Drawing Down the Moon

by Margot Adler (interview with Margot Adler)

I have yet to meet someone who can honestly say they've read all of Drawing Down the Moon unless it was assigned by a teacher. That doesn't mean it's a bad book; on the contrary, it is the single best reference work on Paganism out there, and is exhaustive in its research. Unfortunately, like most well-done references, it's incredibly long and dry. Colleges use it as a textbook, if that tells you anything. I did find it was way easier to read than most textbooks, primarily because of the subject matter. Still, it's not for the faint of heart, but if you're truly serious about your path you'd be well-advised to add it to your collection. Just be sure you have a cheap novel to read between chapters so your brain doesn't fry.

Reviewed by Diane Sylvan

Ok, I admit it. This book WAS assigned reading for a college class. It was acceptable to the academic world precisely because it is long and yes, dry. It gave me the first insight to the pagan world from an anthropological perspective and for that I am thankful.

Oh, and if you are wondering what college - San Jose State University had a class called "Gods and Goddesses", it was supposed to be a history class and instead ended up being a Wicca class. The other assigned reading was The Once and Future Goddess. A college classroom was the first place that I participated in casting circle!

Reviewed by Trinity