts about the country remain true. I genuinely enjoyed this second book of his that I have read. In it, an 11-year-boy meets the guardian of his ancestor's tomb, learns a bit of magic, grows up, travels to India to tour and meet the guardian again, hoping to learn more slight of hand illusion magic. From there he is referred to his teacher's teacher, who is definitely the archytypical teacher as sadist. As Mr. Tahir learns the craft, we learn a great deal about India, about the travelling magicians, godmen, sadhus, charletans, etc. I found the book engaging from beginning to end and highly recommend it.

Now that's not magic.......2006-04-13

The jacket blurb describes Tahir Shah as an "uproariously funny writer". Well, I cracked a smile once or twice, but funny this is not. The dialogue is weak, the clumsy attempts at wit are forced and toe-curling, and Shah comes across as a tetchy,irritable and intolerant foreigner.The book tries to pass itself off as a travelogue but the hokey, conveniently slapstick encounters appear contrived. There is a suspicious lack of photographs of any of the main characters or more sensational events in the book and I ended up believing very little of the narrative. Which is a shame, because buried very deep under the poor writing (see how many verbs Shah can use to avoid the perfectly adequate "said")is an interesting look at the resourcefulness of India's poor. A decent rainy day read but a missed opportunity by the writer.

Entertaining, fascinating, and occasionally magical (a trick?).......2005-08-09

This book has one of the finest first chapters I've ever read: one day a man from India shows up at an English boy's house to protect him. Note that the book is non-fiction. The rest of the book is how the author (who was that boy) many years later decides to go to India to learn how to be a magician like the man who came to him. At times the author seems to purposely act too credulous and think odd thoughts, to the point where you feel he's being that way in order to make for a more mystical read. He's also a bit disingenuous, in that the book implies he gives up a staid life for adventure; judging from his other books, he has never been too bored or boring. It's nonetheless a fun read, as he goes through many peculiar experiences and learns all sorts of strange knowledge about magical tricks and India itself. A surprising and wonderful (though sometimes slow) book.

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Walt Disney's the Sorcerer's Apprentice
Walt Disney Company , and Mouse Works
Manufacturer: Mouse Works
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Walt Disney's The Sorcerer's Apprentice (A Little Golden Book)

ASIN: 0453030254

Mastering Witchcraft: A Practical Guide for Witches, Warlocks, and Covens

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A 70's Classic book on Witchcraft!! Excellent
Mastering Witchcraft

Mastering Witchcraft: A Practical Guide for Witches, Warlocks, and Covens
Paul Huson
Manufacturer: Backinprint.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0595420060

Book Description

An enduring classic since its publication in 1970, Mastering Witchcraft is one of the best how-to manuals for those wishing to practice traditional European Witchcraft as a craft rather than a New Age religion. Starting from first principles, Huson instructs the novice step by step in the arts of circle casting, blessing and banning, the uses of amulets and talismans, philters, divination, necromancy, waxen images, knots, fascination, conjuration, magical familiars, spells to arouse passion or lust, attain vengeance, and of course, counter-spells to exorcize and annul the malice of others.

"A genuine vade mecum."-The Catholic Herald.

Customer Reviews:

