LINN's Comments:

OK...I will Jump In. (It has been a Long Time since I did a book report! )
I Liked the book for many reasons. I felt it was well thought out. It was Fairly Easy to understand, and she gave a good Overview of the craft without going into too much detail that might bog down the novice witch. There are differences, of course in some of her methods and MINE, but that is to be expected. Overall, I feel that if this is your First Book of Craftwork, it Will lead you to a more Detailed search. I would rate it at.... ohhh, say 3.75 Brooms Up out of 5.

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Cate's Comments:

I concur, although I'd give it 3.5 brooms out of five (haaaaaaaaaaa love that LINN - fantastic!)
Very clear and concise basic stuff although she does take it marginally further. I especially liked the Reiving, Banishing and warding section.
I agree with Uaine that it's not easy to read in parts & also that it constitutes as what I would consider "non-fluff"

Well worth a read in any case

Anything??

Anybody?

Buler??? Buler??? Buler??? (Flashbacks from Ferris Bulers Day Off)





[rolleyes]

LINN wrote:
Anything??

Anybody?

Buler??? Buler??? Buler??? (Flashbacks from Ferris Bulers Day Off)

Oooo...sorry it's taken me so long to post this, I was busy trying to reverse the odometer on my dad's car...but I accidentally ran it out the back of the garage...[lol]

I went ahead and wrote out a review of the book too. Â*'Heckle worthy' is something I judge by on Goodreads.com, so I just included it here too. Â*
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Title: Witchcraft: Theory and Practice
Author: Ly de Angeles
Published: Llewellyn 2002
Heckle Worthy?: Not really, despite being published by Llewellyn but it does has its moments. Â*

For the most part, Witchcraft: Theory and Practice is a pretty good 101 book. Â*It clearly explains and leads a beginner through the preparatory phases, such as finding the center and visualization, to the tools and use of ritual. Â*However, it isn't without its problems. Â*

Most of the problems I have with the book are ideological. Â*Despite the title, this book is clearly oriented toward Wicca. Â*The duality of Nature represented as the Goddess and God; everyone on the path is clergy, the eight Celtic sabbats and the ritual layouts are all common Wiccan concepts. Â*Whether by accident or design, the tone of Witchcraft can mislead new or unknowledgeable readers this is the only correct way to be a Witch. As a non-Wiccan, I can definitely say it's not. Â*

One of my biggest pet peeves with this book is the use of pseudoscience to express an idea. Â*The nature of thoughts and the mind has always been a subject of study and conjecture. Â*As far as I know, no one has definitively figured out what that nature actually is - except Ms. Angeles. Â*She states on page 7: "What I uncovered is the pattern of thought - it moves as light moves and is, therefore, instantly there and instantly not. Â*It is both particle and wave, as is light..." Â*I would have absolutely no problem with this if were used as a metaphor but Ms. Angeles implicitly states she arrived at this via an experiment. Â*Call me nit-picky but what she doesn't say is what this experiment entailed or how it was carried out. Â*We are left to simply take her word for the results. Â* Â* Â*

This dovetails into another pet peeve with this book: the lack of references or citation of source material. Â*Granted, this is not intended to be a scholarly book. Â*Still, most of the information in it is, again by accident or design, implied to be original from Ms. Angeles herself. Â* There are absolutely no footnotes and only eighteen endnotes for the entire book. Â*All but two of the endnotes refer to other parts of the book itself or gives her opinion of what a certain word or point means. Â*

Despite its problems, Witchcraft: Theory and Practice isn’t all bad. Â*It does a good job with some concepts, such as fear, mulengro and what it is to be a witch (even if she does seem to imply ‘Wiccan.’) Â*There are plenty of good exercises to supplement the reading as well. Â*I will keep this one as reference material. Â* Â*

What's the next book you guys are planning to do? I don't really have access to amazon or bn.com, but maybe I can get it in ebook format

I haven't read a non-fiction book in a while. I'm currently reading book #3 in the Sword of Truth series.

Think I posted my 'report' in the wrong place? I posted on the Suggestions thread.