Ellen Dugan

[Stacey]

I’m a fan of Ellen Dugan, I like her work and her books even though they are Wiccan flavoured. I was just wondering what everyone else thinks of her as an author?

 

I think she is more down to earth and her books have a wonderful conversational tone and she’s definitely not one of those authors who seem to have the ‘my way or the highway’ mentality.

[Jevne]

You will find a wide variety of opinions about Ellen Dugan, as she has been discussed in various threads. Personally, she's too watered down for my tastes. I can understand how some might find her style comforting.

 

Jevne

[Guest Elfyd]

Stacey,

 

As Ellen's works, at least mostly I believe, are Llewellyn publications they will generally receive a poor reception on sites like this. I for one think that two of her books; Garden Witchery & Cottage Witchery, are good reads with lots of practical information and suggestions. Although her thrust is wiccan, where her audience resides, I have absolutely no problem in reading what I feel I can use in my gardening and (attempted) household endevours.

 

FFFF

Elf

[Aloe]

I had to google her, I've never heard of her. lol Doesn't look like my cup of tea, but her book titles at least aren't a total turn off like Ravingwolf's.

[Blyss]

I've read her in the past (seems like those Llewellyn books are vastly popular in my public library). I'm not a huge fan, but it might be ok for a beginner. I don't think she's really trad tho....seems more fluffy and all than that to me...but, I've found out I can always learn at least a little something from a book, even if the whole thing isn't my cup of tea.

[PixiewithSticks]

Since I live near her (apparently a lot more near than I realized) I feel like I should say she's awesome and wonderful and please to buy her books because it helps my local economy: but I really find them unhelpful and full of recycled information. Last week I saw her speak at our local Pagan Pride event and she read word for word from a sheet of paper in front of her. Her topic was psychic self defense, and I haven't written a book on it by any means, but I can give a short presentation with a small set of notecards - I don't need a typed three page document. How could you know enough about something to write a book on it and need that level of backup.

 

I will grant that maybe she's just not a good public speaker but to me, it seemed to suggest that she does not know her material very well. Her herbals I have found to be no different or stand out from the crowd in that area either - even though I really wanted to buy one since I thought the gardening information might be more helpful considering we are in the same neighborhood even. I gave the cottage something or another one and another one a good hour's scan at a local shop and found that was also not the case.

 

So I guess overall I'm disappointed.

Edited June 25, 2011 by Pixie

[Michele]

I read an interview with her recently. Although I could very much enjoy her books if they had any good gardening info in them there was something she said in the interview that bothered me, it was about attracting "playful garden fairies". That bothered me. My understand of the Fae is they are not "playful" in a necessarily friendly sort of way and whereas they can be helpful and informative they can just as easily be horrific and harmful at their whim. So to arbitrarily call them into your garden (assuming they decided to come) might not be something for the faint of heart. Just look at some of the folklore about being "faery-led". I do believe that flowers and gardens often attract spirits, and flowers usually beneficial ones (depending on the flower), but I don't think it would be wise for the lay-person to go about trying to attract fairies just in case they actually succeeded.

 

M

[Mountain Witch]

I have one of her books (can't recall the title off the top of my head) and I follow her blog. She is very fluffy in my mind ...

 

That said, like most all books, you pick & choose what resonates with you. Because she's a Master Gardener, there are tidbits of good info tucked in among the fluff.

 

She posts a lot in her blog about attracting fairies to her garden with this flower & that, variously painted stepping stones, etc., like all the Fae are those cute little ones of stories. I've always wondered what she'd do if one of the darker Fae took a liking to her garden!

[Michele]

You know, I find that most authors who are exceedingly popular are either fluffy enough that they don't offend main-stream public morals or offensive enough that the non-conformists love them for their very non-conformity, lol.

 

Books that get a yes and no from both sides of the camp I find are usually the ones I like the best.

 

Yes, the master-gardener aspect I could get into (after all, I am master of my own garden, lol!!).

 

M

[Brigid]

I have never read anything by her, but the Master Gardener is deserving of respect in my eyes if she is infact certified!!

 

I agree that advising people to start calling the Fae into your garden is a bit risky, they aren't calling tinkerbell!!!