A 70's Classic book on Witchcraft!! Excellent.......2004-11-10

Mr Huson is a Genius in my eyes. Mastering Witchcraft has nothing to do with Religious Witchcraft movements, it has nothing to do with Karma or the Three Fold Law, in fact it has nothing to do with the New Age Witchcraft movement of modern times. This book does not hold its punches back, the book is well balanced with both positive and negative magic, what New Agers label as Black and White Magic.
I am a big fan of Mr. Huson's work and enjoy his other books and novels. "The Offering" is a must read for those who want a Horror based on African Macumba (Vodou) magic, laced with Santeria.
But this by far has to be one of my favorite books of all time. While more receant books on Witchcraft have to do with Religion, and Karma, Mastering Witchcraft has to do with the ancient art of Witchcraft, leaving the religion aspect out of it. There is one part of the book though that made me laugh a bit. The "Our Father" backwards. Being Hispanic a Santero, Espiritista and a Brujo I often use the old Padre Nuestro, "Our Father" as is, because in itself it is a very powerful prayer in working Magic as are may Psalms. But besides the Our Father backwards, this is your choice if you use it backwards or not, the book is a must have for all Witches.
Many people ask me if I could recommend an English book on Brujeria as practiced by Hispanics, well this is as close to brujeria as you can get. Many people who gave it a negative are basically Wiccans. I respect Wiccans I just hope that they someday realize that all that is Witchcraft does not make it Wicca. One Wiccan reviewer talked like a Christian when he stated. "The Book tells you that in order to practice Witchcraft you have to sell your soul-- and that the book never tells you to whom. Basically as a Brujo we are taught that God rules over all things, Negative and Posative, Good or Bad. When you decide to practice Magic and Witchcraft you are in a sense selling your soul. Or dedicating your Soul. If you are a Christian Witch you sell your Soul to Yhvh, if you practice Lukumi you sell your soul to your Ruling Orisha. (Selling your soul is dedicating your soul.) In the same if you are a Satanist you sell your Soul to Satan. But all things are of God, evil and good. So if Satan is of God, and you sell your Soul to Satan, you sell your Soul to God.
Anyway this is a good book, a bit controversial, but a must read to all Occultists, Witches, and yes even modern day Warlocks, they exist in Spanish they are called Diableros.
I someday hope Paul Huson one day writes a second book on the subject, but until then, check out his other great books.

Mastering Witchcraft.......2001-01-09

This book launched my Horticultural career. I became intrigued with the info but had to look up all of the unfamiliar plants, many medicinal and historical. The book is good but lists some inaccuracies for 'Bronze-Age' Wicca such as the use of iron for Sacred Knives. Great source of homemade incense.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice: Picasso, Provence, and Douglas Cooper

Average customer rating:

Astonishing cultural history
New and fascinating views of Picasso and cubism.
an elegant retrospective
Delicious/Malicious Fun, by fermed
Bill Owens..Suburbia

The Sorcerer's Apprentice: Picasso, Provence, and Douglas Cooper
John Richardson
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Modern | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Artists, Architects & Photographers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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History | Gay & Lesbian | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0375400338
Release Date: 1999-11-18

Amazon.com

Two quotations from Francis Bacon bookend this curious, exasperatedly affectionate memoir by John Richardson, distinguished art historian and 1991 Whitbread Award-winning biographer of Picasso: the prophetic "she'll try to lure you to bed, and then she'll turn on you. She always does," finds its uncanny conclusion in "Didn't I warn you she was a thoroughly treacherous woman?" The sorcerer (art collector Douglas Cooper) and his apprentice (Richardson) lived for 10 years in the grandiose "folly" Château de Castille in Provence, where they entertained a circle that included Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, Angus Wilson, Tennessee Williams, and a range of other usual suspects from that period's artistic fraternity. When Richardson left Cooper for the lights of New York, Cooper, in the great tradition of spurned lovers, burned Richardson's remaining possessions, stole his paintings, denounced him to friends and employers, and even attempted to arrange his arrest by Interpol. Cooper was a duplicitous, sadistic bully (among his more outrageous acts was loudly booing the queen outside Westminster Abbey at her coronation). But his deep knowledge of art history and classical cubism and his pioneering collecting of the works of Picasso, Braque, Léger, and Gris were an essential counterpoint to the staid policy of the Tate Gallery and its director, Sir John Rothenstein, for whom he held a deteriorating scorn. Richardson's delight in reviewing this formative period reignites the fire in Cooper flaring nostrils and borrows some of its flame to stoke what is arguably an enriching addendum to his Picasso magnum opus, which, appropriately, bears a dedication to his old sorcerer. --David Vincent, Amazon.co.uk

Book Description

John Richardson brings the same dazzling narrative style to this memoir as he did to Volumes I and II of A Life of Picasso. Robert Hughes called the second volume "a masterpiece in the making, the most illuminating biography yet written on a twentieth-century visual artist and the only one that can sustain comparison with Painter on Proust, Ellman on Joyce, or Edel on Henry James"; he also praised Richardson's "crispness of writing" and "impressive eye for the offbeat or scandalous detail." All these qualities conspire to make The Sorcerer's Apprentice a brilliant and fascinating chronicle.

