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Author Topic: Genuine Witchcraft is Explained: The Secret History of the Royal Windsor Coven and th  (Read 12388 times)

RandallS

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{alt}
Title: Genuine Witchcraft is Explained: The Secret History of the Royal Windsor Coven and the Regency
Author(s): John of Monmouth
Published February 2012 by Capall Bann Publishing
ISBN: 1861633343
ISBN-13: 978-1861633347
Paperback, 486 pages
List: $17.95
View this Book on Amazon

Reviewer: Mike Gleason

If your concept of Witchcraft is composed exclusively by the Neo-Pagan movement and modern-day Wicca, this book is going to be a real eye- opener.  For the majority of Wiccans and Witches in the U.S., where I reside and write my reviews, there have been few choices - one either "trained" as an eclectic  (usually by means of reading one or more books) or one looked for a "tradition" to follow (many of which touted themselves as having a long, distinguished linage, but failed to provide any substantiation of those claims).  Within the past couple of decades the concept of initiation by another has fallen into disrepute and "self-initiation" has become the norm.

This is a massive book, but fully one half of it is composed of data which supplements the first half.  The supplemental section includes photos of original documents from the Royal Windsor Coven (no connection to British royalty - just a heads-up to American readers). A large number of the documents which appear in the photos are almost indecipherable, since they were either hand-written, heavily amended, or carbon copies of originals.  This is, in my opinion, not a shortcoming.  The fact that these documents still exist at all is nearly miraculous; and the fact that they are being preserved and made available is a real benefit for those who wish to explore the development of Witchcraft in the 20th Century.  Following these reproductions are transcripts of the documents which make it possible to read and understand the preceding illustrations.

There have been lots of rumors about the early days of public witchcraft in England.   The few facts which have made it into print have been circumspect and scattered through a variety of books and magazine articles.  This is one of the few books I have seen which contain not only the real information, but citations which allow the reader to check sources for themselves.  It has gathered together, in one easily accessible place, a multitude of sources and details.

The first portion of this book covers the Royal Windsor Coven and the Regency, two influential groups in Britain.  This  is followed by "The New Pagan Handbook" which offers suggestions (and nothing more) for the celebration of  Pagan rituals.  "The New Pagan Handbook" was authored by one of the individuals responsible for the running of the Royal Windsor Coven, and thus offers insight which differs substantially from the more modern conception of Paganism.

For those individuals who are interested in the history of the early development of modern-day Paganism and Witchcraft, this book is nothing less than an invaluable resource.  This book deserves to be in every Coven library (do Coven's even maintain libraries any more?), as well as in Public Libraries.  Every once in a while I recommend purchasing an extra copy of a book so a copy can be donated to a University or Public Library.  This is one of those books.

I feel that the value is especially good for those readers who do not reside in the U.K., and thus may not be familiar with either the Royal Windsor Coven or the Regency.  Reading this book will expand your knowledge of the Craft outside the Gardnerian/Alexandrian model, and that is an excellent idea.


25[/hr]
[size=-1]Legal Notes: Some description text and item pictures in this post may come from Amazon.com and are used by permission. The Cauldron is an Amazon Affiliate and purchases made through the Amazon links in this message help support The Cauldron. List Price is as of the date this review was originally written and may not be current. The reviewer may have received a free copy of this book to review.[/size]

[size=-1]Discussion of this book is welcome. If you've read the book, please tell us what you think of it and why.[/size]
Randall
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Electra

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Quote from: RandallS;70206
{alt}
Title: Genuine Witchcraft is Explained: The Secret History of the Royal Windsor Coven and the Regency
Author(s): John of Monmouth
Published February 2012 by Capall Bann Publishing
ISBN: 1861633343
ISBN-13: 978-1861633347
Paperback, 486 pages
List: $17.95
View this Book on Amazon

Reviewer: Mike Gleason

If your concept of Witchcraft is composed exclusively by the Neo-Pagan movement and modern-day Wicca, this book is going to be a real eye- opener.  For the majority of Wiccans and Witches in the U.S., where I reside and write my reviews, there have been few choices - one either "trained" as an eclectic  (usually by means of reading one or more books) or one looked for a "tradition" to follow (many of which touted themselves as having a long, distinguished linage, but failed to provide any substantiation of those claims).  Within the past couple of decades the concept of initiation by another has fallen into disrepute and "self-initiation" has become the norm.

This is a massive book, but fully one half of it is composed of data which supplements the first half.  The supplemental section includes photos of original documents from the Royal Windsor Coven (no connection to British royalty - just a heads-up to American readers). A large number of the documents which appear in the photos are almost indecipherable, since they were either hand-written, heavily amended, or carbon copies of originals.  This is, in my opinion, not a shortcoming.  The fact that these documents still exist at all is nearly miraculous; and the fact that they are being preserved and made available is a real benefit for those who wish to explore the development of Witchcraft in the 20th Century.  Following these reproductions are transcripts of the documents which make it possible to read and understand the preceding illustrations.

There have been lots of rumors about the early days of public witchcraft in England.   The few facts which have made it into print have been circumspect and scattered through a variety of books and magazine articles.  This is one of the few books I have seen which contain not only the real information, but citations which allow the reader to check sources for themselves.  It has gathered together, in one easily accessible place, a multitude of sources and details.

The first portion of this book covers the Royal Windsor Coven and the Regency, two influential groups in Britain.  This  is followed by "The New Pagan Handbook" which offers suggestions (and nothing more) for the celebration of  Pagan rituals.  "The New Pagan Handbook" was authored by one of the individuals responsible for the running of the Royal Windsor Coven, and thus offers insight which differs substantially from the more modern conception of Paganism.

For those individuals who are interested in the history of the early development of modern-day Paganism and Witchcraft, this book is nothing less than an invaluable resource.  This book deserves to be in every Coven library (do Coven's even maintain libraries any more?), as well as in Public Libraries.  Every once in a while I recommend purchasing an extra copy of a book so a copy can be donated to a University or Public Library.  This is one of those books.

I feel that the value is especially good for those readers who do not reside in the U.K., and thus may not be familiar with either the Royal Windsor Coven or the Regency.  Reading this book will expand your knowledge of the Craft outside the Gardnerian/Alexandrian model, and that is an excellent idea.


25[/hr]
[size=-1]Legal Notes: Some description text and item pictures in this post may come from Amazon.com and are used by permission. The Cauldron is an Amazon Affiliate and purchases made through the Amazon links in this message help support The Cauldron. List Price is as of the date this review was originally written and may not be current. The reviewer may have received a free copy of this book to review.[/size]

[size=-1]Discussion of this book is welcome. If you've read the book, please tell us what you think of it and why.[/size]

 
Only way to reply is with quote so please forgive. I would love to have this book but it is only available on Amazon for $69 which is way out of my budget range so that will not be happening now. Too bad it isn't available on Kindle?! Nice book btw. Thanks for sharing the review.
Not all those who wander are lost. ~J. R. R. Tolkien

Darkhawk

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Quote from: Electra;137655
Only way to reply is with quote so please forgive.

Since the rules require replying with quote, there is nothing to forgive you for. ;)  We do prefer some trimming, though.
« Last Edit: January 25, 2014, 04:52:21 pm by Darkhawk »
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we shine like stars    - Covenant, "Bullet"

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