Robert Hale Publishing, 2008 (paperback)
236 pages, b/w illustrations and photographs
From "the mother of modern witchcraft", originally released by Phoenix Publishing in 1989 as a paperback, this witchcraft classic has recently been reprinted in time for a whole new generation of witches. In my personal opinion, "Rebirth of Witchcraft" should be required reading for every Wiccan and Neopagan. It is an autobiography of Doreen Valiente and the people she encountered on her path - who happened to be big name Pagans. After all, Doreen Valiente was there when modern witchcraft history was happening; she literally helped write the original book of shadows as well as most of Wicca's liturgy used today. In her other works Doreen has been the scholar, the historian, the teacher, but in "Rebirth of Witchcraft" she is the elder - and the tale she chooses to tell us in her friendly and open way is one we should listen to.
Each chapter is a snap shot of time in Doreen's life: her first meeting with Gerald Gardner, her joining Gardner's coven, her becoming disenchanted with him and becoming interested in traditional witchcraft, Doreen's encounter with Magister Robert Cochrane of the Clan of Tubal Cain, her experiences with Alex Sanders, her standing on feminist witchcraft (which we now call Dianic), her opinion of the Pickingill Material presented by Eric Maple, and her predictions for the future of witchcraft
This book is incredibly valuable as a piece of witchcraft history. Doreen Valiente documents honestly what happened throughout the modern witchraft movement along with her personal experiences - something no one else in the community has done (who was there and wrote honestly at least *wink*). This title is definitely one for your permanent collection.
Origin: http://wiccancommunity.blogspot.com