This book is a sharply etched portrait of Douglas Cooper, the colorful Evelyn Waugh-like figure who single-handedly assembled the world's most important private cubist collection. It is also the story of Cooper and Richardson's association, which began in 1949 and came to fruition -- and ultimately disaster -- at the Chateau de Castille, the eighteenth-century colonnaded folly in Provence that they restored and filled with masterpieces by Picasso, Braque, Leger, and Juan Gris. Besides these artists and the women in their lives, Jean Cocteau, W. H. Auden, Cyril Connolly, Marie-Laure de Noailles, Helena Rubenstein, Peggy Guggenheim, and Anthony Blunt are just some of the figures who, through Richardson's insightful prose, leap off the page to appear before us in an entirely new light. A major revelation of the book is its portrait of Picasso in private; Richardson's friendship with the artist coincided with a period of dramatic change in the artist's life. Not since Gertrude Stein's The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas has anyone given so intimate a picture of leading modern artists and their circle at work and play, or with such insight and understanding.

The flawless style, highly tuned sensitivity, and incisive wit of The Sorcerer's Apprentice make it one of the most entertaining and captivating memoirs of one of the great periods of artistic activity in this century.

Customer Reviews:

Astonishing cultural history.......2006-03-06

By Picasso's most distinguished biographer, this memoir of life in Provence in the 1950s with art collector Douglas Cooper mesmerizes with its cast of quirky characters. The inside glimpses of Picasso at work and play are the book's highlight, but one can't underrate other protraits of the arts intelligentsia of the time. Many great candid photos enhance the superbly written text. Why did Richardson stay with Cooper for more than a decade if Cooper, the world's first huge cubist collector, was as horrid a person as portrayed? That's unanswered, and Cooper is long dead and unable to defend himself. Both men, not quite closeted gays in the '40s and '50s, were esteemed companions for some of the era's greatest creatives, so one must temper this acidic portrait with a bit of doubt. Well worth reading even if you haven't looked into the author's Picasso bio, still in progress.

New and fascinating views of Picasso and cubism........2000-03-05

Richardson's fine survey of Douglas Cooper, who assembled the world's most important private cubist collection, provides an excellent consideration of both the man and his involvement in the arts and Richardson's personal involvement with Cooper's works. Chapters offer new views of Picasso based on Richardson's friendship with the artist, plus many other unusual insights on artists and works of the times. Highly recommended.

an elegant retrospective.......2000-02-06

john richardson gives us snippets of a fascinating period intertwining the lives of influential artists and personas. i only wish the book was longer and more descriptive of braque,guttoso and miro. if you collect or enjoy the cubists and their relatives,you will enjoy this book

Delicious/Malicious Fun, by fermed.......2000-02-05

John Richardson has set aside his scholarly masterpiece (A Life of Picasso: Volumes I & II completed, Volumes III & IV eagerly awaited)to produce something bubbly and light; it is not soda-pop, though, but vintage champagne. Far different from the careful and meticulous research of his Picasso oeuvre, The Sorcerer's Apprentice is a welcome intermission and a clearing of the palate.

Richardson writes about himself and his friends, and especially about his love affair with Douglas Cooper ("The Sorcerer" of the title), art collector, critic and expert on cubism from whom Richardson learned a great deal, both good and bad.The book illuminates not only the relationship between the older, impossible, Cooper and his young apprentice, but also back lights aspects of Picasso, Braque, Lèger and Juan Gris as they are reflected in the tumultuous lives of that odd couple.

The author is an inveterate gossip, as good biographers should be. He likes to tell the little details that deflate or humanize others. He does not have the malice of Capote (although sometimes he comes close), and he is obviously too amiable and forgiving to twist the knife or seek idle revenge.

One cannot be sure about the motives that led to putting out this light froth between the serious stuff; I am glad it is out there, though, and glad I read it. Being taken into Mr. Richardson's confidence and getting to know him will make the enjoyment of his next Picasso volumes all the more intense.

Bill Owens..Suburbia.......2000-02-04

Bill Owens captured the great American Migration to the suburbia of the early seventies. Amidst the conformity suggested by social critics and our owm memories of having lived there, he found that which was uniquely human and individual. This loving document, now published in an improved second edition, brings to us a classic in documentary photography.

These are not the photographs of a cultural tourist. These views were secured through the trust reserved for the insider that he was. Lives of his friends and neighbors are captured in a time and place that no other photographer had the insight to document in such a dedicated and revealing fashion. Through these photographs we see and remember the awkward growth and construction of the sense of culture and neighborhood created from scratch. We are reminded that we were living life "in the local," free from the burden of ordained histories, in a place where everything was new and unused.

