From my booklog:

Holy crap, I finally finished it. Never thought I'd see the day. Now, don't get me wrong: I really like this book. It should be required reading by anyone looking to call themselves Wiccan, maybe even anyone looking to call themselves pagan at all. There's so much misinformation out there about the history of Western Witchcraft that it'd do some real good if more people read this book.

But ye gods, it's dense as all get out. The type is tiny, the paragraphs are long, the language is complex. Hutton has a delightful dry wit, which I quite enjoyed, but this isn't the sort of book you curl up with for a few relaxing hours. It's slow going. Fascinating, but not at all a quick read.

Anyway. Hutton traces the modern pagan movement in the UK back to its roots and examines what, exactly, its actual history is. Lots of good stuff here, though fans of the "OMG, once upon a time, everyone was MATRIARCHAL and it was UTOPIA and then evil MEN came along and wrecked it all, and all the witches went into hiding until Gerald Gardener brought the tradition back into the public eye! NEVER AGAIN THE BURNING TIMES!" history may be rather distressed to find that's a load of hooey.

Interestingly, Hutton's dissection of the actual history behind Wicca and other modern pagan traditions doesn't negate their spiritual validity at all, just the validity of the histories people like telling. Good stuff. ( )

The most important book ever written on neo-paganism and the new occult traditions. Hutton is an outstanding historian, and the material is presented in such a way that the reader is given all possible theories, and then the most likely based on the evidence. Myths, modern and ancient are debunked and nowhere has this had a more profound effect than on Wicca.
The inventor of Wicca (Gerald Gardner) is placed in his correct context - not of a mage presenting the secrets of pagan witchcraft to the world but a showman inventing a pseudo-history for his new occult movement.
Hutton treats neo-paganism and Wicca with respect and tolerance while cleaning away the lies and mis-information. He also address the origins of the neopagan movement - a fascinating tale of gentlemen playing at "druids", enlightemment poets and Late Victorian Spiritualism.
Anyone interested in the occult, and in witchcraft should read this book and anyone interested in Paganism/Neo-paganism should definately read it. One can only emerge better educated and more aware of the reality rather than the mythology, of neo-paganism ( )

Ronald Hutton’s history of 20th century Witchcraft and Wicca is a comprehensive and compelling examination of the subject. No other book to date gives such a clear and entertaining view of the origins and development of religious Witchcraft in the modern world. Hutton clearly has substantial sympathy for his subjects, and he is respectful to both living and dead practitioners, but he does not settle for unsubstantiated claims, and he deftly dispels a number of myths and long-standing controversies.

The book is divided into two sections, and the first section is a set of interlinked historical essays that describe various movements, ideas, and institutions that served as contributory streams to religious Witchcraft. These contributors include Romantic literary paganism, the Frazerian and ritualist schools of anthropology, folklorism, Freemasonry, ceremonial magic, Thelema, and Woodcraft Chivalry, among others. In the second section, Hutton provides a full narrative of the emergence and evolution of modern British Witchcraft, beginning with Gerald Gardner, and addressing all the major leaders, groups, “traditions,” and schools. The unique mutations of the Craft in North America are addressed only to the extent that their influence migrated back to England. (Jack Parsons’ abortive Witchcraft thus passes without notice.) Hutton also traces the reactions of the press, politics, popular culture, and the academy to the increasing presence and visibility of Witchcraft.

In light of Crowley’s published disdain for “witches,” it is ironic that so many British Wiccan luminaries claimed to have had instruction from the Beast. Hutton carefully checks these allegations against Crowley’s own exhaustive diaries; Gardner is the only one who seems to have had a genuine claim in that department.

Hutton calls Wicca “the only religion England has ever given the world.” I don’t know that I would agree with him, since despite the prudent claims of Freemasonry to be “religious, not a religion,” it probably qualifies as well, from a scholar’s perspective. In fact, Hutton’s grasp of Masonry leaves a little bit to be desired; as for instance when he calls the Royal Arch “the highest, most exclusive and most prestigious of all Masonic degrees.” (p. 219) Where it counts in relation to his central topic, however, Hutton delivers the goods, instancing such items as this Fellow Craft ritual closing circa 1800:

"Happy have we met, Happy have we been,
"Happy may we part, And happy meet again!" (p. 56)

I find it hard to imagine how any present-day Witch can afford to be without the information in this book. Anyone with any experience of Wicca should be fascinated by it, and anyone interested in contemporary religion will be enriched by it. After having read it cover-to-cover, I continue to take my copy off the shelf for purposes of reference and research.

A good book though somewhat criticised in traditional pagan circles as the author seems to have made his conclusions and then selected the evidence he was going to include to support that evidence. Nevertheless a good adition to any pagan library. ( )

An excellent resource on occult history ( )