The book "Night on the Titanic" is part of the Magic Tree House series written by Mary Pope Osborne. The story follows the adventures of Jack and Annie, two siblings who have a magical tree house that can transport them to different times and places. In this particular book, they travel to the night of April 14, 1912, just hours before the Titanic sinks. As Jack and Annie arrive on the Titanic, they are tasked with finding a gift to help save a future kingdom. They embark on a journey through the grand ship, encountering various passengers and crew members along the way. They explore different areas of the ship, including the first-class lounge, the steerage deck, and even the bridge.
They explore different areas of the ship, including the first-class lounge, the steerage deck, and even the bridge. Throughout their exploration, Jack and Annie learn about the Titanic's grandeur and the stark contrast between the different classes on board. They meet a young passenger named Kathleen, who dreams of being an artist, and together they navigate the ship's mysteries and dangers.
Transcendental Magic - by Eliphas Levi
Transcendental Magic: Its Doctrine and Ritual by Éliphas Lévi explores magic, the "esoteric science," and its place between science and religion.
Book Synopsis
Transcendental Magic: Its Doctrine and Ritual by Éliphas Lévi explores magic, the "esoteric science," and its place between science and religion.
Born Alphonse Louis Constant in 1810, this French occultist originally planned for a career in the Catholic Church. Constant was educated at Saint Sulpice's seminary, and planned to become a priest. Yet just before he was to receive his ordination at age 26, Constant renounced his ecclesiastical goals and returned to civilian life.
The following years tested Constant's conscience and resilience. He was disowned by his family, and worked as a tutor to earn an income. Without the structure from the seminary, he found himself adrift.
Constant dedicated much of his early life to promoting the ideals of a utopian socialist society that worked for the economic improvement of all people. He shared these ideas in an early work called The Bible of Liberty. Within an hour of its release, the copies were seized by French authorities, and Constant spent the next six months in prison.
After a failed marriage and the death of his young daughter, Constant discovered the world of the occult and mysticism. He became a ceremonial magician, and developed a social circle of many of the occultists and Kabbalists of the time. Writing on the subject under the Hebrew name Éliphas Lévi, he began to share his ideas on magic with the public in the 1850s.
Lévi's first published book on ritual magic is the two-part work, Transcendental Magic: Its Doctrines and Rituals. The two parts were first published as single work with a thorough biographical introduction in 1958.
This work explores the magician's foundations for his spiritual beliefs, as well as his idea that an elite class of priests would be necessary to lead the people into both social and magical order. He writes, "Occult philosophy seems to have been the nurse and godmother of all intellectual forces, the key of all divine obscurities, and the absolute mistress of society, in those ages when it was exclusively reserved for the education of priests and of kings. Magic is the traditional science of the secrets of Nature which comes to us from the Magi."
Part One, The Doctrine of Transcendental Magic, was first published in 1854. This work establishes the concepts behind symbols like the tetragram and pentagram, the significance of Hebrew letters and numbers, and the relationship between science, occultism, and formal religion. Lévi was the first to document the meaning of the points of the pentagram. He stated that a pentagram with only one point up and two down is a symbol of the Savior, and a pentagram with two points up and one down is a "symbol of evil and attracts sinister forces."
Part Two, The Rituals of Transcendental Magic, was published in 1856. It discusses the actual materials, processes, and settings for conducting ritual magic. The practitioner must purify himself through a temperate diet, regular sleep, and thorough attention to cleaning and hygiene. A complete description of tools like a magical lamp, rod, sword, and dagger follows, leaving the magician well equipped to perform ceremonies and rituals. Lévi also added the Tarot to the tools of the magician, which was a new development in the occultism of the time.
Although Lévi didn't enjoy much notoriety during his life, his works eventually became highly influential among other occultists, and he is now considered one of the fathers of modern mysticism. Famous occultist Aleister Crowley even claimed to be Lévi himself in one of his past lives. Additionally, Arthur Edward Waite and Pamela Colman Smith created the Waite-Smith deck based on Éliphas Lévi's writings, which is the basis for most modern Tarot decks.
As mentioned already, the text is in two parts, itself symbolic of divine duality: masculine/feminine, body/spirit, positive/negative, theory/application, as above-so below, and the list goes on. But now it gets deeper. Each of the two sections contains 22 chapters. These correspond to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and to the 22 cards that comprise the Major Arcana in the tarot. This makes sense, since Levi stresses the importance and power of kabbalah and tarot as complete magical systems. So with this foreknowledge, each chapter should be read and interpreted through the lens of the corresponding tarot card, and the kabbalistic meaning of the corresponding Hebrew letter. Now, this level of interpretation is way beyond the scope of this blog post, so suffice to say that if you are not familiar with these magical systems, then this is not a text you should be attempting to read.
As they witness the sinking of the Titanic, Jack and Annie must find a way to escape and return to their own time. They face numerous challenges and must work together to overcome them. Along the way, they learn about the courage and sacrifice displayed by the passengers and crew during the tragic event. Through the magical and educational journey on the Titanic, "Night on the Titanic" introduces young readers to the historical event and the real stories of the people who were on board. It allows children to experience a different time period and learn about empathy and understanding. Overall, "Night on the Titanic" combines adventure, history, and lessons about friendship and bravery. It captivates readers with its magical elements and provides a unique way to learn about an important event in history..
Reviews for "A Night on the Titanic: Unlocking History with the Magic Tree House"
1. Emily - 2/5 Stars - Night on the Titznic Magic Tree House was a disappointment for me. I found the plot to be predictable and the characters lacking depth. The story felt rushed, and I didn't feel invested in the magical journey the protagonist was taking. Additionally, the writing style didn't engage me, and I struggled to stay engaged throughout the book. Overall, I would not recommend this book to others looking for a captivating and immersive read.
2. Mike - 1/5 Stars - Night on the Titznic Magic Tree House fell short of my expectations. The concept seemed intriguing at first, but the execution was poor. The world-building was weak, and the magical elements felt forced into the story without proper explanation. The characters were forgettable, and their actions seemed arbitrary. The pacing was off, with certain scenes dragging on while others were rushed. I was left feeling unsatisfied and uninterested in continuing the series.
3. Sarah - 2/5 Stars - I had high hopes for Night on the Titznic Magic Tree House, but unfortunately, it let me down. The plot lacked originality and felt like a rehashed version of other similar books. The dialogue was cheesy and unrealistic, and the character development was minimal. The premise of the magical tree house was interesting, but it was underutilized and didn't add much to the overall story. I was hoping for a more engaging and imaginative read, and this book didn't deliver.