Wiccan Roots: Gerald Gardner and the Modern Witchcraft Revival [Paperback]

Philip Heselton (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 340 pages
• Publisher: Capall Bann Pub (November 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1861631103
• ISBN-13: 978-1861631107
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,118,617 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most Comprehensive Research on Gerald Gardner Yet, January 3, 2002

By 

EclecticBadger - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wiccan Roots: Gerald Gardner and the Modern Witchcraft Revival (Paperback)

This book focuses on Gerald Gardner and his web of contacts woven in its entirety.

Compiled by perhaps the most authoritative researcher on Gardner to date Philip Heselton, the text is bound with wonderful illustration from the personal journals of Gardner's associates, including extracts and photos from the previously unseen Boscastle archives, providing the most compelling evidence of Gardner's connections with 'Old Dorothy', his High Priestess 'Dafo', and involvement with the New Forest Coven in repelling the threatened WWII Nazi invasion of the United Kingdom.

It is immediately apparent the author has not only researched current knowledge to its furthest conclusion but has also taken the brave step of educated speculation on other associations, which is sure to provide further researchers with useful data.

One for any student into the roots of modern Paganism and the Wiccan religion - Excellent.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jolly Good!!, January 7, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Wiccan Roots: Gerald Gardner and the Modern Witchcraft Revival (Paperback)

Wiccan Roots is an excellent counter to Hutton's book Triumph of the Moon, providing the reader with credible altenative views and explanations (overlooked or ignored by Hutton). In effect, this book corrects some of the many errors found in Triumph of the Moon. A must have for every Witch/Wiccan.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a good scholarly examination of Gardner's Wiccan roots, October 1, 2002

By 

Ben Gruagach "Ben Gruagach, author of The Wic... (Eden Prairie, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wiccan Roots: Gerald Gardner and the Modern Witchcraft Revival (Paperback)

Philip Heselton's book "Wiccan Roots: Gerald Gardner and the Modern Witchcraft Revival" should be recommended along with Ronald Hutton's "The Triumph of the Moon" as a solid, scholarly examination of the roots of modern Wicca.

Heselton doesn't deal in unsupported claims about Wiccan history as far too many other Wiccan writers do. He sticks to the facts, and presents the results of his research in a clear, easy-to-read manner.

Like any good researcher, Heselton raises many new questions that need addressing while clearing up longstanding misunderstandings. The author doesn't pretend to have the definitive answer about whether Gardner really was just passing on an existing tradition or was instead inspired to put together the religion now known as Wicca.

Hesleton provides compelling evidence for the existence of a group of self-described witches who did in fact perform an initiation on Gardner, thus giving him a formal introduction to witchcraft. What remains to be determined, though, is whether what that group of witches practiced was anything like Gardnerian Wicca, and whether they did in fact have any sort of established pagan "tradition" which they passed on to him, rather than just a mishmash of occult and pagan lore.

Heselton has done the Wiccan community a great service. His book should be an excellent starting point, along with Ronald Hutton's "The Triumph of the Moon," into further scholarly research about our pagan past