Kitchen Witch: A Memoir

by Cora Anderson

A personal narrative filled with homespun wisdom, this memoir recounts the life and times of one of the founders behind the Feri tradition of modern Neopagan witchcraft. Revealing the author’s journey through an intriguing collection of challenging circumstances and memorable experiences, this account ranges from an impoverished childhood in rural Alabama during the Great Depression to her marriage to the blind poet, shaman, and cofounder of the Feri tradition, Victor H. Anderson. Warm, intimate, and bittersweet, this glimpse into the world of a true American “kitchen witch” includes recipes, personal spells, and poetry, demonstrating an extensive knowledge of a craft held in high regard by healers and folk magicians of the rural South.

172 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Charity Bedell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books is a very interesting read. It describes the life in detail of Cora Anderson who is on of my spiritual ancestors. She was a very wise women and a powerful witch.

This book is her memories and life story. There are bits of witchcraft wisdom in there held in a single chapter or a few poems (the tradition she was involved in creating has a lot of poetry as lore). The most interesting bits of this book were not in the folk wisdom or the recipes (which Cora was well known for) but were in the meat of the book and the first section which was all about her life story.

If you were expecting a book with details about craft workings in her life this is not that book. This book tells her life story and includes some of her award-winning recipes. If you are willing to read the life story about one of the crafts best known elders you would do well to read this book.

The entries in her memories bring me back to simpler times while yes there were hardships but the solutions to the problems were simpler and folk remedies and treatments. The story of her life is very uplifting and encouraging.

[Roberta · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I found this book I read only a little of the introduction before taking it home. It led me to believe that the book was more about how Cora Anderson got into witchcraft. I am not into the paranormal myself but I am interested in how people make the discovery. Instead this book contains some memoirs from Cora's youth, which are fairly interesting in their own right; some of her poetry, which seem to vary in quality; a spell for bringing on rain, which I could have used last week; some recipes and cooking hints. The recipes are typical of any church cookbook but two of the four cooking hints are priceless if someone gives you a bunch of fresh rhubarb.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cora had/has an amazing mind for detail, and I wish more of those details could have focused on her growth in the Craft and her life with Victor and their friends and students, but unfortunately these insights only comprise about 1/3 of the book, and only in bits and pieces, fits and starts. I understand the desire for some mystery and secrecy, but to describe in great detail so many minor things in her early life, only leave out so much of her later life left me wanting more.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ate right through this lovely little book.

[John Deltuvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note that this is a retitled-reprint of the hardcover limited edition Childhood Memories.