Dissapointing
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I was dissapointed in this work. An enormous amount of the middle of the book seems like an uncritical transcription from Dee's diary describing the skrying sessions and what Dee thought were the messages passed to him from a variety of "angels". There was little or no comment or analysis of the people or situations and I was not sure while reading whether the author actually believed the "angelic messages" as Dee obviously did. In the short last chapter the author at last gives his views and finally gives some prespective to Dee's life. This is far and away the most informative and interesting part of the book, but it feels like to little to late.
I have not read much else about Dee, so cannot make comparisons, but with such a rich historical period and seemingly fascinating character as a subject the book left me cold and was a struggle to finish.
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Now *that's* magic!
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It would be very difficult to write a dull biography of John Dee. He was perhaps the archetypal Renaissance man; astronomer, astrologer, explorer and mathematician, he was a friend of Elizabeth I but died in poverty, reviled for his spiritualism.
Based on Dee's private diaries, Woolley's biography is filled with fascinating detail, not only of his experiments, but of Elizabethan court life and society. Thorough without being tedious, this is always eminently readable. And - hurrah! - it has proper citations, an extensive bibliography and a decent index, thus proving once and for all that this kind of slightly populist history does not have to abandon all proper academic convention.
If I have one misgiving, it's that the central, apparently driving force for much of Dee's life, his relationship with Edward Kelly, is under-analysed. Certainly, the facts about Kelly are few enough; but aside from a single, speculative mention of some passing evidence for Kelly's being an apostate priest, no consideration is given to his origins. More importantly, there is little comment on the true nature of the spiritual 'actions' undertaken by the two men. Did Kelly genuinely believe in his visions? And what was his hold on Dee, that he could pursuade him to abandon his morals so far as to exchange wives?
This aside, the book is excellent. In the twenty-first century, we have forgotten that the separation between science and magic is a very recent thing. Woolley takes us straight into the mind of a man for whom they were identical. Recommended.
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A good place to start when learning about enochian magick
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If you are someone who is interested in Enochian Magick, this can be a great place to start. The books itself does not go into much detail about the scrying sessions with Dee and Kelley but do not let that put you off. It is a fascinating tale of a man who seemed to be far ahead of his time, and who also seemed to miss oportunities due to plain old bad luck. The book also gives a glimpse into what he was like as a husband and father as well, which really helps makes the reader see him more as a "real" person. After reading the book, it gives one a good foundation to go on and read books which delve a lot more deeply into Enochian Magick itself as you have a better understanding of the timeline over which the information was received. If possible, treat yourself to a trip to the British Museum in London to Dee's actual scrying material! After reading the book you will be able to appreciate it so much more.
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great accout
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this is only just a snapshot into the life and inner workings of one of great forefathers of modern day occultism. There are many gaps still to be filled, and many more theories that i feel should have been included in this. Dee has sparked much debate in occult circles (and the not so occult ones). Of course, there are only those things we can speculate as the truth was taken with Dee to his grave.
Almost as if Fate brought this man back into the light of day, so we must take this example, read it and learn the lessons that are offered.
A great work into this leading figure.It was a pleasent read that was objective, and not bogged down on the occult side of things ( i mean the technicalities and rituals ). Read this to find out what the man of Dee was really like, underneath the myth and hype that many generate today about his life.
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Tall tales
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On this evidence, what might you make of "Dr" John Dee, Scientist, Philosopher, Astronomer, Astrologer, Librarian, Religious dilitante, and apparent correspondent with angels? Learned, though without an obvious career path other than the aspiration to act as consultant philosopher to the Queen. Gullible certainly, based on his curious and lengthy relationship with "skryer" Edward Kelley. Woolley has steered a path of objectivity through Dee's strange life in the context of 16th Century religious and political mores. He has researched impressively, but you can't help feeling he has failed to get to the bottom of Dee's strange existence, and in so doing has fallen between two stools: Neither truly an academic work (a great many concepts are outlined, but few analysed with the rigour of a scholar), nor particularly the popularist work it desires to be, we are left with a series of cartoons which present a bizarre and incomplete view of the subject. Brave try, but I wish Mr Woolley had filled in more of the gaps and attempted more informed speculation.
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