I play a game somewhat like bibliomancy with my inner-instructor...
i read all sorts of things, some occult-ish some seemingly mundane
and there emerges themes and brilliant connections
that are what my current lesson-plan is trying to convey...
I have picked up random series of books before
and had them all reference each other and the "perennial philosophy"
it was one of the first things that turned me on to
the practical applications of synchronicity.

as for archaic yet entertaining and often informative authors
Eliphas Levi's "The Key of the Mysteries" has quite a few gems in it...
if you can accept that he is often playing Crowley-games
by denouncing things that he might actually be recommending
and informing you how to do...
here is his best quote ever ...
"Fluidic Phantoms are the Abortions of the Astral Light"