Public Domain Collections of Occult Books

Suggest and discuss books to read (all languages welcome!)
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lightcrystal
Posts: 1202
Joined: October 22nd, 2021, 10:55 pm
Location: Melbourne with kangaroos

Post by lightcrystal »

I have a particular interest in occult and esoteric books. I am always looking for online public domain collections. Here's one that could be a source for recordings:

https://embassyofthefreemind.com/nl/

Note that you can switch the language from Dutch to English. Many of these books seem to be direct scans with no translation. For instance if I put in the catalogue "A Childe of Light" by Thomas Goodwin, published in 1643. that far back in English you are going into middle English with its own challenges. The 1600's starts to enter the "readable in English but with difficulty" category.

Of course every book is its own case for being public domain or not.

Or another weird one: Belle and the dragon. An elfin comedy , by Arthur Edward Waite, 1894.
Yes, that would be Waite of the Waite tarot deck fame. Also, a bit of knowledge helps here! I see his pun. You're not getting away with this pun Arthur! I've caught you out! Belle and the dragon is a pun on the Apocrypha bible book "Bel and the dragon". All the rainy days when I read books in the crypt are starting to prove useful. At this rate I will turn into Giles from Buffy the vampire slayer.

Here's one in French: L'Imitation de Jesus-Christ [1704] by Thomas a Kempis. Anyone who could read French there you go.

A new light on the Renaissance displayed in contemporary emblems [1909] by Harold Bayley.

The real history of the Rosicrucians founded on their own manifestoes, and on facts and documents collected from the writings of initiated brethren, by Arthur Edward Waite, 1887.

Notes and materials for an adequate biography of the celebrated divine and theosopher, William Law [1854] by Christopher Walton

Many others. It's a huge collection. Enough for now.
I'm a geek. I wreck my computer. Then I fix it.
Scarbo
Posts: 2593
Joined: April 27th, 2020, 5:03 pm

Post by Scarbo »

Your mention of Belle and the Dragon piqued my curiosity. I just finished reading it, and wow, it is something else! I've added it to my to-BC list, but I'll need to check some other projects off my list before I get to it. :mrgreen:
For the time being, I'll need a little more time than usual to PL sections that come in on weekdays. Thanks for your patience.

Sarah
lightcrystal
Posts: 1202
Joined: October 22nd, 2021, 10:55 pm
Location: Melbourne with kangaroos

Post by lightcrystal »

Scarbo wrote: December 8th, 2021, 6:46 pm Your mention of Belle and the Dragon piqued my curiosity. I just finished reading it, and wow, it is something else! I've added it to my to-BC list, but I'll need to check some other projects off my list before I get to it. :mrgreen:
Yeah if there were an insane book collection that would be in it!
I'm a geek. I wreck my computer. Then I fix it.
lightcrystal
Posts: 1202
Joined: October 22nd, 2021, 10:55 pm
Location: Melbourne with kangaroos

Post by lightcrystal »

Another site for occult books is the internet sacred text archive. Interestingly it has a page explaining that MOST texts there are public domain but not all:

https://www.sacred-texts.com/cnote.htm

The vast majority that are public domain, especially for people in the US, the site owner is happy for any public domain use including LibriVox recordings.
I'm a geek. I wreck my computer. Then I fix it.
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