Book-It 'o11! Book #5
The Fifty Books Challenge, year three! (Years one and two, just in case you're curious.) This was a Solstice gift from La Goddesse Rouge frozendoll from my list of demands Amazon wish list.
Title: Llewellyn's 2011 Witches' Companion: An Almanac for Everyday Living by Llewellyn
Details: Copyright 2010, Llewellyn Publications
Synopsis (By Way of Back Cover): "Gain insight on issues relevant to you and find some great tips and ideas for living your craft every day in Llewellyn’s indispensable Witches’ Companion. Stay one step ahead of the latest witchy trends and craft practices with the provocative and practical articles, how-tos, and lunar information inside this guide.
This year’s almanac features twenty-one thought-provoking essays on a variety of timely topics-the magical benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle, inviting house spirits to participate in rituals, finding magic on the Internet, and much, much more.
Must Pagans Do Everything Pagan? by Barbara Ardinger
Conferring Celebrity Status on “Big Name Pagans” by Boudica
Chakra Balancing and Tarot by Calantirniel
Green Witch Initiation by Susun S. Weed
Personal Myths by Lupa
Written for busy modern witches, Llewellyn’s Witches’ Companion is the perfect complement to our Witches’ Calendar and Witches’ Datebook.
Includes a sixteen-month calendar featuring lunar information to fuel your spellwork and rituals."
Why I Wanted to Read It: I'm a hardcore devotee of nine years to the Llewellyn Witches' Datebook and Witches' Calender. Seeing the gorgeous line drawings that had been absent from both publications since approximately 2004 nudged me that this was worth a read. The preview rich with modern articles convinced me.
How I Liked It: I debated whether or not to count this as a book for the Challenge. It is an annual, but given that it's a compendium of articles far more than a calender (246 pages of articles to a mere 34 pages devoted to the calender aspect-- and sixteen of those are calender pages very little more than you'd find in any calender; it's nothing to rival the in-depth quality of the Datebook and the Calender), I think I'm safe.
So many authors equal a mixed bag: this is something I've said before and will always say. It's something especially dodgy when it's non-fiction and such a tricky subject as Witchcraft and Paganism (we're notorious for "hating our own kind"). So here's a lowdown of the highlights and misses of the book:
Misses
· Conferring Celebrity Status on “Big Name Pagans” by Boudica -- We love fanning our "Witch Wars", don't we. The more serious among us roll our eyes and pass on such gossip. I'm not sure a decent article could be written on this subject, frankly. It's kinda pointless and shallow. But "Boudica"'s article consists mainly of dishing about the "celebrities" she's met (and surprise, many of them happen to be Llewellyn authors) with a heading "Real Celebrities" (just in case you thought otherwise!). Her "advice" about getting to know these "celebrities" before we celebrate them is obviously applicable to any celebrity. It can be convincingly argued that we put spiritual "celebrities" on a higher realm than the more traditional kind due to the nature of their work, but there are a goodly amount of artists of all kinds, philosophers, writers, poets, and more who can be claimed as "celebrities" that rightfully command as much respect and should be subject to the same brace of scrutiny and resistance to cult-like adoration.
· Witchcraft's Christian Roots by Donald Tyson -- By his other writings and his person page, Donald Tyson doesn't identify as a Witch or a Pagan. He identifies as a ceremonial magician. On his page, he makes some rather sweeping (and inaccurate) assumptions about modern Witches and it gives one a fairly strong idea of where he's coming from when it comes to addressing Paganism and Witchcraft. This article is rather spotty on the facts and questionable to why it would belong in a book titled "Witches' Companion". He fairly points out that the backbone of many rituals in modern Paganism were designed by Gerald Gardner, who borrowed heavily from Aleister Crowley and the Golden Dawn. He flat-out states that the angels used by Witches in their some of their rituals are Christian angels. This is not exactly true. Intent aside, the Golden Dawn draws upon a Judeo-Christian background, rather than the strict Christianity Tyson is pushing. It could also be argued that plenty of Christianity and Judaism borrowed from Paganism (Mithras, ritual cannibalism of the god-king, the prolonging of light during winter ceremonies to name but a few) so let's not start pointing fingers. Tyson ends up painting modern Witches as generally willfully and spitefully ignorant of the role Christianity (actually Judeo-Christianity, but I've argued that point already) has played in the modern versions of our rituals and in acknowledging our "roots", we will better understand the craft. Or something. Tyson's essay is especially curious as to why exactly a non-Pagan and certainly a non-Witch was asked to contribute to this collection. A "different perspective"? At least this failed article had potential to be a highlight.
