Incense

Crafting & Use of Magickal Scents

by Carl F. Neal

2003 by Llewellyn Worldwide

ISBN 0738703362

Since your reviewer is actually the author of this book, I'll try to hold my praise to a bare minimum.  This is the newest incense making book available and it discusses a lot of techniques and approaches not discussed anywhere else.  It also offers over 60 original recipes, an ingredient chart, and detailed information about many aspects of incense making (including mixing, rolling, drying and more).  It is also the only book to give detailed instructions for making Japanese-style joss sticks - it even discusses using a traditional bark binder (tabu/makko).  It includes a unique trouble shooting chart, detailed advice for incorporating incense into magick rituals and an introduction to making "moist" incense using honey as a binder.

Although the book is intended for new incense makers, there is useful information for incense makers of all levels.  This book was written as an introduction for new incense makers, so it is not the "end all and be all" on the topic of incense, but it is the most complete book about incense making available today.  I hope to write a sequel one day for more advanced incense makers, but that will be contingent upon the success of this title.  A new book dedicated to the use of incense is in the works already.