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One of witchcraft's most widely known figures, Doreen Valiente was a close friend of the late Gerald Gardner, generally regarded as the founder of modern Wicca. Initiated by him in the 1950s and for a time High Priestess of his coven, Doreen helped him rewrite his seminal Book of Shadows and establish witchcraft's international reputation. In this intriguing exposé, Doreen provides an insider's account of the birth and evolution of the contemporary Wicca movement. She recalls her spat with Gardner that eventually split his coven, the controversy surrounding Alex Sanders, "King of the Witches," and many other witches whom she has known, including "Dafo," Robert Cochrane, Leslie Roberts, and Sybil Leek. She also describes the clairvoyant communications she received purporting to come from John Brakespeare, an 18th-century witch.… (more)
User reviews
In the last chapters of the book, she talks about meeting with Starhawk, feminist witchcraft, neo-paganism, and she takes a surprising view of coven practice, the hierarchy of the degrees, solitary practice and the future of Wicca, witchcraft and neo-paganism.
As always, Doreen's writing is delightful. I can't attest to the veracity of her scholarship. I thought it was pretty thorough and she did the best she could with the information that was available to her.
I recommend her other books, "Witchcraft for Tomorrow," "Natural Witchcraft," and "An ABC of Witchcraft, Past and Present."
She does fall into
I found it an interesting read and an insightful look at some of the politics and power struggles that muddied the waters at the time. While some of what she says has subsequently been proven wrong, a lot of the history is very interesting and a rewarding read.