I may have developed a bit of a reputation as a harsh reviewer of historical studies which in my opinion do a poor job at engaging with primary sources and original contexts (such as a recent book on the heretical science of William James, and a study of German occultism and the Third Reich). By far the most positive review I published in a while is in fact of Jason Josephson-Storm’s The Myth of Disenchantment (University of Chicago Press, 2017), which just appeared on the website of the journal History of the Human Sciences (you can read the full review at www.histhum.com/metaphysics-of-the-dunces).
No book is entirely without flaws, and my review points out what I think are some problems of detail (e.g. a misreading of the German philosopher Carl du Prel) and the regrettable omission of valuable material from debates over the place of ‘occult’ phenomena in fledgling experimental psychology. But the book’s virtues by far outweigh its flaws, which is why I was pleased when Jason cheerfully accepted my invitation to write his guest post on Max Weber and his often misunderstood verdict of the disenchantment of the world. As far as his book is concerned, I was particularly gratified to see Jason’s independent confirmations of some of the conclusions and arguments I presented in my doctoral thesis back in 2013.
As stated in my review, I do think that The Myth of Disenchantment
“stands head and shoulders above recent historical monographs on the modern Western occult. With its focus on continuities of magic in unexpected places, and demonstrations of how enchantment has often undermined itself through competing modes, a major distinguishing feature of the study is a complete lack of timidity, delving as it does straight into the heart of fiercely contested issues. Drawing on an impressive wealth of primary sources in various languages, Josephson-Storm shows a sure instinct for hidden treasures, and recovers significant associations of canonical figures with important, but now obscure, actors and ideas. Not all of his insights are fully unpacked, but the overall level of rigour and balance displayed by Josephson-Storm is so rare that I just might try my luck at sorcery, if that’s what it takes to make him continue this line of research”.
UPDATE, April 2020: I have meanwhile made this video, which is roughly based on my review:
