Truth or Dare : Encounters with Power, Authority, and Mystery

Rating:
Summary: A great book for group work, and intermediate witches
Review: I wouldn't recommend this book as a manual for absolute beginners - that's what her other book, The Spiral Dance, was for. However, if you are somewhat well-versed in the practice of the Craft, and are looking for ideas for group work, this is a fabulous book. Written by a master of coven work, Truth or Dare takes bold, assertive steps in showing the reader how to form consciousness-raising groups, lead meditations, and organize spiritual groups, and is full of feminist poetry (with a beautiful retelling of the descent of Innana), trance work, stories of spiritual/political activism, and plenty of inspiration for your own work. Again, to get the most out of this book, it's best to be at least at the intermediate level. And, if you're looking to start a group, but don't quite know how, this is a great book to start with.

Rating:
Summary: A great book for group work, and intermediate witches
Review: I wouldn't recommend this book as a manual for absolute beginners - that's what her other book, The Spiral Dance, was for. However, if you are somewhat well-versed in the practice of the Craft, and are looking for ideas for group work, this is a fabulous book. Written by a master of coven work, Truth or Dare takes bold, assertive steps in showing the reader how to form consciousness-raising groups, lead meditations, and organize spiritual groups, and is full of feminist poetry (with a beautiful retelling of the descent of Innana), trance work, stories of spiritual/political activism, and plenty of inspiration for your own work. Again, to get the most out of this book, it's best to be at least at the intermediate level. And, if you're looking to start a group, but don't quite know how, this is a great book to start with.

Rating:
Summary: Prejudicial feminism at its worst.
Review: This book is an excellent resource for group facilitation -- it's been invaluable to me in the groups I work with. There is a wealth of information on group dynamics, dealing with conflict, structure and group agreements, interspersed with Middle Eastern myth and some beautiful poetry. As you might expect, Starhawk has included many exercises and questions to work through with your group -- helping you build the kind of group that will be nourishing and effective. This is a book I find in the library of many successful priestesses -- it makes a great companion to Amber K's "Covencraft" and Judy Harrow's "Wicca Covens." Still, if I had to have only one of the three, it would be this book, hands down.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent resource for group facilitation
Review: This book is an excellent resource for group facilitation -- it's been invaluable to me in the groups I work with. There is a wealth of information on group dynamics, dealing with conflict, structure and group agreements, interspersed with Middle Eastern myth and some beautiful poetry. As you might expect, Starhawk has included many exercises and questions to work through with your group -- helping you build the kind of group that will be nourishing and effective. This is a book I find in the library of many successful priestesses -- it makes a great companion to Amber K's "Covencraft" and Judy Harrow's "Wicca Covens." Still, if I had to have only one of the three, it would be this book, hands down.

Rating:
Summary: Life-Changng Feminist Text
Review: This breathtaking book is essential reading for anyone interested in dismantling the patriarchy, healing the earth, linking radical politics with spirituality and liberating themselves from domination. It is an empowering text that will inspire you to change your life and to change your world.

Rating:
Summary: on how we can change the world
Review: this is a really good book for covens and people that want to make a difference in the world. it emphasises on teamwork. it showes how each one of us needs to change the world. it can become dull,but still a good read.

Rating:
Summary: If you aren't into self-examination, this book isn't for you
Review: Truth or Dare is about the roles we play that society places us in. This is constraining to men as it is to women. There are journal writing exercises and rituals designed to help you break from the roles that are given to us and take on powerful roles of our choosing. It is a very challenging and interesting process.

If you aren't into self-examination, this book isn't for you. However, if you are into discovering what makes you tick, and discovering how to make powerful changes in yourself, this book is for you. Like most Craft books, unless you're willing to do the exercises, it won't do you any good. This is not a good first book on Wicca. Spiral Dance is, in fact if I ran a coven it would be on my must-read-to-join list. This book is also not helpful for people who haven't done a lot of group work, because it asks you to examine your place within your coven/circle etc.

So in conclusion, if you aren't sure you want to really make changes in your life or spend a lot of time working on your spiritual path, this book will sit on your shelf and collect dust. However, if you are ready to do some real magick on yourself, this book is a powerful tool for change.

Rating:
Summary: Prejudicial feminism at its worst.
Review: Truth or Dare is more of a prejudicial feminist hate piece about men than it is about Wicca or paganism. For example, chapter 2 provides us with feminist revisionist history, with a catch. Starhawk goes on about how ancient men were conscripted into armies and dehumanized or killed, and then concludes with "and that's how women have been oppressed by patriarchy. I read that chapter conclusion and said "huh?" what did I just read. There is nothing in the chapter to support her prejudicial conclusion, in fact the reverse is supported. Every chapter seems to out-prejudice the preceding one. The text is deceptive. It seems to be positive but has an undercurrent of misandry. After each chapter I found that I was angry at the misandry I had read and would take a week to cool down before trying to read the next chapter. After 5 or 6 chapters I figured out that I really didn't like it on a deep emotional basis and stopped reading. Men hating feminist pagans all love it because it supports and encourages their misandry.