I don't know what the other reviewers are complaining about, there are numerous texts on magic in print and many of them are for the more adept student (why not try Julius Evola's work), but I found this to be one book I recomment most highly to beginners. It covers the most important aspects of what is fundamental to all magical workings: concentration and visualization exercises. This book, in conjunction with Peter J. Carroll's Liber Null & Psychonaut, lay down the groundwork using semantics that are easy to grasp and not overly burdened with ritual, dogma, and other baggage from magic's past. Highly suggested.