The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft

by Ronald Hutton

Librarian's Note: alternate cover edition for ISBN 9780192854490

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Witchcraft, Religion, Paganism, Wicca, Spirituality

486 pages, Paperback

First published November 4, 1999

About the author

Ronald Hutton (born 1953) is an English historian who specializes in the study of Early Modern Britain, British folklore, pre-Christian religion and contemporary Paganism. A professor of history at the University of Bristol, Hutton has published fourteen books and has appeared on British television and radio.

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terribly interesting to read in it's own right, this book will level the head of any new neo-pagans and aspiring witches. Follow it up with "Drawing Down the Moon" and you'll have your spiritual cap screwed on tight enough to withstand the sea of occult books out there that seek to do little beyond part you with your money. I wish this book was around when I was a teen. This isn't to say I wish I hadn't become a pagan or that I regret any of my past. But a scholarly shot in the arm would have prevented the let down I experienced as the realities of what magick really is and the real history of modern paganism unfolded.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The true history of modern Wicca. Deeply academic yet totally fascinating, Ronald Hutton here turns his considerable historical expertise to unraveling the roots of Britain's only home-grown religion. No, it's not 30,000 years old, and yes, Gerald Gardener did fudge a lot of things. But Hutton argues persuasively that Wicca's origins do go beyond Gardener, for he was influenced not only by Hinduism (he'd been a civil servant in India) but by a diverse collection of sources: Romantic literature, 17th and 18th century fraternal organizations, 19th century esoteric societies, the back-to-nature movement, and more. This is a fat, thick, book, full of intriguing people and places. I think Hutton really provides a great model for doing religious history dispassionately; he retains a historian's skepticism and empiricism relating to issues of dates, times, places and the like. Yet he is never condescending when discussing his subjects' religious experiences. Nicely done.

[Cwn_annwn_13 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hutton more or less aproached the book as an unbiased historian instead of going out of his way to critique Wicca. I'd recomend reading this book. The history and evolution of it is interesting.

[Ben Whitmore · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a fascinating and entertaining history in a subject that has never previously received such devoted scholarly attention. In many ways I enjoyed it. Such a pity, then, that it contains so many major errors, all leading towards the bizarre conclusions that there never was a historical witchcraft; that European paganism completely died out in the remote past; that a "Great Goddess" was never worshipped in antiquity (being instead a romantic 19th century invention); and that a dying and resurrected God could only have been modelled on Jesus. The overall gist is that nothing is connected to anything, the past is irretrievably lost, and the pioneers of modern witchcraft were by and large lying on all the important points about the origins of their material.

As a work of history, this manages best with the 1950s onward, and gathers together much of the story of modern Wicca - especially Gardnerian Wicca - quite well. It also offers lovely surveys of pagan themes within popular literature. For earlier eras the book is thick with mischaracterisations and outright errors, which fly in the face of academic consensus. A casual reader wouldn't realise this, as Hutton cites numerous authorities in support of his statements, even when those authorities actually say the diametric opposite of what he claims they say. Yes, it really is that bad.

Digging into his misuse of some sources and his ignoring of others, it's easy to feel that this must be systematic and deliberate. Of course it's not, and anyone with research experience will understand the dangers of selection bias. Hutton has marshalled an astonishing quantity of material, in what would be a magisterial work of scholarship - if only he had actually read all that material, rather than (as I suspect) lightly skimming much of it in search of convenient citations. I believe he is genuinely sympathetic to modern Witches and Pagans, despite hewing to preconceived opinions that deny their traditional historical claims and sources of inspiration.

I was for a while mystified at how little vocal criticism there was of this book, especially from those scholars whom he so misrepresents. I think, however, that sitting as it does in a new and still somewhat unpopular intersection of historical fields, it has largely escaped specialist attention, appealing more to those interested in Witchcraft in the age of Buffy and Charmed rather than those seeking to learn about the fascinating dance of heterodox spiritualities alongside Christianity from the antique to the Modern era. My hunt for detailed critiques eventually led to my writing a small book-length critique myself, "Trials of the Moon: Reopening the case for historical witchcraft" (most of which can be freely read online). I would refer readers there to follow my arguments in detail and find reliable sources (I recommend Philip Heselton's Wiccan Roots and Gerald Gardner and the Cauldron of Inspiration for the emergence of modern Wicca; Carlo Ginzburg's Ecstasies: Deciphering the Witches' Sabbath and P.G. Maxwell-Stuart's Witchcraft in Europe and the New World, 1400-1800 for historical witchcraft and the witch-trials, as well as perhaps a larger volume such as Early Modern European Witchcraft: Centres and Peripheries ed. Ankarloo and Henningsen; A History of Pagan Europe by Jones and Pennick; and Margot Adler's Drawing Down the Moon and Michael Howard's Modern Wicca for the modern growth of Wicca and Paganism).