· Magic in the Net by Jennett Silver -- This article may have been useful perhaps fifteen years ago (replacing the names of websites, of course, and some "modern" factions-- which would've been useful perhaps six or seven years ago), but as it stands, it's almost hilariously out-of-date. For someone that's never used or very, very seldom uses the Internet, this might prove useful. But Pagans in the modern age have been quick to embrace technology, particularly the web (The Witches' Voice, the most prominent and widespread resource of networking within our community, was founded in 1996), regardless of our generation. Silver offers a useful tip in picking passwords for various websites (she recalls using the words "prosperity", "fruition", and "success" during her quest for a professional library position to keep focused on her goal) but that minutia isn't enough to save this bit of unnecessary nonsense.
· Self-Discovery in Fairy Tales by Elizabeth Hazel -- An intriguing prospect and one that's almost half-way salvageable, only ignore most of Hazel's "advice", which manages to be both sexist (her suggestions for "fairytale names" are annoyingly stereotyped), overly obvious (the situation at the heart of your fairytale should be something you're struggling with-- what a revelation!), and downright cheesy (particularly when you read her "example" story).
Highlights!
· Should Pagans Pay For Rituals and Services? by Elizabeth Barrette -- Ah, now we're talking. Barrette offers both sides of the argument fairly, reasonably, and practically, ultimately rightly leaving you to draw your own conclusion.
· My Top 3 Rules For Pagan Living by Deborah Blake, Dallas Jennifer Cobb, and Susan Pesznecker -- Pagans and Witches are frequently asked what we believe and/or what code we live by. Three different authors offer their perspectives and indirectly ask you to consider the same.
· Chakra Balancing and Tarot by Calantirniel -- An excellent way of integrating two systems most Pagans study that enriches knowledge of both. This is about worth the price of the entire book.
· Become an Everyday Witch in 6 Easy Steps by Deborah Blake -- I've praised Blake's work before and this article reads like a wonderfully bite-sized, condensed version of the themes of her book (not that you shouldn't read her book in its entirety).
· Make a Witch's Kit of Your Own by Susan Pesznecker -- While Pesznecker's ideas are probably too elaborate for most, she offers enough encouragement and inspiration to stay prepared in some form and practice readiness.
· Coven of the Dead by Melanie Marquis -- This article especially I find truly in the spirit of what this book tries to accomplish. Marquis's experiences with the dead and her psychism as a whole offer a perspective that's certainly rarely seen but worth seeing. Glimpses like this into other practices truly do enrich our own whether we choose to adopt them in any form or not. Unlike Donald Tyson's scolding (and from a non-Pagan at that), Marquis offers by detail of her own experience ways others might incorporate her outlook into their own practices and traditions.
· The Magical Benefits of a Vegetarian Lifestyle by Tess Whitehurst -- Though flawed (Whitehurst ascribes sentience only to animals, not plant life) and more than a little smug, a decent question of the energy surrounding our food is posed. Consuming food is consuming energy. Food grown and farmed with responsibility is bound to have better energy than food not. Most spiritual teachings (including Paganism) believe that food is a part of the central life force. Therefore, shouldn't we take it perhaps a bit more seriously?
And near-miss of a highlight (should it be a "near-highlight"?) is Kimberly Sherman-Cook's "Looking Back at the New Age of Witchcraft". She takes us on a journey through our recent history, but leaves out a major occurrence. Although she name-drops several Llewellyn "celebrity" authors when describing the latter 'nineties, she curiously omits the publication of two books, both published during the same year, that have had an enormous impact on modern Paganism: Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler and The Spiral Dance by Starhawk (incidentally, if ever there were two "BNP"s, both authors easily qualify). Those two books were instrumental in bringing Paganism to the mainstream and Starhawk's especially helped grow an entirely new generation of Witches. Adler's work with our history and her efforts at correcting misconceptions are immense, to say nothing of the bragging rights of having your handfasting covered in the society section of the New York Times. Therefore, an unpardonable (and curious) omission.
