Rating: 
Summary: RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR TRUE BEGINNERS
Review: BOOK CONTENT: In this book the author discusses the origins and meanings of such Day customs as the May Pole, the Green Man, fairies, flower lore, etc. He presents recipies and crafts to celebrate Beltane. MY OPINION: One of the problems I have with the Llewellyn publishing company is that they put out under-researched books by authors who just skim the surface of a topic. Unfortunately, this is the case with Beltane, by Raven Grimassi. This book is full of fluff and filler and is not appropriate for a practicing witch. Perhaps someone who is not at all familliar with the Pagan holidays might learn something new in this book. I want Wicca to gain respectability and to be seen as valid as any other religion. Books like this will not help. I found it annoying that the author continually added Italian May Day lore in this book. Beltane is a CELTIC festival, NOT the name of Italian May Day celebrations. He should have changed the name of the book to "May Day Rituals" instead of "Beltane." I also was surprised that he never bothered to even explain how to pronounce the word "Beltane." It's not pronounced like it's spelled and knowing how to say it should be the first thing one learns! In conclusion, this light, fluffy book was a disappointment and a waste of time for me. If you know NOTHING about the old Celtic festivals, then this book will give you only the most basic introduction. However, if you want to read a more substantial book about the Celtic festivals, try these: Eight Sabbats For Witches, Elements Of Natural Magic, Ancient Ways, A Calendar Of Festivals.
Rating: 
Summary: A very disapointin book.
Review: Contents:1. THe Celeration of May (Old May Customs, May Garlands, The Mayple, The Maypole Dance, May Dolls, The Beltane Fire)2. The Spirits of May (The May Queen and King, The Green Man, Jack-in-the-Green, Dusio the Trickster, John Barleycorn, The Hobbyhorse, Mummery, an Ancient Tradition)3. Fairy Lore (Historical and Mythical Background, The Fairy Realm, THe Fairy Godmother, Fairy Tales)4. Flower Lore (Flower Meanings, The Language of FLowers, Trees Associated with Faires, Sacred Plants Associated with Goddesses, Magical Correspondences of Trees)5. Spells and Recipes (Spells, Divination, Recipes for Celebrating May)6. A May Ritual (THe ALtar, Solitary May Celebration Ritual, Group May Celebration Ritual)7. Arts and Crafts (May Wreath, May Garland, Maypole Centerpiece, May Day Cone Basket, Pentacle Hair Braids)Apendix: May Celebrations Around the WorldI felt cheated by this book. Much of the content has nothing to do with Beltane or May Day. The book should have kept focus and left out the filler, making it smaller and cheaper.The chapter on Fairy lore starts out saying that "the month of May, perhaps second only to midsummer's eve, has long been associated with...fairy folk". The author made no further attempt to link fairies to Beltane and proceeded to write (sometimes eroneously) about fairies. The fairy tales given are taken verbatim from other sources and also are not in any way connected to Beltane. The author makes no attempt to modify the tales for a Pagan audience and christian elements (like the bible being a protection against fairies) are off-putting.The chapter on flower lore also is not connected to Beltane in any way further than that there are flowers in May.The spells given have absolutly nothing to do with Beltane and are so basic as to be useless. The could be found in any book--spells for money drawing, success, attracting love and serenity are not really apropriate for a book on Beltane. The section on divination is a short overview of scrying also without any link to Mayday. The section on rituals is uninspired. The rituals are so basic, and it is hard to imagine any one actually performing them.The chapter on crafts was ok. the wreath and garland projects could be found anywhere but the mayple centerpiece and the may day cone basket seem interesting. The pentacle hair braid would be fun for people with little girls in the family.The sections that were good were very good Chapters one and 2 were full of information on the history of May Day celebrations. The recipes seem good. and the appendix on may day celebrations in europe and the u.s. was very interesting but way to short--i wanted much more. There are good things about this book but the filler made me feel like i was robbed. I wish it stuck to the topic, went more into depth and perhaps included information on how modern pagans are celebrating this Sabbat.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Overview
Review: I found the Beltane book to be a good general overview of May Day customs and beliefs. It nicely blends elements drawn from various European regions to provide a fuller understanding of how May Day has evolved over the centuries. This book is easy reading and nicely matches the style and purpose of Llewellyn's series on the eight Sabbats. While Grimassi's books in general contain much more depth than this particular title does, it is nice to see his adaptability to a lighter project and this speaks well of his flexibility as a writer.Because the Celts did not read or write, they have left us little to truly understand about their beliefs and practices. Much of what is known about Celtic religion is drawn from ancient Greek and Roman references, along with texts written much later by Christian monks recording Celtic tales and ballads beginning around the 7th century AD. When one considers that very little is actually known about Celtic beliefs and practices (the majority of writings are speculation) it is amazing that anyone could come up with enough information on Beltane to create an entire book. This fact is a testimony to Grimassi's excellent research abilities, which is the hallmark of his books in general. The Beltane book is clearly intended for a general audience, but with a strong leaning towards a pagan readership. Even the most casual reader of normal intelligence would not consider this book to be specifically a Wiccan book, and the author never suggests that it was meant to be. Instead, it is clear that Grimassi intended this book to be a nice overview of May Day celebrations and their origins throughout Europe. While some people may feel that the title is misleading since it suggests an exclusive Celtic focus, most people realize that the Publisher has the final say in a book's title (NOT the author) and that the Celtic festival names have become "public domain" and are commonly used by many non-Celtic Traditions today. To sum up this Beltane book, it is filled with interesting lore about various spirits and characters associated with May along with fairy lore, flower lore, May Day customs, rituals, spells, and recipes and crafts for creating your own May Day celebration. A very nice book and well worth adding to your lilbrary.