There is so much of value in Triumph of the Moon, I would love to give it a higher rating. It is beautifully written, it draws together so many threads that had never previously been united, and the author has an infectious enthusiasm for the subject. But I feel it is so deeply misleading as a work of history, on so many fronts, that I cannot recommend it.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I wrote quite a long winded and spoiler-ish review here: http://jensketch.com/reviews/2016/3/5...

So in lieu of copy-pasting I'll just say I loved this book - not as much as Stations of the Sun (which I just about revere) but it's so excellent at giving an extremely rigorous account of how current WooWiccans got to where they are.

It also respectfully gives plenty of space for people trying to practice Paganism realistically without the Woo. Which I found rather wonderful of him. Gave much more credence to everything he said, because he was always respectful and considerate, even tearing down possibly dearly held beliefs.

Was glad to see that there are a lot of modern witches who completely understand the real and actual history and still practice and believe. No harm in it at all.

Also vastly relieved to see so many people in the reviews here to reject all the woocrap that's been passed around since those damn Romantic poets ;)

[Ken · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can't give a clear recommendation for this book.

It seems to be rather fixated on refuting an absolute connection from old pagan religion towards neopaganism. On the very narrow line the author follows that refutation can be justified, and for that I suppose it has some use.

On the other hand it tends to ignore broader connections that are the source of some of the revivification of older religions. Traditional dances, carnivals that have figures associated with pagan diety, and symbols that survive.

Instead the author attempts to connect the whole mess through an odd tradition of 'cunning men.' While seeming to ignore both Helenist/Roman influences and local tribal religions.

[Plateresca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been meaning to read it for some time, but was put off by the volume of the book (it's 400+ pages, but in a minuscule font). Now I'm so glad I've finally done this: it's definitely a must-read for anybody interested in Wicca and/or paganism.

Apart from the fact that this has a wealth of information, it is a joy to read. Ronald Hutton's sense of humour is superb. But what shines through this meticulous research is his personality, kind and open. In short, I would have fallen in love with Ronald if I wasn't so smitten by my samoyed :)

***
That said, I must add that my Oxford University Press edition is horrible: it's full of typos, it's really difficult to read because of the unprofessional layout, and the film on the cover peels off dreadfully.

[Mary Catelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at the influences and currents prior to, and their culmination in, the developments of modern pagan witchcraft. In Great Britain, and somewhat in the United States.

The first part I found the most interesting. The Victorian writers treatment of pagan gods and goddesses. How Minerva and Juno passed out of favor in poetical allusions, and while Diana and Venus kept it, they also turned into goddess of the wild. Plus the addition of the Mother Earth only loosely based pagan sources. How all the Greek gods popular in early allusions gave way -- Apollo had a brief upsurge, only to give way -- and how Pan rose to prominence.

The continuation of "high" magic traditions from the Renaissance and earlier, and their mutations -- the pentagram only acquired a definite meaning in the middle of the Middle Ages, and there it was divine, and a protection from evil spirits.

The actual practitioners of folk magic -- the cunning folk who were expected not only to be literate, but to own books, the charmers who works a simpler magic and generally refused payment (and while many accepted gifts, often of food, one was known to reject even thanks on the grounds that healing with his charm was a God-given duty).

The secret societies, like the Horseman's Word, which arose when draft horses became standard in Britain, and their sometimes conscious diabolism. And their claimed ancient roots.

And then he dealt with the convergence of all this in a modern matrix. Which I found less interesting than the earlier parts, but is full with stuff and facts for those more interested in the actual development.

[Vatikanska Milosnica · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is a towering, magisterial, engaging, and above all immensely learned work of cultural history that makes (and mostly proves) its points in an impressive fashion

downside-wise, the unbearably saccharine (and liberally interspersed throughout the second half) 'argument for pagan witchcraft's place in a cosmopolitan society' schtick didn't happen as far as i'm concerned, and neither did the downright unbelievable misreading of eggers's 'the vvitch' — not to be an ageist but perhaps updated editions of cultural histories should have a cutoff point!

