Drawing Down the Moon by Margot Adler5/23/2023 First, starting with my ignorance of the origins of Wicca and the Craft, this was without a doubt the most scholarly of introductions I could have hoped for. I found this section of the book thoroughly fascinating for several reasons. She also devotes several whole chapters to the social and cultural movements effected by Wicca (feminism, ecological preservation and gay rights to name a few). She then describes in rough terms the customs that many (but stresses not all) Wicca and Craft groups and covens practice. Then, Adler goes on to describe the opinions of many contemporary authors over the past 35 years who have weighed in on the subject. The “definitions” and earliest modern origins of witchcraft and Wicca are described in detail, citing authors like Charles Leland, Margaret Murray and Gerald Gardner. The first third of the book deals with the description of modern Wicca and the Craft movement. That being said, the following is what I came away with after reading it. Anyone who has read (or attempted to read) Adler’s work will immediately recognize that a single essay is not sufficient to truly capture the breadth and depth of her work. “Drawing Down the Moon” by Margot Adler is a truly monumental work of scholarship and journalism.
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