Customer Reviews

An ABC of Witchcraft Past and Present

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In 1975 I was a student in Michigan when it came to me: "Witchcraft has gotten a lot of bad press". I went to the college library and there I found "An ABC of Withcraft Past and Present" by Doreen Valiente. I felt as though I had come home. Until I opened that book, I thought that no one saw the Universe as I did. What a wonderful surprise! The book is concise and complete, written for anyone who wants to know what withcraft is all about. It gives information without requiring the reader to buy into everything that is presented. I will be forever grateful for the life of Doreen Valiente. Her books have truly set me on a beautiful path.

This book is really great for a beginning witch. It teaches you alot about subjects that other books really dont touch very much, and its detailed enough to really help you out. I really think you should get this book or check it from your library if you are very serious/curious about Witchcraft.

Valiente was one of the first students of Gerald Gardner, who masterminded the rebirth of the Craft in this century. This book is terrific and clearly one of the best WitchCraft books, by one of the finest Witches of this century. I was shocked and saddened to hear of her death on September 6.

If you are just looking for a book with spells in it, then this is not it. This is only for those who are seriously interested in learning the deep history and present facts of the Witchcraft religion. This is an excellent source of knowledge

This book is certainly a must have for all those interested in Wytchcraft, Wicca or even Paganism in general. This book reads like a reference book of numerous Craft related topics - albeit some very British in nature.

With Valiente being one of the most respected experts on the Craft, each topic is well researched and explained. From Sabbats to people involved in the Craft (both famous and infamous) - from ancient sites to ancient British customs. Valiente succeeds in dispelling more widely accepted explanations for the mysteries by providing an interpretation not distorted by the Judeo-Christian spectacle through which much of the modern world is viewed, therefore muddling the history and shadowing the truth of such mysteries.

This book is a reference book that should appears on the shelves of both beginners and experienced Crafters alike.

This book is a rare find for those interested in really learning about Wicca and its roots. It not only contains an in-depth historical analysis of the origin of many myths about witchcraft, it also contains the best explanation I have ever encountered of the true beliefs of those who practice Wicca. I consider it a "must read" for anyone interested in Witchcraft. It is a book that I am very pleased to include in my collection.

There are a few turns of phrase and comments in this book that don't ring quite true, but on the whole it is a decent book.
It must be read in the context it was written in, however, and that makes it a bad book for the rank amateur.
However, if you've been practicing or reseaching a while, this book is just the thing to gauge your beliefs!
It probably should be in every Witch's library, just not the first book on the first shelf.

Another wonderful work by Doreen Valiente! This "ABC of Witchcraft" is an encyclopedic read which provides hundreds of brief explanations of various mysteries of witchcraft. The book is one long chapter of different subjects in alphabetical order, and the short but clearly well-researched articles are usually a very informative introduction to varying curiousities. Some included topics are Faeries, Vampires, and Werewolves (to name three that I found most interesting). By writing on these topics from a witch's point of view, Valiente succeeds in dispelling more widely accepted explanations for the mysteries by providing an interpretation not distorted by the Judeo-Christian spectacle through which much of the modern world is viewed, therefore muddling the history and shadowing the truth of such mysteries. This is a nice supplement to any witch's book collection, and a great thing about it is that you don't have to read it all the way through so you can pick it up or put it down whenever you want. However, it should be noted that this is not a guidebook for beginners, though the title may suggest otherwise.

This is a must have in any Witches collection. IT is written as it is titled: An ABC of WITCHCRAFT Past and presant. This is not about the newer phenomenom of Wicca. It is a good (but not thourough) encyclopedia of Witchcraft from an English point of view.

This is a wonderful book, ridding the curious reader of all negative ssterrotypes of "Orgiastic Satanism" ,"Perversion, and "Cannibalism". Valiente tells it like it is (and was). Doreen covers all the nescessary history of the ancient religion called "Wicca" when Politically-correct,new-age-type stuff is added to it. This book talks about Duirwyyd (Druid) connections with wicca, the adoration of trees,Phallic worship, and the "Eastern links with European witchcraft' section is very informative and surprising.