Rating: 
Summary: Very Educational for New Wiccans.
Review: As a home school mom and a relatively new wiccan (1 1/2 years), I found this book very helpful. Silver Ravenwolf did an excellent job of presenting the true history of Halloween. A work like this has long been needed to counteract the propaganda of the Church. SR covers not only Halloween but also all the modern symbols associated with the holdiay.You may be saying, "Who needs another history book?!" Well, SR has included recipes, crafts, divination tools and spells that are Halloween specific. This adds a bit of fun to the history, not that SR's books are ever dull! These activities cover the entire Halloween season, not just one night and can involve the whole family. Plus, I have yet to find a SR book that I don't like. All of this has been presented in a very informative but easy to read format. Even my children (pre-teens)love this book!
Rating: 
Summary: A light hearted look at a 'dark' subject.
Review: Halloween is my favorite time of the year, so this book was a welcome addition to my library. It works best as a simple introduction to the history of this maligned cultural event (which has nothing whatsoever to do with dark and evil forces) and as an idea maker for recipes (two of which I plan to test at an upcoming party) and spells (if you are into that magic scene, I am not). I also hope to try out the Passion Pumpkin Dinner (minus the mumbo jumbo) at some point in the future, because it sounds so deliciously romantic. My only wish is that I could have tried it with my late wife - I think she would have loved it. I thought the book got a tad dull when it started its litany of spells, which I've already said is not my thing, so it did not interest me, and I just scanned over it. The speaking to the dead segment also offered some comfort, all my 'thinking out loud' and speaking to my deceased wife's pictures is normal and healthy, and maybe she hears it, I don't know. I do know that if you like Halloween, you will find much to enjoy in this book.
Rating:
Summary: My Favorite Holiday
Review: Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. In here the history of the holiday Halloween is explored as well as the second half is interesting recipes for Halloween goodies. Halloween is actually a neopagan holiday but a lot don't celebrate it because it scares them. Well it doesn't scare me. Finally a book that is a non-condemning tome about the subject.
Rating:
Summary: I Love This Book
Review: I love this book, is my favorite by Silver Ravenwolf, my favorite Hallowen book. I have read this every year for about 3 years now and will read it again this year. We also have added the roasted pumpkin seed recipe to our yearly tradition. I say its a must-have, if something ever happens to it I would deinately buy it again if that says anything to you, great family fun book....
Rating: 
Summary: Great look at the feastival!
Review: I thought this was a great book - especially for someone just learning about this like me. The writing is easy to get into (in some cases a bit too cutsy I'm afraid but I looked past that). I enjoyed the section on the history of halloween across cultures although in some ways it seemed like too much of a high level synopsis but it was an ok introduction. The section on halloween symbols was excellent since we see all these things typically at halloween (black cats, witch hats etc). There are some fun divinations which include runes. And there are of course blessings and recipes etc. I think this would be a great family book - to give kids (all of us really) a bit more meaning to the day rather than just getting a stash of candy from the neighbors. Definitely a great introduction and fun stuff to do. I'm giving it 4 stars rather than 5 since I was expecting a bit more substance but its fun nonetheless.
Rating:
Summary: Great look at the feastival!
Review: I thought this was a great book - especially for someone just learning about this like me. The writing is easy to get into (in some cases a bit too cutsy I'm afraid but I looked past that). I enjoyed the section on the history of halloween across cultures although in some ways it seemed like too much of a high level synopsis but it was an ok introduction. The section on halloween symbols was excellent since we see all these things typically at halloween (black cats, witch hats etc). There are some fun divinations which include runes. And there are of course blessings and recipes etc. I think this would be a great family book - to give kids (all of us really) a bit more meaning to the day rather than just getting a stash of candy from the neighbors. Definitely a great introduction and fun stuff to do. I'm giving it 4 stars rather than 5 since I was expecting a bit more substance but its fun nonetheless.
Rating:
Summary: Fun and Useful
Review: it has LOTS of recipes and information as well. a must have for your "coffee book table" collection.
Rating:
Summary: Put This Book on Your Coffee Table Now!
Review: Silver Ravenwolf's "Halloween" book is a very fun and light approach to the holiday, a must for any pagan family wanting to have some holiday fun together. The cover is great, skeleton dances with goblin, scarecrow, witch, vampire?! It shows how many different customs and traditions are a part of this fall celebration. You'll learn about the origin of Mexico's Day of the Dead, celtic house-begging, or "trick or treating," and the use of parades and bonfires. Read about the Druid-based Wolf Clan traditions. No, this isn't a 4-inch thick grimoire of spells and magickal alphabets, no one ever claimed it to be. You will find some basic divinations, but many fun things like holiday recipes. Try the Harvest Pumpkin Pie (for abundance), Baked Harmony Apples (for love and passion), or Prosperity Popcorn Balls for a productive New Celtic Year. Imagine homemade incense with cinnamon and musk oil. Make adorable corn husk dollies for your friends as a house blessing. This is the book to spend hours around the table with your family, for crafting, cooking and learning Pagan traditions. It is another great addition to Llewellyn's series of holiday books!
