Customer Reviews

Women's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

As a recently-published author, I would like to express my admiration for the work of Barbara G. Walker. Of all the sources that I quoted from my bibliography, Walker was by far the most significant. The Woman's Encyclopedia is the most valuable book in my collection, and it represents a superhuman piece of research. The suppression of the Feminine and the patriarchal re-writing of history can be traced through innumerable references - from Christianity's assimilation of pagan rituals and festivals to the creation of the mythology of feminine evil. Walker, like Jungian analyst June Singer, believes that patriarchal religion is the basis for the suppression of women. The case she builds is frankly unassailable. After reading this classic study, one cannot fail to see the transforming power of the Mother Goddess in everything from A Midsummer Night's Dream and Finnegans Wake to Mary Poppins and The Matrix. Barbara Walker is a modern-day Wisewoman, and we can never have enough of those. In a sterile, left-brain, hunter-killer psytocracy, Walker's books shine like a beacon for those who still have the strength to dream.

Steven Cain (Author of Sirius Moonlight: The Origins Of The Suppression Of The Feminine.)

This encyclopedia documents the subversion of global matriarchal cultures. It is immaculately well-referenced, much more so than the contrived versions of history that have been force-fed to us. There are relatively few works of scholarship that have the power to elicit such emotional reactions and defensiveness from the most privileged among us. You'll never look at fingers, menstrual blood, or religion the same way again.

This encyclopedia is so absorbing I got utterly lost in it for hours and hours. Finally someone has seen through the patriarchal smokescreen and exposed the hypocrisy and lies. Many times I found myself laughing out loud at some of her caustically humorous observations. I'm sure this must be on the Pope's list of books forbidden from the eyes of all good Catholics...Blessed Be!

I picked up this book at the book store, read 3 paragraphs and bought the book! It has a wealth of information on many subjects of interest to anyone, not just women. This book has information on Deities, Saints, bible characters, and just about everything else! It's a huge book and you will want to read it cover to cover!

I found this book empowering, humourous, enriching, informative, thorough and a MUST HAVE read...a bedtime storybook to the daughters of the fathers as well as the sons of the goddess! A monumental achievement! Although it was a delight and of course absolutely essential to break through the veil of western his-story, after a while I tired of its annoying eurocentricity. This however did leave me hungry for a second volume which, albeit certainly a daunting task, could be the next step toward a truly more global approach.

I found this book empowering, humourous, enriching, informative, thorough and a MUST HAVE read...a bedtime storybook to the daughters of the fathers as well as the sons of the goddess! A monumental achievement! Although it was a delight and of course absolutely essential to break through the veil of western his-story, after a while I tired of its annoying eurocentricity. This however did leave me hungry for a second volume which, albeit certainly a daunting task, could be the next step toward a truly more global approach.

This is a must have encyclopedia for every woman who wishes to KNOW the power of the feminine! Walker by taking a historically acurate spin on old myths reconstructs what has been rewritten by patriarchal societies during the last 1000 years. This book offers insights into the making and constructing of religion and beliefs like no other! You will immerse yourself fully cover to cover!

Recommended for anyone who wants to see beyond the handmaiden's role in religion.

This book is a wonderful source of information for those of us who are looking for the truth behind all the religious claptrap that bombards us today. It will open your mind, heart, and soul to read this book. I recommend it highly.

This book should be in everyone's personal library. As a writer, a feminist and Wiccan High Priestess, I have consulted this book so many times over the years that it literally fell apart. It's comprehensive, insightful, and unique in its scope and format. The information here is available through many sources, but its dictionary format makes it the first book to consult when you need a quick reference to kick start your own research. It can be hard to find, so get one while you can. Herstory books are notorious for going out of print because of deliberate campaigns by right wing fanatics, a few of whom appear to have written reviews here.