In both the occult and historical fields there is a need for a systematic account of magical procedure, and "The Book of Ceremonial Magic", written (in 1911) by the distinguished occultist Arthur Edward Waite, fills it. The book satisfies the desire to know precisely the actual content of ceremonial magic -- the procedure, the words, the requirements of the operator, whose main purpose was communication with unseen, intelligent powers or spirits and receive their aid in accomplishing his will. The book is divided into two parts. Part I, titled "The Literature of Ceremonial Magic", contains an analytical and critical account of the chief magical rituals known to the author and includes key passages from the principal magical texts of the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries. Part II, titled "The Complete Grimoire", is a veritable "how to" of magical practice with chapters on the preparation of the operator, initial rites and ceremonies, the hierarchy of spirits, the rite of conjuration, etc. This fascinating volume should be on the bookshelf of every serious student of old-world history or the occult.