Keep in mind, these might not even be occult books, but that doesn't mean their influence couldn't directly relate to your understanding.
I'll start off with mentioning Libir Null & Psychonaut, by Peter Caroll, as my two contenders.
There are only a few books I can say I've read all the way through. For the most part, I read or skim the theory crafting sections, and skip out on practicing any of the material in them.
I'm more interested in learning other arts, rather than practicing them. But not a lot of these different styles of magick can be successfully intertwined all of the time.
Liber Null gave me information that I could apply to my every day way of living. I can use it's ideas and apply them to almost any style I could choose to practice, and it really wouldn't interfere much with the traditional rituals.
It's less about practical rituals, and more about practical magick on a whole, which is far more important than any single ritual will do for you.
I'd like to hear others' oppinions on the subject of Peter Caroll's writings, and of course, I would love to hear what books you have to offer.
This is both for myself and others to continue in building up their library.
If you had to offer only one source of knowledge before you died, would you be happy with your choice?
The internet is not an option for that
I know it's more likely he just made a study of the field for the purpose of his series, but some of the stuff he says seems just a little too spot on to be coincidence or imagination. Very few authors do a good job of conveying real magical and occult principles and experiences into fictional settings. It's a shame he basically wrote the magic out of the series once he started to modernize Ankh-Morpork. The Wizards went from being, well, Wizards, to bickering academics.
