Occult Bookshops, Banned Books – Lecture

At a time of great censorship, the occult bookstore in Britain was a refuge of ideas and inspiration for alternative thinkers.

In this online lecture, Dr Shai Feraro discusses Britain's famous 'mystical' bookshops from 1890 – 2000. In these places, a customer could buy books that many considered dangerous and frightening – books that had to be carefully wrapped before leaving the premises. If a member of the public found these books of 'rejected knowledge', they would often take them to a priest for exorcism or burn them upon a bonfire. 

Nonetheless, for its customers, the occult bookshop was a haven of vital conversation and creativity. Within its walls, you could meet a witch, sorcerer, left-field artist or free-thinking intellectual. You could find rich answers to strange questions, collaborate with others magically and even write your own banned book. (Indeed, that's how many of them got published.) Expect to learn all…