Dictionary of the Esoteric by Nevill Drury
It features biographies of leading figures in the field, - from astrologer Evangeline Adams to the prophet Zarathustra. It also offers a fascinating look at magical formulas; the nature of spiritual beings; the meanings of signs, symbols and secret rites; historical accounts of hauntings and psychic occurrences; religious and esoteric texts such as the Egyptian Book of the Dead and The Dead Sea Scrolls.