The Triumph of the Moon
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| Books Nonfiction | |
| Written by Ben Gruagach | |
| Wednesday, 26 September 2007 | |
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Book Info ISBN-10 / ASIN: 0192854496 Author:
Hutton, Ronald
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Subject Tags:
Wicca •
British Traditional Wicca •
Witchcraft •
Community •
Denominations •
History •
Societies and Groups •
Skepticism •
Regional •
People •
Biography •
Paganism
Difficulty Level:
Introductory
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| Last Updated ( Sunday, 03 February 2008 ) | |
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Hutton presents an engaging account, based on solid historical evidence, of the influences in British society which set the stage for Gerald Gardner's work in the 1940's and later "bringing witchcraft out of the broom closet." Hutton discusses the varied sources which went into what is known today as Wicca, clearing up some myth and misunderstanding about the religion in the process.
This book does a good job debunking the all-too-common claims made in Wicca 101 books that Wicca is a tradition which has been passed down, intact, from pre-Christian times. Although some Wiccans will be disturbed by this revelation, Hutton concludes that Wicca is indeed a valid and enriching religious path, with a lot of interesting history behind it leading to its emergence in the twentieth century, and providing a solid foundation for its growth through the twenty-first century.
There are some things that Hutton says which he's since corrected in other books and articles. For instance, he was a bit hard on the topic of ritual nudity in "The Triumph of the Moon" and admits this in his newer book, "Witches, Druids and King Arthur." Every author makes mistakes and Hutton is humble enough to admit it. Despite the minor errors "The Triumph of the Moon" is still a must-read.