Rating: 
Summary: Weakest of the series
Review: I found this book disappointingly short. Even for a series of general-audience holiday books (as opposed to historical research), this one only skims the surface. I wish it had more rituals, the way MIDSUMMER did. I wish it had more crafts, the way YULE did. I wish it had more spells, the way HALLOWEEN did. The artwork, while nice, seemed to me to be an excuse to fill pages to make it longer. A fun book, but the weakest of the series.
Rating:
Summary: Weakest of the series
Review: I found this book disappointingly short. Even for a series of general-audience holiday books (as opposed to historical research), this one only skims the surface. I wish it had more rituals, the way MIDSUMMER did. I wish it had more crafts, the way YULE did. I wish it had more spells, the way HALLOWEEN did. The artwork, while nice, seemed to me to be an excuse to fill pages to make it longer. A fun book, but the weakest of the series.
Rating:
Summary: Great for a new comer
Review: I'm not new to loving nature and the earth but am new to paganism and the celebrations that are associated. For me this book is just what I was looking for - it has history, lore, recipes and activities. There's a great section on Greenman and the other spirits of May. And a super chapter called "Fairy Lore" that is a terrific introduction to the world of fairies. It stars with a poem by Lewis Carroll that's terrific! I love the section on flower lore as well - love those dandelions! At the end there are some spells, rituals, with good ideas for creating an alter and doing some blessings. The arts and crafts section is good. My only complaint throughout the book is the drawings - I wish they were more polished/sophisticated. Neat reference overall.
Rating:
Summary: It's Alright
Review: I'm not sure how I could read a book about the origins of Beltane, and still come away lacking. It was a bit informative, an easy little read with some cute ideas in it, but I didn't feel any MORE informed than I did before I read it. I would have liked more information on rituals and ways to celebrate. For someone who knows exactly 0 about the origins of Beltane, it's a good book.
Rating: 
Summary: More Pagan Lite
Review: Of all the books in this series, I liked this one the best. Still, I can only reconmend this book for newbies, families, or fluff bunnies. The biggest problem with all the books in the series is that they repackage paganism for the masses. So, lots of Christian ideas are part of the whole series. Newbies who haven't completely chosen this path or families with children who may not understand pagan concepts will really get a lot out of this book. The craft information and food is good. So few books are out with pagan related crafts and meal plans, but that is changing too.
Rating:
Summary: Good understanding of May Day lore
Review: One of my associates described this book as something you can give to your friends and family who are not Wiccan or Pagan in order to help them understand non-Christian spirituality. Not only is this a nice compliment about the author, it also speaks true of the book's content. Therefore, this book is a gift to Pagan and Wiccan Communty at large. It's nice to have something like this Beltane book to be able to share openly. The first chapter covers the history of May celebrations and how they migrated throughout continental Europe and into the British Isles. Here we learn how European pagan customs became what we now call "Beltane." The second chapter introduces the reader to the old spirits long associated with pre-Christian European paganism. These include Jack-in-the-Green, John Barleycorn, and the May King and Queen. The remaining chapters cover fairies and flower lore along with many other things that have long been associated with May Day. While the publisher clearly marketed this book under the title "Beltane" to attract a Pagan and Wiccan readership, the book is not only about Beltane but also about Springtime customs and celebrations in general (just as the subtitle states). So you actually get MORE for your money than the title "Beltane" itself would lead one to think! Just about everything factual that one could say about Beltane specifically, is said in this book. So, there is no reason for anyone to feel cheated or robbed by the title of this book. Getting more information about the May Day season than just the limited availability of "Beltane" material is a bonus, not a slight. The Beltane book is a good overview of May Day folk customs and folklore. It contains basic rituals, recipes, and spells, providing a good foundation upon which to create your own. Basics are the key to everything and are therefore never useless. For those who love to add to their knowledge on May Day practices and beliefs, this book will be a treasure because it provides the reader with a fuller understanding of the pagan elements that culminated in the celebration of Beltane. However, those readers who prefer a limited understanding of this season will probably find the Beltane book to be very disappointing.
Rating:
Summary: From flower and fairy lore to overall celebration
Review: Spring rituals, lore and celebrations are covered in an inviting guide which reveals Beltane practices and foundations. From flower and fairy lore to the overall celebration of May and spring, Raven Grimassi's Beltane packs in ideas for creating one's own Beltane rituals.
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