Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #210956 in Books
• Published on: 2001-06-11
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 78 pages

Synopsis
Often alchemy is seen as an example of medieval gullibility and the alchemists as a collection of eccentrics and superstitious fools. In this Pocket Essential Sean Martin shows that nothing could be further from the truth. It is important to see the search for the philosopher's stone and the attempts to turn base metal into gold as metaphors for the relation of man to nature and man to God as much as seriously held beliefs. Alchemy had a self-consistent outlook on the natural world and man's place in it. Alchemists like Paracelsus and Albertus Magnus were amongst the greatest minds of their time and the history of alchemy is both the history of a spiritual search and the history of a slowly developing scientific method. Sir Isaac Newton devoted as much time to his alchemical studies as he did to his mathematical ones. This book traces the history of alchemy from ancient times to the 20th century, highlighting the interest of modern thinkers like Jung in the subject. It covers a major, if neglected area of Western thought. Pocket Essentials is a new series for the MTV generation brought up in the three-minute culture. Short, snappy text. Easy to read. Riveting. Enthusiastic. Fresh.

Critical. Packed with facts, backed up with opinion, crammed with information.

Customer Reviews

A very good survey of the art of alchemy
This is an excellent little book, though not without a few blemishes (see later). It is modestly described as part of a series of "Pocket Essentials", but this doesn't really do credit to the comprehensive scope of the book. It is a valuable addition to the library not only of beginners, but also of those who are already familiar with the subject and would like to know more.

After an historical introduction, Mr Martin gets down to explaining the basic ideas and themes of alchemy, a difficult task, given the complexity of the subject and the great diversity (not to say irreconcilability), of some of the beliefs among alchemists themselves. He manages this in a plain and straightforward way, with great clarity and without oversimplification. A long chapter covers the progress of alchemy in the west, from its earliest beginnings, through Hellenistic, Arab and Renaissance worlds, to Jungian interpretation and modern practices. This is followed by a chapter on eastern alchemy, especially Indian and Chinese, a valuable addition, since it is an area often neglected. The chapter entitled "The Golden Chain" comprises brief profiles of a substantial list of alchemists, over 130 of them, thus organising a wealth of information into an assimilable form. A comprehensive reading list makes it possible to follow up in more detail any of the topics covered.

The author's great strength is that he knows what he is talking about, and is not trying to impress people with any phoney mysticism. When he discusses the relationship of alchemy to Gnosticism or Taoism, you know he is familiar with both. He has the perspective that comes from a study of history or psychology or philosophy, but possibly not of any particular scientific knowledge. Every writer, -author or reviewer, comes from a particular background, and it is perhaps only fair that I should declare my own, as a scientist with a lifelong interest in, and sympathy with, the subject of alchemy. In the sixties, I was taught chemistry and introduced to alchemy by a teacher who was also a student of philosophy, spoke eleven languages, was a specialist in Hellenistic alchemy, and who lectured on the subject all over the world. He understood the spiritual aspects, and was rooted in practical experience. What I personally find lacking in this book is the feeling of real hands-on experience with the chemical processes; -the thrill of mysterious colour changes, or seeing matter disappear on heating and reappear as shimmering crystals, or the sharp disappointment of failure after exhausting effort. These are experiences common to alchemist and modern chemist alike. It is not actually essential to have them in a book of this kind, and descriptions can be found elsewhere, but their absence alters the perspective of the thing. Familiarity with the energies and forces recognised by modern science would have saved some of the more extravagant fancies. To say that no-one knows what was contained in the papers that Newton burned before his death is a statement of fact; to speculate on what might have been in them is not particularly logical or fruitful; to suggest that they contained conjectures about the possibilities and dangers of nuclear power is wishful thinking, or just plain daft.

Nevertheless this is a really good book, a very helpful survey of the subject, good value, and well worth buying.