Rating:
Summary: Silvers take on Halloween
Review: The first page in the book suggests you make a Porch Protection Turnip by hollowing out the turnip. Have you every tried to scoop out a turnip? It's not as easy as it seems. Fresh turnips are very solid and can be hard to scoop out. There is some truth to having a light on your front porch to protect against the lengthening fall nights darkness, but not necessarily in a turnip. It is the same with the rest of the book. There are truths and spins scattered throughout the book, and it is up to the reader to scoop it all out, difficult though it may be.
The introduction to the book tells of the purpose of this book. In 1997 Llewellyn wanted to write a book about the myths and truths of Halloween. They enlisted the aid of their most popular author, Silver Ravenwolf. This book Halloween is the result of this work by both Llewellyn and Silver Ravenwolf and it also births the first book in the very successful series of Sabat books by Llewellyn.
Much of the reference material quoted is of works done by mostly pagan authors. There are a few actual historical references throughout the book. These references are footnoted in each chapter, a very good move on the part of the publisher, which documents the quotes and sources of some of the information. The books and materials referenced are also noted in the Bibliography, which is not skimpy either. And it is all cross referenced in the index.
The first three chapters deal with the History of Halloween, the origins, customs, myths, traditions, symbols and superstitions. While there is a lot of actual history quoted here, there are also some minor errors.
The discussion of "Constantine the Great declaring the Roman Empire a Christian one" is not accurate (page 11). Constantine made Christianity a legal religion in Rome thus allowing his mother, Helena, to practice her new chosen religion in peace. This allowed the foothold for the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire and the mess that followed. Also, further along (page 16) the comment is made that "it was the Roman Empire that produced the popular slave trade - conquering vast communities, killing the men, and taking the women and children" . Umm... no. The slave trade was already in full swing by the time of the Roman Empire. The Egyptians, the Greeks, the Phoenicians (and many more) all practiced slavery, conquered vast communities (see Alexander the Great, a Macedonian) and the practice of killing men and taking the women and children was done way before the Romans (and way after them as well). But, to be honest, yes, the Romans also practiced this, so there is some ring of truth, just not as stated.
But this is exemplary of much of the material presented in the history in this book. The material is either taken from the writings of current pagan sources, or is given a very definite pagan spin when adapted from established historical sources. Yes, the history, for the most part is accurate, but be careful of the spins.
Her recap of the American Halloween is good. She presents a lot of the early roots to our holiday. She covers a lot of the myths and urban legends that have come of late from those trying to demonize the tradition.
Having said my peace on the historical part of the book, I also want to note that there are statistics that either Silver or Llewellyn have added that have no source. It would have been nice, as it would have given some substantiation to the statistics used in the original printing of this book in 1999. But, alas, no reference is given.
She does well with her origins of some of the symbols and superstitions of the holiday. To her credit she takes on the myth of the poison and razor blades in the candy, quoting the myth's origins and pointing out that there have been no random injuries due to food given out to trick-or-treaters, but rather the injuries and deaths were deliberate and "Halloween Candy" was an excuse to blame others and remove suspicion from the perpetrators of the actual crimes themselves, which turned out to be relatives of the victims. Excellent references here and well pointed out. There are more like this, and deserves attention as well.
The rest of the book is typical Silver Ravenwolf material. The chapters cover Divination, recipes for the kitchen and recipes for Halloween Magick, as well as honoring and speaking with the dead. Emphasis is placed on both the Holiday as being our New Year, a time to honor our ancestors and those we know who have passed through the veils. There are some rituals presented and the holiday is summarized.
The divination material is standard. Casting of lots, apple divination, water divination, nut divinations (the food, not the fools), use of Runes for divination, mirror magic; all of it usual material well explained.
The recipes, both for the kitchen and for magic, are standard, nothing exceptional here, and the focus of much of the magic is Silvers usual love spells or spells for prosperity, with a few assorted protection spells or blessings scattered between.
The material is written in a very clear and easy to understand manner. Ms. Ravenwolf includes little poems, quoted from various sources, as well as her own material. They are a pleasant addition to the book. Some of the material is almost cute, but that is typical Silver Ravenwolf, and her style dominates the book.
This is Silver Ravenwolf's Black Forest Clan brand of Wicca and her take on the holiday of Halloween. If you are a big fan of Silver Ravenwolf, this is the Halloween book for you. If you can sort through the spins of the history, there are facts presented that can be worth while. The book does what it set out to do, present The Truth about Halloween in true Llewellyn/Silver Ravenwolf style. Not a bad book, but it could have been much better if presented in a more non-bias format and the historical facts checked just a little better. boudica
Rating:
Summary: Silver reaches people who are not pagans!
Review: The halloween book has made it's way respectively into our public library... even a christian librarian reccomended the book. It's a wonderful tool to show people that witches are not evil hags... and it tells perfectly well how the holiday was twisted into haloween. I reccomend this one highly. For those who would call Silver Fluff... yes she writes on a level that is a little fluffy... but it gets people to open their minds about our faith... and it gets people to think about our customs and traditions in a positive light. Silver should be commended for all that she has done and I hope that the Goddess will keep inspiring her. As for the occult bookstore owner. Would you reccomend the farrar's to a christian parent concerned about what their children are getting into? I wouldn't. This is a perfect book to show them... it is written on a level that is comprehendable... and it also gives good recipes and family fun. -- Blessed Be!
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