Jump to content

An Illustrated History of Witchcraft


Scott

Recommended Posts

An Illustrated History of Witchcraft by Peter Haining is another "must have" because it has, trapped in it's pages the essence of the occult and witchcraft experience of some spots in England prior to its release in 1975.

 

Now I have said many times here and there that while many people drone on endlessly about the deplorable standards of the old "coffee table" styled over sized books popular at the time these same are an absolute treasure for those who want to understand and get the feel for those halcyon days. The fact is that while much of the information is often apocryphal and occasionally wildly left to speculation, they are filled with good pictures of the early practitioners of kindred traditions.

 

This offering from the oh so prolific Haining is no dissapointment. While many have decried his journalistic standards most of these are really due to the spite of bad eggs who will never achieve the profile of the man in question. I find that where his text fails (and by no means as often as is often claimed!) it is generally simply due to what one would expect - it is written by an outsider who is reporting the attitudes and beliefs of the times. How amusing that so many alleged scholars of this day and age cannot wrap their heads around this so obvious scenario!

 

The text is as good as one would expect (better I would argue had I the time and space!) and the pics are an INVALUABLE starting place for connection that the canny student may exploit to their own ends. While such works as connxion to others via sympathy and contagion and well defined imagery is as these days in many quarters as dead as actual work or living life (!) thos who remember such will be well placed to learn many things through judicious use of this book.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest wortmistress

I have this book. Managed to get a second-hand hardback version from the library- original 1975 version. Have to laugh(smirk) at naked Wiccan initiation photos...shocks unwitting browsers on my bookshelves!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...