The Real Witches Handbook by Kate West

By Cate Gardner View Profile
The main problem for those interested in Witchcraft frankly is where to start. There are so many books on the shelves these days that it is almost impossible to know what will be useful. More to the point what will be consigned to gather dust on your bookshelf, or worse still head for the charity shop. It's also often said that if you gather a room full of Witches, you will find it hard to locate two in agreement as to what they believe and certainly this book may be a little confusing for beginners in that it seems in the first chapter to identify Witches as 'Wiccan', which is not always the case. Wicca is a religion, whereas Witchcraft is the practice of magic, with or without reference to Gods and Goddesses. Having said this there are many, many Wiccan Witches so it is a good all round guide for beginners who might wish to explore Wicca as well as Witchcraft.

The book is well set out with the myths and realities of Witchcraft being dealt with in the first two chapters. There's also a chapter on the importance of the Moon and one detailing the eight Sabbats throughout the cycle of the year. Following this there's a chapter on becoming a witch, giving details of both Coven and Solitary initiation. Surprisingly enough there are only two chapters dealing specifically with Witchcraft, spell craft and herb lore, but the final two chapters are very useful 'Out of the Broom Closet' offers practical help and advice on how to tell relatives and friends about your chosen path and 'Getting in Touch' gives sensible and precautionary guidance on contacting other people within the Craft, such as reputable Covens and Internet groups. In short, this is an enjoyable book that can......more