Heres a few book reviews written by Mistweave. The opinions are Mistweaves alone and you may disagree! At least it will give you a list of books to check out if your stuck for reading material.
Email us ( lady_shadow_owl@yahoo.com.au ) if you have any reviews to add to this page, we'd love to hear your opinions!
(Book prices are estimates and in Aus $., Shops are South Australian)
Coven & Witch, a magickal year Fiona Horne Angus & Robertson $35.00 & 28.00 Sorry, but these books are laughable! Fiona Horne displays her "fluffy bunny, no nothing, wanna be" approach to Witchcraft with embarrasing clarity! This woman - if she IS indeed Wiccan, has not stepped beyond the basics yet parades herself as an advaced practitioner and ambassador of all Wiccans. Her antics in recent years havent added to her credibility and these books are a huge disapointment for any serious student wishing to find the TRUE CRAFT. Save your money!!! 2/10. (only for the audacity of the author!)
Green Witchcraft, Books 1,2,&3 Anna Moura Natures Gifts, Gawler aprox $35.00 each Llewelyn A must read for the budding Green Witch! Informative and "do-able: excersises help the novice Green Witch progress at her own pace. Between these three, much is covered. 8/10
Magickal Herbalism Scott Cunningham Angus & Robertson $19.95 LLewelyn Another Cunningham masterpiece. This book is a handy little guide at a handy little price! It covers Magickal herbalism and secrets. An easy read with plenty of useful bits & pieces 8/10
Moon Magick D.J. Conway Dymocks $40.00 Llewelyn This book is written for the northern hemishere but the info is sound - just have to change it round! Handy for moon rituals and lore 7/10
Practicing the Witches Craft. (Real magick under a southern sky) Douglas Ezzy Angus & Robertson $24.95 Allen & Unwin One of the few books written for the southern hemisphere, This book is a compilation - each chapter is written by a different Aussie Witch. It presents many perspectives on the Craft with useful info. Not a 'how to' book for novices but definalty worth a read. I would have like to have seen more on southern hemisphere correspondances & lore. 6/10
The Inner Temple of Witchcraft And The Outer Temple Of Witchcraft Penczak Dymocks, Rundle Mall $45 ea. (approx) Llewelyn Good all round books covering spiritual developement and practical temple work with lessons encluded.. 10/10
The Spiral Dance Starhawke Dymocks not sure ? This one is a classic. Every witch should have this one on the shelf...I dont agree with all Starhawke says but its an interesting read 9/10
The Witches Bible Janet & Stuart Farrar Natures Gifts $48.00 Phoenix press A good source of rituals with a Gardnerian/Alexandrian flavour 9/10
To ride a wild broomstick and others by this "author" Silver Ravenwolf (borrowed from a friend) n/a unknown Oh dear, another wanna be! This lady should get together with Fiona Horne! If you wish to learn Witchcraft, stay away from anything written by this bunny! 0/10 (maybe the under 12's would like these as bedtime stories)
Wicca, the Complete Craft D.J. Conway Angus & Robertson $39.95 The Crossing Press A good basic guide to Wicca. This book covers all the basics needed by those new to the Craft. Sabbat, Esbat & many other sample rituals are included as well as plenty of information to get you started. 7 /10
. Wild Witchcrafting Marian Green Private purchace Wow! I loved this book! A breath of fresh air. 9/10
Witchcraft, A mystery Tratition, Italian Witchcraft, Wiccan Mysteries & The Witches Craft Raven Grimassi Natures Gifts, Gawler various Llewelyn My Favourite author, Raven Grimassi in his many fine books, takes us from novice to advanced Witchcraft. These, and others by this author are riveting reading. 10/10
Witchcrafting Phyllis Curott The Metaphysical bookshop, Adelaide $40.00 (aprox) Thorsons Great stuff! Lots of excersises and tips another one for those new to the Craft- gives a wider view. 9/10
And then theres.....
A Witch Alone: Thirteen Moons to Master Natural Magic by Marian Green - A wonderful journey in the discovery of nature spirituality for absolute Pagan or Wicca beginner, or those more advanced that need a course to awaken your spiritual awareness of nature. Don't just read it, do the exercises and follow the book as written.
Natural Witchcraft: The Timeless Arts and Crafts of the Country Witch by Marian Green - Ms Green makes clear that magic should be embraced and practiced as a way of life. It's not the ceremony that's important, it's the magic. This is well continued in her next book, Wild Witchcraft.
Green Witchcraft: Folk Magic, Fairy Lore & Herb Craft by Ann Moura - This is the first book of an excellent series of three books on Ms Moura's orientation to witchcraft. This is followed by: Green Witchcraft II and Green Witchcraft III.
There is also Grimoire for the Green Witch, a lovely Grimoire that is well-rounded and well presented. However, it does lack a much-needed index.
