Category: Culture & Magic

Commentary and analysis of magic in pop culture, witchcraft, and occult. Articles, interviews, and op-eds published, submissions welcome.

Stack of books
Best Novels About Philosophy - 2025

It's a powerful thing when a book opens your mind to questions about the human condition, the self, and the nature of existence. Novels that are philosophical in nature take us to fictional worlds that somehow reflect and comment on the human condition better than reality, making you question where you stand and what you […]

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Best Fairy Tale Books: A Review of Little, Big by John Crowley

At the start of this tale, one Smoky Barnable sets off to marry Daily Alice—but first, he has to find her. Edgewood is off the beaten path, much like Little, Big itself—no ordinary dwelling place. The upstate New York mansion has three hundred and sixty-five stairs, seven chimneys, fifty-two doors, twelve (“twelve what? There must […]

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What We Can Learn About Mental Health in Harry Potter

A teenage boy tosses and turns in bed. He can’t stop his racing thoughts, and it feels like the weight of the world is on his shoulders. A dark force looms over him, threatening everything he loves, but he feels isolated and afraid. No one believes his concerns, even as it’s plain to see the […]

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Witch Stories: Why We Need Them and Where to Start with Some of the Most Magical Writers and Storytellers

Who says witches have to be villains? Some of the greatest modern storytellers certainly don’t think so. Authors like Pam Grossman and Madeline Miller are flipping the script on witch stories, offering empowering and nuanced alternatives to the stereotype of the old hag in the woods who curses princesses with spindles. It’s important to tell […]

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The Art of Slow Living: Why We Should Read More and Work Less

Are you reading this article when you “should” be working? Good. That means you’re already well on your way to mastering the art of slow living.  Slow living isn’t just about taking more naps or promising not to check your email during your lunch break (but for the record, you should absolutely do both). No, […]

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Why bell hooks’ Definition of Love Has Never Been More Important

What does love mean? Really sit with this question for a moment. If you were to create your own dictionary right now, what would you say about it? Jot your answer down somewhere. Text it, type it out, write it on the napkin laying next to you—just put “love” into words.  Are you surprised by […]

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  • Craft Corner

    Stack of books

    Some favorite reads for honing manuscripts, magic(k), and minds

  • Take your imagination on a date with these translated mini-essays about children and storytelling. The Grammar of Fantasy by Gianni Rodari will loosen writer's block and cultivate child-like wonder and playfulness (with a healthy side of potty humor).
  • Stories need not follow the pyramidal rise-and-fall of Freytag's story arc to be compelling. Jane Alison's Meander, Spiral, Explode opens minds and manuscripts with its survey of shapes found in both nature and literature.
  • New witches and witch-curious readers will appreciate this mind-body approach to magick. Its authentic tone and easy-to-follow guide will appeal to those looking to cultivate a witchy meditation practice and to see their magickal efforts manifest in the real world.
  • Six Ways by Aidan Wachter is an easy-to-read primer on "chaos magic:" tips and how-to's for building a magickal toolbox that doesn't ascribe to any particular school of thought. The book covers sigils, petitions, animism, trance, and more. Its likable narrator and magickal content will inspire writers and magicians alike.
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