Stolen Lightning: The Social Theory of Magic by Daniel O'Keefe

Stolen Lightning: The Social Theory of Magic by Daniel O'Keefe

Author: Daniel O'Keefe
ISBN: 0855204869
Condition: Pre-Loved / Secondhand — No dust jacket

A magisterial and landmark work in intellectual history, Stolen Lightning presents the first truly general and explanatory theory of magic — one that draws on philosophy, sociology, religion, anthropology, history, and psychology to illuminate magic's enduring presence in human life.

Daniel O'Keefe argues that magic was once central to human understanding, and that its roots remain alive in the institutions of modern life. He traces how magic helped the human self to emerge, shaped the structures of individuality, and continues to surface — even in a scientific age — as a form of transcendent protest. Yet magic's Pyrrhic victories also obscure our own role in creating the world we inhabit, a tension visible in today's escapist cults and mechanical rituals for self-transformation.

Comparable in scope and ambition to the works of Frazer, Weber, Toynbee, and Freud, this is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the deep magical currents that still run beneath modern civilisation.

All items in our Pre-Loved Library are curated vintage or secondhand copies. Expect minor shelf wear, aged pages, or past owner notes—each imperfection adds to the soul and journey of the book.