Bargain Witch Essays in Self-Initiation
Bargain Witch Essays in Self-Initiation by Brooke Palmieri, published by MIT Press on October 7, 2025, presents a unique exploration of occult history intertwined with personal narrative. This edition, comprising 296 pages, delves into the sacred yearning for magic as it relates to real-life experiences, connecting contemporary and classic elements of witchcraft. Palmieri’s essays draw from a diverse range of influences, including notable practitioners, and reflect on various aspects of witch life, from historical anecdotes to modern-day practices.
Readers will find a rich tapestry of themes that include LGBTQ+ perspectives and the intersection of magic and everyday life. The essays cover topics such as the dynamics of Salem witches, the role of media in shaping perceptions of witchcraft, and the author’s experiences in an occult bookshop. Through a voice infused with passion and humor, Bargain Witch invites readers to engage with the complexities of witchcraft and its cultural significance, making it a noteworthy addition to the discourse on magic and identity.
Official synopsis Publisher
An occult history that grounds the sacred yearning for magic in real life.
In these essays by scholar and self-initiated witch Brooke Palmieri, occult history, the eternal now, and our magickal queer futures align, connecting us to an enchantment both contemporary and classic. Drawing upon the knowledge and influence of practitioners from Rachel Pollack to Tituba, Palmieri grounds the sacred yearning for magic in real life, whether exploring the gossip of feuding Salem witches, paying the rent by playing “wizard” for news cameras, or detailing the psychic ups and downs of working in an occult bookshop. Written in a voice electrified with love for the craft and its lineage of eccentrics, Bargain Witch shows us witch life in all its quotidian humor and splendor, taking its place amongst the magickal classics that inspired it, a literary ouroboros.
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