Gerald B. Gardner (1884–1964)

This was alternately fascinating and frustrating. Fascinating when he stuck to the facts; frustrating when he strayed into the realms of conjecture, like the idea that there was an organized witch cult and witch districts in the early medieval period. Certainly there was witchcraft (mostly folk magic with a bit of grimoire magic thrown in), but the idea that there was an organized and widespread cult has been fairly comprehensively shown to be wrong. Nevertheless the book is fascinating show more because there’s a lot of information about attempts by newspapers to discredit witchcraft in the early 1950s. Anyone who remembers the “satanic panic” of the late 1980s will recognize the tropes described. The chapter on the witch persecutions is very good and refers to trial records and contemporary accounts. I would advise people to read Ronald Hutton’s “Triumph of the Moon” before reading GBG’s “The Meaning of Witchcraft”. show less

It’s hard to review this because it is apparently a fictionalized account of actual past life flashbacks that Gerald Gardner experienced, but here goes.

The characters are engaging but the writing style is very patchy (there is a lot of exposition and not enough dialogue) and there is a lot of violence in both the modern day story and the ancient story. However the plot is good and the scene where the goddess arrives was pleasing. I felt that the portrayal of both Mina and Dayonis was a bit show more sexist in some ways but perhaps characteristic of the period in which it was written. Nonetheless Dayonis in particular is feisty and independent so that’s good, even if she is impulsive and petulant.

If you’re interested in Gerald Gardner then it’s definitely worth a read, but it’s more of historical than literary interest. show less

The Meaning of Witchcraft written by the author, founder and creator of Wicca and what is now dubbed the Gardnerian Tradition after its founder Gerald Gardner.
Though this book is dated and has many fictious historical references, this is a must read book for anyone wanting to follow the Wiccan path and more specifically Traditional Wicca in order to understand the mind set during the times of Wicca's beginnings.

An old book and topics jump around a lot. Loved first chapter and last chapter but everything inbetween i had to be patient as I read through.
As one of the first books written publically about the truth of witches and the magick they work and religion they believe, Gardner starts a new era and if he were alive today would likely be astounded by how many Gardnerian Wiccas there claim to be. A historical read for those interested in modern witchcraft and occult of the modern age.