Exploring the Occult
Set of 5 titles
Even in an age when science holds sway, fascination with the occult has not diminished. Social media, books, and news stories are filled with tales of ghost and angel encounters, monster hunters, clairvoyants, and witchcraft practitioners. The Exploring the Occult series explores both history and present-day experiences with the occult--building on the sense of wonder that keeps these topics fresh and alive.
Booklist Review of Exploring the Occult
Do you believe in angels? If so, you’ve got company: according to this installment in the Exploring the Occult series (5 titles), 70 percent of Americans do—and 60 percent believe in the devil. Kallen invites readers to think of angels as divine superheroes that are all-knowing, all-seeing, and all-powerful. The devil and his minions are, of course, “the ultimate biblical supervillains.” This established, Kallen then offers a brief history of angelic legend and lore, with a special nod to the work of St. Thomas Aquinas, who arranged angels in hierarchies. Most of the book, however, focuses on contemporary beliefs and experiences. Unfortunately, most of the sources are dubious; many come from social media and are unverifiable. But perhaps that’s no matter since the book is an exercise in a willing suspension of disbelief.