Rating: 
Summary: Eh...
Review: How bland, how dry, how self-absorbed. This is a happy little introduction to something that is frankly somewhat dangerous, scary and powerful. NOT happy, safe and whimsical. This is not a serious book by any stretch and does more harm then good. It was written for an 8 year old mind. Try Mastering Witchcraft by Paul Husen for more realistic and relevant information. It does have some info, but don't delude yourselves, witchcraft is for real and needs to be taken far more seriously.
Rating:
Summary: don't buy it
Review: for a book that calls itself a 'complete' guide to witchcraft, this is certainly lacking. rituals are too liturgy oriented, he basically discourages personal thought and imagination, and comes across as a 'fundamentalist witch', ie his way, or ways very like his way, are the only way. there's disappointingly little exploration or consideration of the philosophy behind wicca. he's also very self important, and claims to be .the. driving force behind modern wicca in america. nowhere near complete, often misses the point entirely. save yourself the money.
Rating: 
Summary: It's not complete trash
Review: If this is the first book you read on Wicca, you'll probably love it. I, personally, have a problem with anyone who feels the need to quote themselves as much as Buckland does. Or to refer to his own other books for suplimental reading.I found a lot of the theories quite questionable, and found very few palatable morsels hidden therein.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book For New Witches
Review: I found this to be a great book in leading me on the right track to witchcraft. It was very informative and covered all aspects of the religion. One of the interesting aspects of the book was the way after each chapter there was a little quiz so you could see how you are advancing in your newly learned knowledge. Overall a GREAT book and a MUST for beginners!
Rating:
Summary: Would you buy a used religion from this man?
Review: Buckland's book is crap. If you are not into 'Saxon' wicca, and not into being told one true way, this is not the book for you. 95% of his quotes are from his own works, his history is shaky where it isn't outright wrong, and his ethics are more than a little shaky. For those who are interested in anything besides Gardnerian wicca and its offshoots, it's not quite useless. Though as a beginner book it's worse that useless since it predicates one true religion of Wicca. Pfaugh. Pick up 'The elements of...' series, and take a look at "Drawing Down the Moon"....
Rating:
Summary: best book I ever read!!
Review: Ray Buckland's book on witchcraft is AWSOME if not better!! It brought me from nearly powerless to being able to do almost ANYTHING (as long as is doesn't deyfie the rede of course). So beginiers, READ THIS BOOK!!!. It'll help ya!!!
Rating: 
Summary: A great "first-start" for the student of Wicca!
Review: As a high priestess, I found this book to be a wonderful "starting point" for students just starting on the path of the Wicca. However, it does tend to give the impression that "this is what ALL Witches do", when in fact this is not so. Further, I found it to be wanting in many areas (i.e., the herbology, cheiromancy and astrology sections). Issues were touched upon but never followed through with any degree of satisfaction. Perhaps this is what Mr. Buckland intended -- to foster someone's interest enough in one area to delve into it further. The section covering the Deity understanding is a bit lacking in information for my tastes; nevertheless, it is an invaluable tool for the beginning students, and often a required read of my own novices.
Rating: 
Summary: Begin with best, and this is it
Review: This is an excelent book for the beginning practitioner as well as the old. Writen by the first person to come out as a witch in the United States, it details the history of the craft, goes slowly trough the intricicies of rituals, divinity, herbs, and so much more. This is the "everything you need to know" about Witchcraft. Best of all, it is writen in a textbook style so as to bring you slowly through all the steps in which the initiat will eventually become the initiated.
Rating:
Summary: For the technically oriented.
Review: By practice, I'm more a philosophical Pagan than a ritual-oriented one. This book, while full of interesting ideas, was far too cut and dried for little ol' me, who's trying to learn the emotion behind it all. Perhaps nice reference, but not for people like me.
Rating:
Summary: A surprisingly interesting book!
Review: I've read numerous books on witchcraft, and by far, this is the least dry of them all. I'm a beginner and all the other books until now have turned me off the practice. If you want history and other people's one-sided views on things, then you're looking in the wrong place. This is a "how-to" book, which with just enough history to keep the beginner interested, gets one started on the way to becoming a Wiccan. I'd recommend it highly...plus, the illustrations in the book are very helpful, too. If you've read this review this far, then you know you gotta go for it!
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