Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating & Enligthening
Review: This is a rather thick volume that I purchased some time ago. I'm glad that I finally got around to reading it since it is probably the most in-depth examination of Wicca that I've found. The author succeeds admirably in connecting the sacred core teachings of true, traditional, Wicca with the mystery cults of Greece and Rome. He also proves that Celtic influence, while important, was secondary- the origins of Wicca lie in the Mediteranian region, specifically "Old Europe." I was amazed to find out about the influence of the Etruscans on the Celts (the belief in fairies originated with them!) I also see that the original "Tuatha de Danaan" were almost certainly Greek wanderers. Moreover, the Druids seem to have been heavily influenced by Greek thought, including the worship of Dionysos. I've always instinctually connected and included the classical mysteries, the cult of Dionysos, the Druids, and the religion of the Goddess together as a whole- but this book does a fine job, in my opinion, of formally demonstrating the historical connections.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice change of pace
Review: Wiccan Mysteries is an indepth examination of the similarities that exist between various aspects of ancient paganism and modern Wiccan beliefs and practices. Of the 17 chapters that appear in this book only 2 deal with history. The rest of the chapters present and explore the beliefs, practices, and spirituality of Wiccan religion. It is clear that Grimassi believes that modern Wicca is the survival, fragmented though it may be, of an ancient pre-Christian European religion. Unlike a small minority of reviewers here on Amazon, I personally find nothing in this book to indicate that Grimassi is trying to pull anything off on the reader. He simply presents the historical evidence he believes supports his theory and makes a sincere argument for it. What good author does not? At least, unlike most modern Wiccan authors, Grimassi has clearly performed some pretty wide and extensive research before writing a book. And although we don't have to agree with all of his conclusions, I do think we have to respect the sincere effort. There have been some negative comments about Grimassi using fragments to present his beliefs about ancient traditions. Don't archaeologists do the same when exploring the past? Sometimes fragments are all that is left, but to ignore them is to turn our back on the possibilities. No one with an honest open mind would do that. Although there are certain absolutes in historical research, some of it is left to speculation, and some of it is left to the victor's account. Stepping outside of the historical debates (a relatively small portion of this book) the Wiccan Mysteries is an excellent and enlightening work on modern Wicca. It reveals a great deal of the inner meanings of ritual, symbolism, and magic. It is the first book, to my knowledge, to explore ritual text and poetry in modern Wicca, and to offer deep insights into the hidden meanings.
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