Notable: Sometimes a lackluster article can have the best artwork in the book.
Title: Llewellyn's 2011 Witches' Companion: An Almanac for Everyday Living by Llewellyn
Details: Copyright 2010, Llewellyn Publications
Synopsis (By Way of Back Cover): "Gain insight on issues relevant to you and find some great tips and ideas for living your craft every day in Llewellyn’s indispensable Witches’ Companion. Stay one step ahead of the latest witchy trends and craft practices with the provocative and practical articles, how-tos, and lunar information inside this guide.
This year’s almanac features twenty-one thought-provoking essays on a variety of timely topics-the magical benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle, inviting house spirits to participate in rituals, finding magic on the Internet, and much, much more.
Must Pagans Do Everything Pagan? by Barbara Ardinger
Conferring Celebrity Status on “Big Name Pagans” by Boudica
Chakra Balancing and Tarot by Calantirniel
Green Witch Initiation by Susun S. Weed
Personal Myths by Lupa
Written for busy modern witches, Llewellyn’s Witches’ Companion is the perfect complement to our Witches’ Calendar and Witches’ Datebook.
Includes a sixteen-month calendar featuring lunar information to fuel your spellwork and rituals."
Why I Wanted to Read It: I'm a hardcore devotee of nine years to the Llewellyn Witches' Datebook and Witches' Calender. Seeing the gorgeous line drawings that had been absent from both publications since approximately 2004 nudged me that this was worth a read. The preview rich with modern articles convinced me.
How I Liked It: I debated whether or not to count this as a book for the Challenge. It is an annual, but given that it's a compendium of articles far more than a calender (246 pages of articles to a mere 34 pages devoted to the calender aspect-- and sixteen of those are calender pages very little more than you'd find in any calender; it's nothing to rival the in-depth quality of the Datebook and the Calender), I think I'm safe.
So many authors equal a mixed bag: this is something I've said before and will always say. It's something especially dodgy when it's non-fiction and such a tricky subject as Witchcraft and Paganism (we're notorious for "hating our own kind"). So here's a lowdown of the highlights and misses of the book:
Misses
· Conferring Celebrity Status on “Big Name Pagans” by Boudica -- We love fanning our "Witch Wars", don't we. The more serious among us roll our eyes and pass on such gossip. I'm not sure a decent article could be written on this subject, frankly. It's kinda pointless and shallow. But "Boudica"'s article consists mainly of dishing about the "celebrities" she's met (and surprise, many of them happen to be Llewellyn authors) with a heading "Real Celebrities" (just in case you thought otherwise!). Her "advice" about getting to know these "celebrities" before we celebrate them is obviously applicable to any celebrity. It can be convincingly argued that we put spiritual "celebrities" on a higher realm than the more traditional kind due to the nature of their work, but there are a goodly amount of artists of all kinds, philosophers, writers, poets, and more who can be claimed as "celebrities" that rightfully command as much respect and should be subject to the same brace of scrutiny and resistance to cult-like adoration.
· Witchcraft's Christian Roots by Donald Tyson -- By his other writings and his person page, Donald Tyson doesn't identify as a Witch or a Pagan. He identifies as a ceremonial magician. On his page, he makes some rather sweeping (and inaccurate) assumptions about modern Witches and it gives one a fairly strong idea of where he's coming from when it comes to addressing Paganism and Witchcraft. This article is rather spotty on the facts and questionable to why it would belong in a book titled "Witches' Companion". He fairly points out that the backbone of many rituals in modern Paganism were designed by Gerald Gardner, who borrowed heavily from Aleister Crowley and the Golden Dawn. He flat-out states that the angels used by Witches in their some of their rituals are Christian angels. This is not exactly true. Intent aside, the Golden Dawn draws upon a Judeo-Christian background, rather than the strict Christianity Tyson is pushing. It could also be argued that plenty of Christianity and Judaism borrowed from Paganism (Mithras, ritual cannibalism of the god-king, the prolonging of light during winter ceremonies to name but a few) so let's not start pointing fingers. Tyson ends up painting modern Witches as generally willfully and spitefully ignorant of the role Christianity (actually Judeo-Christianity, but I've argued that point already) has played in the modern versions of our rituals and in acknowledging our "roots", we will better understand the craft. Or something. Tyson's essay is especially curious as to why exactly a non-Pagan and certainly a non-Witch was asked to contribute to this collection. A "different perspective"? At least this failed article had potential to be a highlight.
