This 1986 classic is not only an excellent introduction to the Wiccan religion and earth-based religions in general, it's also a workbook that can take the serious student to the equivalent level of third-degree Gardnerian. Though Raymond Buckland was a student of the late great Gerald Gardner, this manual does not adhere to a specific branch or denomination of witchcraft, but rather seeks to teach the elements and philosophies common to all, whether Celtic, Saxon, Finnish, or what have you. Buckland is credited with bringing the "old religion" to the U.S., and covens and solitary witches practicing the craft in the U.S. today have him to thank for getting it out of the closet. While Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft is a must-have for any serious Wiccan practitioner, it is full of down-to-earth spiritual wisdom, which makes it a wonderful addition to the library of any broadminded seeker on the path toward the One. --P. Randall Cohan

 Recommended Materials for further reading and study...

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner

By Scott Cunningham.

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner
by Scott Cunningham

List Price: $9.95
Our Price: $9.95

Review...

Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner is the essential primer from one of the best known authors on Wicca. Focusing on the importance of individualism in your spiritual path, Cunningham explains the very basics of Sabbats (holy days), ceremonies, altars, and other nuts and bolts of Wicca that a solitary practitioner may have trouble finding elsewhere. While Wicca shouldn't be your sole point of reference when considering Wicca as your way of life, it is one of the best starting points. --Brian Patterson  

 

 

The Wicca Handbook

By Eileen Holland.

The Wicca Handbook
by Eileen Holland

List Price: $14.95
Our Price: $11.96

 

A wonderful resource for any witch!, June 10, 2001
Reviewer: A reader from Oklahoma City, OK United States
This is a great book... it has the largest collection of correspondences I have ever found in books or the internet. One reviewer said that this material was found in "better books", however, I have no idea to which books she is referring, since I own dozens of Wicca books, including Starhawk, Ravenwolf, the Farrars, and Cunningham, and this is the best, most comprehensive list I have found.

Beyond the correspondences, Eileen shares a great deal of knowledge and experience with her readers, beyond just telling us what "her coven" thinks and does, like some Wiccan authors do. She talks about everything from living in Egypt and dealing with people there's prejudice's about witches, to astral projection, to living with chronic illness.

I do not think that this book would be the only resource a beginnning witch would need, because it does not go into the history of witchcraft, deities, etc. For something like that, I would recommend the Spiral Dance, by Starhawk. But as a supplement, this book is a tremendous aid to spellwork.