The Magickal Life by Vivianne Crowley - For the Wicca beginner, this is a book filled with practical advice and detailed exercises with a Wicca orientation.
Herbalism:
Herbal Magic by Gerina Dunwich - Crisp writing, very well done.
Garden Witchery: Magick From The Ground Up by Ellen Dugan - Combines practical gardening with bits of folklore and some magic.
The Wicca Herbal by Jamie Wood - Practical.
Hermetica (Corpus Hermeticum)
The Hermetica is a large group of Hellenistic philosophical and religious texts that present the philosophy and religious beliefs of ancient Egypt. The Hellenistic culture existed with its center in Alexandra, Egypt, during the first centuries of the Common Era (CE).
The Hermetica: The Lost Wisdom of the Pharaohs Edited by Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy - This thin book brilliantly presents the nature of God (The One) and answers some of the great questions of our existence. This book highlights well-selected sections found in the original Corpus Hermeticum.
The Corpus Hermeticum, the complete Hermetica texts, is a codification of the many tracts and dialogues that is encyclopaedic in scope, and has extended great influence on other world religions, philosophies, and has profoundly influenced many of the great thinkers of European history.
The book we recommend, The Hermetica: The Lost Wisdom of the Pharaohs presents the essence of the Corpus Hermeticum in a highly readable form.
Magic
Practical Magic For Beginners by Brandy Williams - A "short on theory and long on practice" comprehensive training course presents the foundations of spellcraft and practical ritual magic through short, simple exercises.
Everyday Magic: Spells & Rituals for Modern Living by Dorothy Morrison - Over 300 simple spells and short rituals that are suited for everyday life is presented in this excellent reference book. This book is rich source material that is highly practical, as well as being beautifully done. This is a worthwhile choice. The following: Everyday Sun Magic and Everyday Moon Magic are other related titles.
Crone's Book Of Charms & Spells, by Valerie Worth - Though not herself a professed witch, Valerie Worth captures the very essence of magical wisdom and inspiration. She wrote in a lovely poetic style that is evocative of what could have been in a great-grandmother's Victorian Grimoir. This book is a testament to the power of language. Note that a few selected spells may be found to be useless or otherwise inappropriate by Wiccans.
The final chapter consists of ceremonies to be performed for each month of the year. These are beautiful creations that Gerald Gardner might have eagerly added to his Wica rituals, had this book been available to him. This is certainly excellent source material that actually gives the reader a magical feeling. This vital ingredient is oddly missing in far too many books on magic.
Tarot
Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom by Rachel Pollack - This is an essential text for all serious students. It's one of the few books that examines the Minor Arcana in a complete manner. This is all the more important because Ms Pollack writes with insight and grace. Reversed meanings are covered as well as discussions on shuffling the deck, layouts, doing readings (several chapters), and how to use the Tarot in seeking advice. Clearly a superior book.
Tarot Plain and Simple by Anthony Louis - This is a very well-designed book that you will use again and again as a good reference. The card meanings are very direct, with just the facts. This book also provides information about reversed meanings, layouts, and some general information.
Essence of the Tarot: Modern Reflections on Ancient Wisdom by Megan Skinner - One of the more superior books on Tarot, Megan Skinner presents a wonderfully written guide that unravels ancient interpretation of the Major Arcana as opposed to a contemporary interpretation, card by card through the Major Arcana. Insightful and intriguing, this book presents practicality for the modern reader.
The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals by Mary Greer - This is a magnificent book that examines the meaning of the cards when they are reversed. Mary Greer goes beyond the usual simple reversal explanation to expand into an in-depth interpretation. This is nothing short of an incredible resource for any tarot reader.
Ceremonial High Magick
Modern Magick: Second Edition - Eleven Lessons in the High Magickal Arts by Donald Michael Kraig - The casual reader and some Wiccans will find this book of little interest.
This is a brilliant but serious study (in fact, a lesson plan) for those wishing to learn as a solitary practitioner, the High Ceremonial Magick of the Western Occult Tradition or the Order of the Golden Dawn. This powerful book presents complicated material in a logical, step-by-step manner. There are eleven (11) lessons; each lesson must (should) be mastered and implemented before going on to the next lesson. You may wish to allow several weeks or even a month for each lesson. Obviously, to become an adept in Ceremonial Magick it requires a major commitment of time, dedication, and effort.
It is important to get the Second Edition, as the First Edition contains a major error in Lesson Seven.
Wicca History
The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft by Ronald Hutton (Prof. of British History, Bristol Univ.) - This is the famous "scholarly" study on the creation and growth of Wicca, which Professor Hutton sometimes refers to as "modern pagan witchcraft." But we can overlook this eccentricity as the book itself is nothing short of fascinating. While Hutton is very straight-forward in unmasking Gerald Gardner's strengths and weaknesses, it becomes very evident that Hutton has deep admiration for those that follow the path of Wicca in Britain.
