Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft [Unabridged] [Paperback]

Raven Grimassi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 8, 2000

Craft Elder and author Raven Grimassi has revised and expanded his indispensable reference work, the award-winning Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft. The first book of its kind to be written by a practicing Witch, this guide presents Wicca/Witchcraft as a spiritual path, connecting religious concepts and spirituality to both a historical background and modern practice.
    
With a wealth of information on European folklore and Western Occultism, and material relevant to any tradition, you can use this book to research any aspect of the Craft, including:

• Theology-pantheons, Wiccan Rede, Three-Fold Law
•  History-Craft roots and influence
•  Places-historical and sacred sites
•  Verses, rites, and invocations
•  Ritual objects and tools
•  Influential Witches-past and present
  
The Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft also contains a glossary of terminology; book references; Craft web sites, organizations, and magazines; magickal alphabets, runes, correspondences, symbols; and 300 illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This A-Z title describes the contemporary Wicca and witchcraft traditions. Many different groups (Black Forest Clan, Blue Star Wicca, Church of the World Tree) have entries ranging from a few paragraphs to a couple of two-columned pages. Prominent figures from the history of witchcraft also have entries, as do contemporary writers and practitioners. A number of the writers who are covered have been published by Llewellyn Publications, which is almost inevitable given Llewellyn's prominence in the publishing of occult and New Age material. Entries describing the origins of various traditions and certain historical controversies within the Wicca and witchcraft community strive to be fair to all sides, even to outside agencies that persecuted practitioners.This is a work by a believer for believers, although it has something to offer those outside the various traditions who seek to understand them. It describes various practices (although it does not offer detailed spells and instructions) and the significance of certain animals, plants, and objects. All of the descriptions are specific to their Wicca and witchcraft significance. Mythological characters, especially from British and Celtic mythology, are described, as are some deities and legendary figures from classical mythology who are significant in Wicca and witchcraft traditions. Appendixes provide "Classic Wiccan Verses" and lists of relevant periodicals, organizations, and merchants.This volume would be most useful to a public library that serves an active Wicca and witchcraft community or an academic library with an inclusive special interest. Those libraries that need a more general reference would probably do better with The Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft [RBB Mr 1 00] by Rosemary Guiley, which is available in paperback for the same price. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

From the Publisher

When I first saw this manuscript, I couldn't help but think, "Why hasn't this been done before?" And then I realized that it seems like there is a time for everything. There have been some books that have tried to present an encyclopedic view of what some have called the fastest growing religion in the world. But the first one to really succeed in capturing the essence of Witchcraft, the truth of Wicca, is Raven Grimassi's Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft.

I think the reason for this is simple. The others were written by outsiders. Raven has been a practitioner for over a quarter of a century, the period during which the Craft has experienced its largest and fastest growth spurt. As a result, this book is an important resource for a wide variety of people.

Are you new to the Craft? In this book you'll find history and lore, personalities and places so you can become more steeped in the history, theology, philosophy, and magick of your tradition.

Are you a long-time Pagan? Here you will find pictures of famous occultists throughout history and the impact they had on the development and growth of modern Witchcraft. You'll also learn about famous modern Pagans and writers and be able to compare different traditions.

Are you a researcher? If you are looking for factual information about Pagan holidays, ancient sources, individuals, beliefs, and practices, this book can be your primary tool.

In short, if you are involved in Wicca or Witchcraft in any way, this book is a necessity for your bookshelf. This is the book everyone is going to be quoting. This is the book everyone is going to be talking about. When anyone has a question about Wicca or Witchcraft, this is the first place they'll look. Don't be left out! This is a book you will use regularly for years to come.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Llewellyn Publications; 1st Edition, 2nd Printing edition (September 8, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1567182577
• ISBN-13: 978-1567182576
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #788,498 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I was born in Pittsburgh, PA, to an Italian immigrant who married an American soldier at the close of World War II. My earliest training was in what I call a "peasant witchcraft" tradition, which consisted of Witchcraft and Folk Magic practices of Old Italy. Over the past four decades I have been a practitioner of several Witchcraft and Wiccan traditions. At present I am the directing Elder of the Ash, Birch & Willow tradition, which is a system of "Old Ways Witchcraft" not originating from any single region of Europe, but instead embracing what is held in common among many lands.

I currently have over 14 books in print and write on the topics of Witchcraft, Wicca and Magic. Many people seem to peg me as an author on Italian Witchcraft exclusively, but in fact only two of my books are about that specific subject. The primary focus of my work is about pre-Christian European beliefs and practices that appear in contemporary systems. In doing so I look to the commonalities of European traditions that appear in various regions instead of just one.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!!, September 26, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft (Paperback)

What I appreciated most about this book was that the author did not include topics of demons, witch-hunter biographies, nor any of the other typical entries indicative of Judeo-Christian influences. Instead this encyclopedia reflects the beliefs and practices of Wicca and Witchcraft as a religious and spiritual system of its own. This is a great book for beginners, researchers, teachers and seasoned practitioners of modern Wicca and Witchcraft.

Included is everything from terminology to history, folklore and pre-Christian paganism. The book presents a wide range of practices and beliefs both ancient and modern. Also included are biographies of well-known figures along with information on a large number of traditions and organizations. No collection of books on Wicca and Witchcraft would be complete without this encyclopedia!!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid foundation!, March 1, 2001

By 

TP (NYC Area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft (Paperback)

Raven Grimassi has created a comprehensive reference for information regarding Witchcraft and Wicca. His style of writing is clear and direct, while maintaining an adult level of interest and readability, which is too often lacking in Llewellyn published material. As with his previous works, he emphasizes the need for a solid foundation based on time honored Tradition. While there are a handful of notable modern Witches and Wiccans not included in this reference, Grimassi addresses this directly. This is an important volume for newcomers and intermediate students to own.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Encyclopedia, December 23, 2001

By 

Boudica (Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft (Paperback)

Raven Grimassi has collected together in this one volume some of the basic elements of Wicca and Witchcraft as well as some biographies of the movers and shakers within our community.

Mr. Grimassi covers many areas of beliefs, such as the various Gods/Goddesses and their stories. He also covers such items as tools, books referencing Wicca and Witchcraft, trees, animals, organizations and so much more. He has entries related to history, myths, legends, shamanic material and so much more that the book becomes a text book as well as a reference book. The information is general, but covers much of what a researcher might want to know about each subject and how it relates to Wicca and Witchcraft.

What I found interesting were his bios of people who have either founded or were an influence to our Spiritual paths. From Aleister Crowley to Oberon (Tim) Zell to Doreen Valiente to Carl Weschcke, he provides information as to who these people were in a brief but insightful manner. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the backgrounds of some of the people who have written our books or founded our organizations or have had some influence on what we know today as Wicca and Witchcraft.

This is a good book for those who are constantly referencing this kind of material, as Mr. Grimassi has put much of what we have to usually look in many volumes for into one convenient location. This is a wonderful collection of information that will be pulled off the shelf again and again.