I was in tears after reading just the preface. I was outraged at authors I had previousely trusted after reading the second chapter. I was in tears again as I read the final words. As a Wiccan who has spent a fortune on books, I wish I had read this book before spending money on other books. What this author has to say would have caused me NOT to purchase many of the titles that I did previousely. The preface contains a heart felt apology to Tempest Smith, the 12 year old who took her life after turning to Wicca but not finding what she needed. In the second chapter, Drew explains how the stage for her death was set in 1971 when Wicca was first becoming of interest to the publishing industry. He pulls no punches, listing by name the homophobs...that now make big bucks from their books because no one remembers what they said before their publishers toned them down. I am not going to tell you what the final words are, because this book reads like a good novel. You have to read the beginning and middle or you just wont get the end. What I will tell you is that if you are even thinking about buying this book, do it now because I doubt it will be around long. I am absolutely sure this one is going to wind up in court because there are many who dont want us to know the truth about our history in general and the Witch Wars of 1971. Wicca will never be the same, thank the gods. From Amazon.com
From a discussion standpoint, this book provides a lot of material that will enlighten and entertain for many hours. A. J. Drew sorts out some of the myths and mysteries about the Wiccan path in this book. While it discusses how Wicca is a Fertility Rite religion and we seem to have lost this somewhere in the last 50 years, he also discusses a great deal of material dealing with how Wicca has been evolving. From choosing a partner who complements your own ideas of spirituality, rites of passage as couples, intimate moments, spell working together and discussion on the parting of ways, are all covered here for couples to explore. And while Couples seem to be the uniting theme, by no means is this meant to be to the exclusion of anyone else interested in these topics. There is an interesting discussion on Wiccan leaders in chapter 4 that should be read and debated by everyone. This is not to say this is the answer, but it should stir a lot of people into thinking about how the Pagan Community in general should approach those who will come to lead us as we grow and evolve over the next few generations. A. J. provides us with some rituals to include in our lives, along with a good discussion on what ritual is and how it should be approached, especially by those who choose to practice as couples. While the focus of this book is on couples practicing as a singular unit within Wicca, there is more here between the lines. What I found impressive was his handling of some very sensitive material dealing with the plethora of books we have and our current approach to Wicca. From the story of Tempest Storm to dealing with how we search for the perfect spiritual path, A. J. explores how we have taken a good idea and reformed it into something that is quickly becoming unrecognizable and unattainable. This is a book that could be a roadmap for where Wicca as a spiritual path could eventually end up. This is not a book that should be taken lightly, nor should it be ignored, because it presents some material that may make you think about what your spiritual path is. A. J. has provided us with a book to make us think, a book that contains much to discuss here and I would recommend it not just to couples, but to anyone who is looking for a challenge to their vision of Wicca as a spiritual path.
From Amazon.com
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