Rating: 
Summary: Not the best, sadly.....
Review: After reading the great book reviews of this book, I actually expected it to be better than it was. I ought to shoot a hole with a gun through this book for not explaining ritual. She gives examples of rituals, yet doesn't perform how to explain them and in simple terms....her methods of ritual are odd. I never cast a circle with white paint or chalk. It's not a bad idea, but a beginner reading this book wont know the importance that feeling and energy has when casting a circle. Her introduction and 1st chapter (History) is excellent. Also, her information on the Sabbats are also excellent, but one should stop and think, she started the Sacred Wheel of Wisdom school. But, her Sabbat rituals are not the best (they appear in chapter four: Pagan Rituals). Who wrote these rituals? Gerina? Although in each of the rituals, they speak of the reason one is celebrating, they are lame, can get wordy, and some have, in a sense, ridiculous props. For better rituals read The Wiccan Path: A guide for the Solitary Practitioner by Rae Beth. Chapter Three on Tools and Symbolism is not bad, but Gerina needs to realize that nothing is set in stone, not even her words, and one does not need a ceremonial robe or sword just to practice Wicca. Did this author not have money and convenience in mind? Don't get upset over the inverted pentagram either. Remember, Gerina, like most Wiccans, are past the point of seeing any evil within the pentagram and when it's seen, it means to us what we have been taught, the correct thing. So, if she wants or uses the inverted (horned god) pentagram, that's fine with me. She could have explained magick a little better, but it's a nice introduction. It's nice that she explains charms, amulets, and talismans....but....Gerina is exploring dangerous territory when she starts speaking about magick word squares. She speaks of even making a spirit appear before you. She should not make unverified (yet, maybe not to her) promises, especially not to absolute curious individuals and beginners. Why does she mention parchment? As in all her other books, what century does this woman live in? Back to magick word squares, an experienced Wiccan knows how magick works, but can one explain how a magick word square works? Chapter Eight entitled the Witch's kitchen is very interesting, and I was very pleased to find a recipe for Handfasting cake and also a recipe for old fashioned Witch's soap, as well as a flying and love potion, all very interesting as well as a variety of types of incenses. All very interesting. Her chapter on Wortcunning is so-so. Her section on folk names is interesting and useful, but when she starts on all those lists (which, in a sense, can be helpful) and correspondences, the chapters begin to get long and drawn out. Luckilly, she kept her chapter on Pagan deities to a minimum, she goes on for hours in some of her other books. Her lists of herbs, as I said, can be helpful, but like in all her other books, methods and types of administration or using herbs in general is not discussed. Moving on, she does some nice research on her chapter on tree magick, but a beginner may wonder why this section is included. She includes some folkloric spells and divination reguarding and containing trees. Her chapter on dreams is not bad, and I disagree with the book reviewer who said for better dream information go to RavenWolf, that's not necessarily true. RavenWolf doesn't explain different types of dreams, for the most part, only her opinions. Like always though, Gerina Dunwich takes us on a trip through her ancient grimoire reguarding dreams. Notice, it seems, all her dream divinations are reguarding love. She repeats things from book to book. She gives two spells reguarding dreams. One includes fasting with water for a whole day for best results. I really did like her chapter on dream magick. The final chapter (a book with no conclusion) is on Pagan periodicals, a chapter that could be seriously outdated.... This is a good book, don't get me wrong, and it can answer a lot of questions about Wicca, but Gerina really did leave a lot out, and personally I am not afraid of mischievous ghosts, elves, and fairies like this author seems to be with her neoclassical New England style of writing.... In closing, this book, although will get a beginner started, may be better for a nonpractitioner, but I could be wrong. It would answer a lot of questions and hopefully dispel fears of the unknown.
Rating: 
Summary: Dunwich: only the best.
Review: As a follower of the Wiccan path for 4 years now, I am happy to say that any Gerina Dunwich book you can buy will be worth every cent. If it weren't for the way I connected with this book from the first page, I don't think I would have been as passionate about my religion as I am now. I'm not saying I wouldn't have found another author to read from, but I probably would have been fearful to buy another book, lest it too be bad. ANYWAY, I own five of Gerina's books and this one is a great overall starter for anyone interested in the Wiccan Way. Appropriately, the book begins with a short, but wonderful history of the craft followed by an index of everything from Sabbats to herbs to sample rituals (though it's always best to write your own, this book gives you a great idea of what to strive for). My goal is to eventually own all of her books, for I am positive that I will benefit greatly from her writings. BUY IT!
Rating: 
Summary: Wicca Craft
Review: For me, this is the first book ive ever read on my own. Ibought this book with my own money and read it with my own will. forme this is somthing new, I found myself wanting to read this book. and read it all the way threw in a small amount of time. Thats actully one of the problems. it was to short. it lacked some of the information i wanted to know more about. for example it dose give a good history on herbs and thier difrnt uses but it dosnt actully tell u how to use the herbs. I also wanted to learn more about the mythology of types of witchcraft threw the ages and maby even a little more on the beliefs of Wicca's. It acorse did have some good information on trees and the sabbats. Id say this is a good book for anyone wanted to learn more about a wide range of things dealing with Wicca. I recomend this book to someone geting thier first book on witchcraft. I think it worked good for me. ohh and one more thing i remember a review on this book saying thier was a pointless upsidedown pentagram in the book witch is suposed to represent the devil. but if the reader read it more thouroghly the upsidedown pentagram is a repasent of the horned god and is only thoguht of as a sign of the devil cuase of anti-pagan lies that turned the respectable god of fertilaty (Horned God) into the "Devil". PS, sorry for the mispelling and stuff.
