The Black Arts, by Richard Cavendish

This book is more of a starting point than an actual primer of the magical arts. That said, I found it to be very helpful in laying out the basics of different magical practices in an accessible, interesting way. I had previously been completely uninterested in Cabala or numerology, but the author managed to make it compelling by showing how it tied in to alchemy, demonology, and astrology, which helped to form a more cohesive picture overall of the occult throughout the history of Europe and parts of Asia and Africa in my mind.

Overall, an excellent starting point for any person who studies the history of the occult or is a serious student of the occult itself, just beginning to study their art.