[Kerr Cuhulain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent history of the origins of modern Wicca. I highly recommend it!

[Wishmaster · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half of the book is incredibly dry and hard to get into. Things liven up (comparitively anyway) in the second part and this is where it becomes very interesting.

I can understand why Ronald Hutton came under fire for his quite constricted presentation of the provenance of Wicca. There are hints of there being much more to the story, but without definitive evidence, he either sits on the fence and says maybe, or dismisses things that really deserved more attention.

I'm torn. The book is exceptionally well researched and will put paid to the "burning times" mythos and fallacious claim for the ancient heritage of Wicca - at least in the context of it being derived from a single path. Yet, potential links to something older than the 1950's are largely ignored. An opportunity missed in some ways.

The sad thing is, even after reading this book, some still insist that Wicca is a "revival" of some older Witchcraft cult or movement. It's not a revival at all. Wicca is an Earth based religion based on and drawing from a number of sources, from Crowley, Freemasonry, Kabbalah, Folklore, Greek, Norse and Roman mythology and others. In that sense, it has ancient roots spreading in many directions, but it is patently NOT a revival of an old religion.

But, who cares? Does age make a religion less valid? Of course not. As with all religion, it's based on faith and belief, not verifiable facts and therefore each to their own. If it makes you happy and works for you, go for it and place whatever label you feel comfortable with on your belief system.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an awesome book. It gives the history of modern paganism, with a particular focus on Gardnerian and Alexandrian traditions, and the cultural forces that precursed them. For a scholarly text, is is extremely easy to read and Hutton puts his own wry wit into numerous examples. He is also extremely respectful of the beliefs of current Wiccans and Pagans, and never uses the historical fallacies or irregularities to discredit the religion. His final chapter, where he synthesizes his findings with the actual beliefs of Wiccans and Pagans is a masterpiece. Anyone who doesn't "get" these religions might do well to read that chapter first.



I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in British history, Wiccan, (Neo)Paganism, or cultural studies.

[Sundus · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are interested in witchcraft or paganism then it's a must read for you. A highly informative and thoroughly researched book.

[Steve Cran]

If one wishes to practice the craft then it makes sense that one should learn the history of the craft. Wicca was introduced by Gerald Gardener in the mid to late 1950's shortly after Britain repealed their anti-witchcraft laws. Gardener claimed that he became initiated into a coven in North Forrest England. His claims are subject to dispute.

Prior to him introducing Wicca, Gerald Gardner was a member of the Mason and he was a member of Ordo Templis Orientales, Aleister Crowley's organization. Mr. Gardner tried to set up OTO in London but he was not too successful. Many a people familiar with both Crowley's work and Wicca have noticed that Gardner plagiarized Crowley in many an instance and used his words in a construct that Crowley himself would not have used. Doreen Vailente would later on re-write everything.

Despite all this the author Ronald Hutton does make the statement that Wicca, meaning the wiseones, is a viable religion. Hutton is a historian who has written many books on Pagan movement and holidays in Great Britain.

Mr. Hutton goes on to say that "Wicca" is the first all British contribution to religion given to the world. In order to fully get an understanding of Wicca one must get an overall picture of British history and the British mentality. The British fascination with Paganism began with a renewed enthusiasm and admiration for Greco/Roman Culture. These nationalities were thought off as being advanced and were praised for their many contributions to world civilization. The Greeks and the Romans were only thought to be lacking morals and the revelation of Jesus Christ. Later on British literature would foster and cultivate a fascination with nature. The old pagans were thought to have a real closeness with nature.

As history would progress several authors would write paens to Pan and how he would chase wood nymphs in the the forest. The Christian religion was felt to be too rigid at this time. Godfrey Higgins asserted that in ancient History that there was an ancient civilization that extended through out the known world. They were the ones who discovered writing and religion. Helena Blavatsky, s spiritualist, speculated that Atlantis was this society.

In the Ancient world there was a Goddess for every aspect of civilization but not nature, however. The Goddesses had their own identity. Toward the end of the Pagan Period in a work called "Metamorpheisis" by Apuleius it was said that the moon goddess was said to embody all the other Goddesses. In literature and in Archaeology a view was starting to prevail that humanity worshiped a mother goddess. She is represented by the earth and the moon. She ended up embodying all the Goddesses and this is the current view of Pagan Witchcraft.

