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Witchcraft Today
By Gerald B. Gardner
Citadel Press; ISBN 0806525932
224 pp.
$17.95 CDN
This classic book, first published in 1954 and reprinted in April 2004, is a must-read for any Pagan interested in the roots of the NeoPagan Witchcraft revival, even though it is wildly inaccurate from an archeological point of view. The claim of an unbroken-lineage Witch religion since the Stone Age made by Gardner has been largely discounted since he wrote the book. Even his claim of being initiated into a hereditary coven has been questioned and investigated with no conclusive result. The final truth about that may never be known. However, most of the modern-day Wiccan and Pagan traditions are based on Gardner's work.
You will find it a fascinating and sometimes shocking read. Did you know that Gardner believed only young beautiful women could "Draw down the Moon"? That the Knights Templar were tortured and burned during the inquisition as punishment by the Goddess because they allowed homosexuality? Gardner recounts vivid descriptions of the tortures used during the "burning times" and claims that nine million souls were massacred. Much of his "historical" data was based on the work of Dr. Margaret Murray, who wrote the original foreword (included).
Notwithstanding the historical inaccuracies, Gardner fascinates readers with descriptions of rituals, examples of Witchcraft and folklore through the ages including healing spells, talismans, chants and "the mysteries". He clearly explains "what Witches believe" and these beliefs are for the most part still followed by Wiccans today. He touches on the "little people" and how they figure into Wicca as well as how Wicca relates to Voodoo, and the mysteries of Egypt, Greece and Rome.
Also in this new edition are insightful essays by Ronald Hutton (Triumph of the Moon), Wren Walker (Witchvox) and an interesting compilation of Gardner,s sources by Judy Harrow. Hutton gives a brief synopsis of Gardner's life and mentions his other published works. Harrow, herself a Gardnerian priestess with the Protean tradition and Cherry Hill Seminary gives the reader Gardner's probable resources and suggests further books that she believes Gardner himself would have enjoyed. Walker talks about where Wicca is today in relation to Gardner's legacy.
This book is not an easy read but I recommend it to, if nothing else, place our Pagan belief system in a historical frame of reference from Gardner to today.
(Reviewed Samhain 2004)
Meri Fowler has been studying and practising Wicca since 1992. She runs the Young Pagan's Circle, now in it's fifth year, which is a group for young people between the ages of 10 and 18 to learn about Wicca and Witchcraft.
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Book reviews © 2004. Permission to reprint, with full credit, must be
granted by the author. If you would like to reprint this review, please
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