· Magic in the Net by Jennett Silver -- This article may have been useful perhaps fifteen years ago (replacing the names of websites, of course, and some "modern" factions-- which would've been useful perhaps six or seven years ago), but as it stands, it's almost hilariously out-of-date. For someone that's never used or very, very seldom uses the Internet, this might prove useful. But Pagans in the modern age have been quick to embrace technology, particularly the web (The Witches' Voice, the most prominent and widespread resource of networking within our community, was founded in 1996), regardless of our generation. Silver offers a useful tip in picking passwords for various websites (she recalls using the words "prosperity", "fruition", and "success" during her quest for a professional library position to keep focused on her goal) but that minutia isn't enough to save this bit of unnecessary nonsense.
· Self-Discovery in Fairy Tales by Elizabeth Hazel -- An intriguing prospect and one that's almost half-way salvageable, only ignore most of Hazel's "advice", which manages to be both sexist (her suggestions for "fairytale names" are annoyingly stereotyped), overly obvious (the situation at the heart of your fairytale should be something you're struggling with-- what a revelation!), and downright cheesy (particularly when you read her "example" story).
Highlights!
· Should Pagans Pay For Rituals and Services? by Elizabeth Barrette -- Ah, now we're talking. Barrette offers both sides of the argument fairly, reasonably, and practically, ultimately rightly leaving you to draw your own conclusion.
· My Top 3 Rules For Pagan Living by Deborah Blake, Dallas Jennifer Cobb, and Susan Pesznecker -- Pagans and Witches are frequently asked what we believe and/or what code we live by. Three different authors offer their perspectives and indirectly ask you to consider the same.
· Chakra Balancing and Tarot by Calantirniel -- An excellent way of integrating two systems most Pagans study that enriches knowledge of both. This is about worth the price of the entire book.
· Become an Everyday Witch in 6 Easy Steps by Deborah Blake -- I've praised Blake's work before and this article reads like a wonderfully bite-sized, condensed version of the themes of her book (not that you shouldn't read her book in its entirety).
· Make a Witch's Kit of Your Own by Susan Pesznecker -- While Pesznecker's ideas are probably too elaborate for most, she offers enough encouragement and inspiration to stay prepared in some form and practice readiness.
· Coven of the Dead by Melanie Marquis -- This article especially I find truly in the spirit of what this book tries to accomplish. Marquis's experiences with the dead and her psychism as a whole offer a perspective that's certainly rarely seen but worth seeing. Glimpses like this into other practices truly do enrich our own whether we choose to adopt them in any form or not. Unlike Donald Tyson's scolding (and from a non-Pagan at that), Marquis offers by detail of her own experience ways others might incorporate her outlook into their own practices and traditions.
· The Magical Benefits of a Vegetarian Lifestyle by Tess Whitehurst -- Though flawed (Whitehurst ascribes sentience only to animals, not plant life) and more than a little smug, a decent question of the energy surrounding our food is posed. Consuming food is consuming energy. Food grown and farmed with responsibility is bound to have better energy than food not. Most spiritual teachings (including Paganism) believe that food is a part of the central life force. Therefore, shouldn't we take it perhaps a bit more seriously?
And near-miss of a highlight (should it be a "near-highlight"?) is Kimberly Sherman-Cook's "Looking Back at the New Age of Witchcraft". She takes us on a journey through our recent history, but leaves out a major occurrence. Although she name-drops several Llewellyn "celebrity" authors when describing the latter 'nineties, she curiously omits the publication of two books, both published during the same year, that have had an enormous impact on modern Paganism: Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler and The Spiral Dance by Starhawk (incidentally, if ever there were two "BNP"s, both authors easily qualify). Those two books were instrumental in bringing Paganism to the mainstream and Starhawk's especially helped grow an entirely new generation of Witches. Adler's work with our history and her efforts at correcting misconceptions are immense, to say nothing of the bragging rights of having your handfasting covered in the society section of the New York Times. Therefore, an unpardonable (and curious) omission.
Notable: Sometimes a lackluster article can have the best artwork in the book.