Witchcraft: A Secret History

by Michael Streeter

Witchcraft unravels the myth from the mystery, the facts from the legends, in this bewitching introduction to witchcraft's lesser-known history. Spanning several centuries and comprising unbelievable facts and little-known legends, meet all the witches of your imagination and learn why, where and how it all began. Uncover the meanings of their rituals and rites, their lore, and their craft Discover the significance of their sabbats and covens, their chalices and wands, their robes and their religion. Unlock the secrets of the legendary witches of mythology and folk talesand find out how these early stories influenced the persecutions and witch hunts of the Middle Ages. Learn about the people who inspired the pagan revival and how their work in literature and magic rekindled the fires of the sabbats across Europe and the New World today. Features spell-binding historic and contemporary pictures that perfectly capture the key characters, events and wonders of this captivating, colourful and controversial history.

Genres: History, Witchcraft

256 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2020

Reviews

[Felix Da Costa Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A comprehensive guide detailing the belief of Witchcraft and how it has survived in the modern age. This book doesn’t shy away from describing the atrocity of the Burning Times and it ends with a hopeful note for the future.

[Juliet · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a pretty basic, broad overview of the history of witches. I think it’s an okay book to read if it’s your first introduction to the topic or if you just want a very high-level overview and aren’t interested in a critical understanding.

I didn’t like how the author seemed to dismiss the very misogynistic history of witch-hunts. He seemed to be claiming that because some men were also tried as witches, witch hunts weren’t primarily used as a means to oppress and control women. That, to me, really disqualifies this book, and is why I can’t recommend it more strongly.

Nice graphic design though.

[Liv · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy to understand and fair-handed history of witchcraft, from how the concept of “magic” developed, to how attitudes towards believed magic users formed and changed over time. I particularly enjoyed the section on modern-day Wicca, and the included art and photos were absolutely top. Whoever laid out this edition of the book did a fantastic job. More historical quotations or excerpts on the topic would have been interesting, as there is little first hand accounts or example provided textually.

[Jamie Bruno · Rating 2 out of 5]

While interesting, especially in parts I haven't learned before, the author's stream on conscious was hard to follow. Also he was factually incorrect and didn't cite any sources. The historical artwork was nice tho.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

cool drawings good history

[lesfeeries · Rating 4 out of 5]

ᯓ★ witches, feminism, freedom, history ⋆˚꩜｡

i’ve just finished reading witchcraft: a secret history by michael streeter, a fascinating and very insightful book about the history of witches and witchcraft across the ages.

i’ve always been drawn to books about witches – there’s something about this theme that i find endlessly interesting, rich and thought-provoking. it’s a way to reflect on fear, power, freedom and especially the place of women in society.

the book takes both a historical and sociological approach: it traces the story of witchcraft through three main periods – antiquity, the middle ages and the modern era. i learned a lot, especially about the modern period, which i didn’t know much about.

usually i read these kinds of academic/sociological essays in french, so reading it in english was a different experience for me: sometimes a little demanding, but the writing is smooth and accessible, and because the book is relatively short, it’s easy to stay immersed.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast and informative read. A definite must-read for fans of the occult!

[Jakob Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite good history of witches and witchcraft, updated with chapters on modern wicca.

[Miss Beverley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating history.

[Chrissie Byrne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant fast track through the history of Witchcraft. Super informative and easy to read.

[Camille Corpus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very Euro-centric lens, but cool read to start off October!