A Dictionary of Alchemical Imagery

When I first bought this, I thought it is going to be a book of literal imagery with explanations, which it is not. However, it's value in deceipting alchemical termonoligy easily won it a place on my shelf. Very few good alchemical dictionays out there, this is definitely one of them. I'm you are an alchemical researcher, regardless of the path, this is for you. Thank you 😊

Having come from no background or experience in alchemy whatsoever, my work on Fixed Stars Govern a Life: Decoding Sylvia Plath (out in Spring 2014, Stephen F. Austin State U. Press) immersed me in the world and I had a lot to learn fast. This book, along with Carl Jung's Psychology and Alchemy, were my bibles. A Dictionary of Alchemical Imagery takes a hard-to-grasp, weird world and simplifies alchemy in friendlier and even fun terms. I may not want to take up chemistry on the practical level, but it is understood that in this journey of life, the world would be a better place if we were all striving to turn lead to gold.

The ultimate resource on the subject.

WHEN I PURCHACED THIS BOOK I WANTED A BOOK ON ALCHEMICAL SYMBOLISM. THIS BOOK HAS COMEPLETLY OUT DONE WHAT I EXPECTED. THE ONLY THING ABOUT THE BOOK IS IT IS VERY ADVANCED AND USES TERMS THAT ARE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND IF YOUR NEW TO ALCHEMY. HOWEVER THE BOOK IS INCREDIBLE THOURGH. THIS IS A GREAT BOOK TO USE IN COJUCTION WITH OTHER ALCHEMY BOOKS.THE PRICE MAY STOP SOME BUT IF NOT IT IS WORTH THE MONEY.

Fascinating. Probably the best book on alchemy out there.

I needed this for two term papers and my thesis. It's easy to use, VERY rich in definitions and examples and has a full bibliography in the back. Great, great compilation of alchemy.

Absolutely fantastic, tons of information all organized and detailed.

Given this as a gift a few years back, I had primarily asked for it with the intention of using it as an art sourcebook. For that purpose alone, a guide to decoding alchemical iconography, it would have been a worthy purchase. From an intellectual standpoint, however, this volume proved to be infinitely fascinating and well researched. The text itself is clearly written but very dense. It is clear that the author knows what she is talking about and has taken major steps to make a very complex subject understandable to others.An exciting, yet unexpected, byproduct of this book was that I began to recognize related iconography in places I previously hadn't been aware of it. Most notable of these "discoveries" was the recognization of alchemical imagery that infuses W.B. Yeat's poetry. This book was the means by which I discovered an entirely new (to me) dimension of Yeats' writing.If you have even the slightest interest in historical alchemical imagery and iconography then I highly recommend this volume. Not only is it an essential academic reference, but it serves as an excellent springboard into further historical study and investigation.