Rating:
Summary: Look- it's NOT put out by Llewellyn.
Review: For those tired of the cookie cutter approach to paganism that seems to be the main offering lately, I highly reccomend checking this book out. Ms. Dunwich writes in a clear style, offering practical and not-so practical insights into magick and the Wiccan religion. It's been awhile since I read this, but I think it was delightfully free of "fluffy bunny" touch too. It's not that everything else is -bad-...just that this is -good-. Also, she doesn't endlessly refer to her other books on the subject. (How many witches does it take to change a lightbulb? A: Please refer to my latest book, Buckland's Guide to Practical Lightbulb Changing...)
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Book
Review: I bought this book some time ago, and it has been read often enough that it is beginning to spilt at the spine. As with any of Ms. Dunwich's books, I never tire of re-reading it. It is concise, practical, and to the point. Some of the information here may be found in other books by this author, but it is information that does bear repeating. Ms. Dunwich books in general are excellent reference tools. Her approach to the craft is educated yet original, and not filled out with "fluff and fairy-dust" like so many other popular titles. The information she gives is accurate, and above all _useful_. The recipes are delicious, easy, and adaptable for those of us who like to improvise on a given theme. A variation of her handfasting cake was a big hit at my handfasting, and her esbat cake has starred at family sabbats as well as my son's birthday parties. Incidentally, I have successfully baked several of her various cake recipes using whole-grain flours and honey and place of sugar (this makes an especially moist esbat cake); if you try this keep in mind to use whole wheat _pastry_ flour instead of bread or all-purpose flour, and watch anything baked with honey carefully, or it will burn. Another useful feature of this and many of her other books are the spaces left at the end of recipes and some chapters, which provide ample room for notes and personal variations of given spells or recipes. This book is a tool best used by the experienced Witch already familiar with the basics, or a beginner in training with or apprenticed to a more experienced preactitioner of the Craft. Beginners without access to teachers may find this book most helpful as a supplement to an online or correspondence course, or to supply valuable "creative homework" studies and examples lacking in the more simple "how-to" Wicca textbooks. There is much information here that is often neglected in the "how-to" textbooks. I have often heard it mentioned that Ms. Dunwich's books leave out valuable information on the specifics of the craft. I say that this book, along with _Candlelight Spells_, is a valuable tool to the teacher and student in part _because_ it doesn't tell one _everything_. This books is an overview of the Craft, it is not, nor does it claim to be, a complete course on Everything You Need To Know To Be A Witch. First off, no one book should claim to tell one _everything_ one needs to know about the Craft, because of the many varied approaches to the Craft, and because much of Wicca's deeper mysteries simply can't be taught in books. It is a wonderful learning exercise to examine the spells, rituals, and other information in this book in order to understand what she is doing and why. She leaves it up to the reader to interpret the spells and rituals in their own way, and to make responsible decisions for themselves regarding ethics, tradition, and technique, rather than approaching the Craft in a rigid, "cookbook", "do this, don't do that" fashion. In short, unlike many authors out there, she assumes her reader has a brain and knows how to use it. Because of this approach I do not hesitate to recommend it as a supplemental text to workshop leaders, Wicca 101 or 201 teachers, or Witches with apprentices. And even if you don't intend to teach, you _will_ get a lot of use out of this book and learn from it. This is a book that I sometimes use every day.
Rating:
Summary: Great for the beginner!
Review: I love this book even though I am a magician and witch for many years I still enjoy this one. I brought a copy of this one many years ago and it was a great benefit to me. She has a great Hecate incense recipe that i still love to make also she has a Hecate ritual. I became really interested in Hecate since I read this book. I would reccomend this book to anyone who is interested in Wicca and Witchcraft.
Rating:
Summary: MAGIC IS WICCA FROM WITCH CRAFT
Review: ITHINK THIS BOOK WOULD HELP ALOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLIN TO DO WITCH CRAFT IT HELPED ME DO WITCH CRAFT WITH MY FRIENDS AND IT IS AN AMAZING BOOK TO READ I COULD NOT KEEP MY EYES OFF OF IT I LOVE THE BOOK ALOT AND THOSE WHOM ARE WILLIN TO READ IT GO FOR IT YOU'LLL BE HAPPY YOU READ THE BOOK!!!!
Rating:
Summary: a different type of wicca book
Review: ms. dunwich's book is very different than most wiccan books,i really enjoyed it however, i dont think it is the best book for the beginner because it doesnt tell very much,but once you got the basics of wicca down this is a good book.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT BOOK!!!!!!!!
Review: This is the 1st book I read about Wicca and I loved it. It helped me so much to understand the concepts of wicca. Great for a begginer or a seasoned witch. Exellent definitions of the rituals and a self initiation to wicca! GREAT BOOK!
Rating:
Summary: Another great one by Ms. Dunwich.
Review: This is the second Gerina Dunwich book I have read. My first was The Wicca Spellbook, and it was the book that started me on this path. This book contains a lot of great information as well as some spells and rituals.
Very nice. Blessed Be!
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