The Practice of Witchcraft: An Introduction to Beliefs and Rituals of the Old Religion

Gemma Files is a Toronto-based freelance writer.

Given the welcome resurgence of alternative knowledge—the uncovering
of women’s hidden history (as expressed in films like The Burning
Times) is the best example of this trend that springs to mind—it is
exciting to see a well-written, concise, and objective manual made
available for those who might choose to follow the “Old Religion.”
Whether or not one is an actual practitioner of Wicca, Skelton’s book
offers many attractions. Its layout is user-friendly, starting off with
a series of questions such as, “What is a witch?” “Do witches
worship the Devil?” “Are witches feminists?”, and supplying
answers. The author then provides a calendar of witches’ festivals
along with descriptions of accompanying rituals. He concludes with
indexes of spells—useful for their original purposes or simply as
reference material. Although obviously biased toward his subject,
Skelton refused to let his partiality interfere with his writing, which
is uplifting and gracefully phrased. All in all a delightful read.