Witchcraft: A Secret History

In this reference for the modern witch and the witchcraft-curious, British journalist Streeter (Behind Closed Doors) guides readers through the history of prejudices, religious fervor, and bad publicity surrounding witchcraft to reveal the spiritual and practical core of the craft. Each historical event and spiritual influence, including the rise of Christianity, the Salem witch trials, and the foundation of Wicca in the 20th century, is presented in brief, easily digestible sections. By tracing ancient practices, beliefs, and deities such as Lilitu, a female winged demon in early Sumerian mythology, who becomes the Hebrew demon Lilith—and later a modern feminist icon—Streeter shows how concepts have evolved to form what is today an ever-changing, pluralistic practice that emphasizes “each individual’s own relationship with the divine” as its only truly centralizing principle. The book focuses primarily on the development of witchcraft within the Western world with little focus on the rise of witchcraft in popular culture through the Internet age. However, Streeter’s analysis will be an insightful introduction for those interested in how modern witchcraft came to be. (Mar.)