Book Description

Musicians and music lovers will applaud this convenient compilation of a pair of perennial concert favorites. The Sorcerer's Apprentice, a gripping masterpiece of modern music, is coupled with "España," a spirited rhapsody based on original Spanish airs. Reproduced from authoritative French editions. Instrumentation.

THE SORCERERS APPRENTICE (Disney's Wonderful World of Reading, No. 12)

Average customer rating:

A COMPELLING READER FOR KIDS THAT HAVE ENJOYED FANTASIA
My first book

THE SORCERERS APPRENTICE (Disney's Wonderful World of Reading, No. 12)
Disney Book Club
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0394825519
Release Date: 1974-03-12

Customer Reviews:

A COMPELLING READER FOR KIDS THAT HAVE ENJOYED FANTASIA.......2006-10-13

IN A NUTSHELL: IF YOU HAVE SEEN FANTASIA YOU KNOW THIS BOOK

This is essentially a set of storyboards that depict the 'Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment of 'Fantasia' and 'Fantasia 2000'. Words are added to describe the action, unlike the animated counterpart in Fantasia, and their is a little preamble about Mickey's duties for the Sorcerer which are not actually in the animated version, but are implied. In this preamble Mickey is shown "doing all the work" -- "he chopped the wood", "he swept the floor", "he carried the water from the well". This preamble ends very neatly with Mickey thinking aloud, "if I had that hat I would never have to work again". In essence, this addition gives a motive for Mickey's actions which we have all seen in 'Fantasia'.

The rest of the book essentially follows the events of the animated segment, like a collection of storyboards with descriptions given to them. The other difference from the animated version is the end, which in 'Fantasia' shows the annoyed Sorcerer smacking Mickey in the back-side with his broom. In this book meant for young readers this little piece of humorous violence is sensibly replaced with the Sorcerer taking his hat back with a scowl and Mickey contritely going back to the work he had sought to avoid.

BOTTOM LINE: ATTENTION GRABBING READER THAT KIDS KEEP GOING BACK TO

With the exception of 'Dumbo', this 'Sorcerer's Apprentice' is the book [from the Wonderful World of Disney book club] most likely to get a youngsters attention, repeatedly. Although this storybook can't compare with the incredible visual experience of Fantasia, it is so reminiscent of it that kids do seem to be drawn to it and often. Often enough for them to start reading it -- hopefully, after it has been read to them.

A GOOD BOOK SERIES - STILL AVAILABLE

This entire series is pretty good and still available from many sellers for a reasonable price. Many public libraries also have this and the other members of this series {'Disney's Wonderful World of Reading', club) available for loan.

My first book.......2001-04-12

This was the first book I read on my own, around age 4. I took it every where with me and read it till the binding came undone. Unfortunatley, my dad gave the book away when I was 12. I wish I still had it! It was the book version of the seqeunce from the Fantasia movie starring mickey mouse. I wish I still had this book. It would bring back so many happy memories!

Average customer rating:

Sometimes We Must Wait!

The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Mary Jane Begin
Manufacturer: Little, Brown Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Action & Adventure | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin (Caldecott Honor Book)

ASIN: 0316736112

Book Description

From its origins in ancient Greece to its more recent incarnation in Disneys Fantasia, The Sorcerers Apprentice has captivated readers imaginations for generations. Now, Mary Jane Begins elegant prose and lavish illustrations give new meaning to the classic tale about a young girl who cant help but wonder why she must spend her days cleaning and sweeping instead of practicing magic. Will she ever learn how to cast a spell? The sorcerer had taught her that there are some things we must do for ourselves. And so the apprentice, taking matters into her own hands, beckons a broom to come to life and do her choresuntil the brooms power is more than the girl can bear. Ultimately, she finds that passion and hard work, tempered by patience and discipline, can help make dreams come true.

Customer Reviews:

Sometimes We Must Wait!.......2005-11-28

The Sorcerer has an apprentice and this little girl is not happy at what she is asked to do. After all, why should she mop and sweep the floors and do all these menial tasks when their are spells to learn? How can doing these things help her to become a Sorcerer? She decides to take matters in her own hands by casting some spells to help her do her work and almost loses her life in this colorful tale.
This book teaches that patience, discipline and doing what one is told can be a wise decision to make. The illustrations are very good, colorful and realistic and the book is very well constructed.

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