Like wise with the Greek Gods like Jupiter, Apollo and Neptune all of them fell out of favor. For while Apollo was the favorite but soon he gave way to the horned God Pan. Pan was a favorite of the literary scene up until the 1930's. He represented nature, sexuality and playfulness. He was the exact opposite of Jesus. In the view of Robert Graves the horned God was the consort of of the Goddess and was both the lover and the offspring of the Goddess. Death served as a transition.

Wicca borrowed their ritual structure from the Masons. The first Masonic Lodge was established in the late 1596 in North Scotland. They had initiations, handshakes and passwords. Many of which Wicca would come to borrow. In Medieval times there were guilds who had secret organizations. They too had a lot in common with the Masons but with more of a focus towards their craft or profession.

Masonic craft was oriented towards spiritual perfection. To join a lodge one had to believe in a supreme being. Their ceremonies had 4 cardinal directions and they were connected with mythology. As more archaeological information became available about the Sumerians, Egyptians and Greek that information slowly got added into the Masonic lore.

The Pentagram was one of the Masonic symbols, the masons also ended their ceremonies with "so mote it be" These element should be recognizable to those who practice Wicca. One Masonic type organization was called " The Horseman's Word" This guild of horse whisperers would mock Christ and Christianity and say parts of the Bible backwards.

In a nutshell to cap things off, word has it that Gerald Gardener after returning from India in the 1930 became acquainted with a group of Rosicrucian actors who introduced him to the craft. Dorothy Clutterbuck was the priestess who supposedly initiated Gardner. Later he tried to bring to London with success along with a woman named Dafo. Later on she would leave and Gardner would recruit Doreen Valiente. Valiente upon looking over Gardners book of shadows noticed a lot of phrases taken from Aleister Crowley. Crowley himself was not really interested in Witch Craft which he considered a woman's religion. None the less Crowley did meet with Gardner 3-4 times. Later on Valiente would part with Gardner and join with Robert Cochran. Valiente later left Cochran and wnet on her own. The book discusses the growth of Wicca, Alex Sanders, the impact of American Wicca on the British.

For those who practice Wicca I advise that you read this book. Not only does it tell the history and development of the craft but also what events and trends lead to it's birth. It is very scholarly and thorough.

[Dfordoom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ronald Hutton’s The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft turned out to be a fascinating read. I found the first half especially interesting, where he traced the various strands – such as the revival of ritual magic, Theosophy, the increasing interest in ancient paganism, the survival of traditional magical practices like charms – emerged during the nineteenth century and then came together in the 20th to form what was effectively a new religion. The second half then traces the actual histories of the various strands in modern pagan witchcraft, and the various personalities involved. I’m told that not all pagans were happy with this book, but it really seems to me to be extremely sympathetic to its subject matter. Although Hutton argues that many of the beliefs about the history of this religion held by its adherents are dubious or even fanciful, he still seems to have a great deal of respect for witchcraft. I was especially intrigued by the account of the complex and very mixed relation betweens witches and the mass media back in the 1950s and 1960s. And the stuff about the cunning folk in the 19th century was absolutely wonderful – it’s something I knew nothing whatever about. An exceptionally well-written, stimulating and interesting book.

[Tim Pendry · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the near-definitive account of the new religions that emerged, largely from the UK, in the last century. Hutton is sympathetic but rigorously academic, and has swept away the traditionalist claims of some founders whilst ensuring respect and dignity for practitioners. It is the founding text for understanding the context for any further reading in this field.

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fascinating book! Hutton shows that the original mythology claimed by modern pagan witchcraft is not a match with documented history. Yet the history he does reveal is even more interesting than what the founders of today's witchcraft had in mind. Though Hutton is only interested in the historical claims traditions like Wicca make about their origins, he makes sure to clarify that he is not trying to tell people whether or not they should be Wiccans. Ultimately, he opines that modern witchcraft is a valid new religion that deserves to be taken as seriously as any other. He believes that it came together over the course of two-ish centuries because it met the new needs of modern society. I listened to this book on Audible, but can't recommend the recording. The reader was very bad and didn't do justice to this excellent book.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wiccans and neopagans are obviously not that bright, but they are crazy as well.

[Lydia Knox · Rating 5 out of 5]

This well researched book is a must read to anyone who wants to do a deep dive into Pagan spirituality, the history is frankly told. I did listen to the audio book version, and the read was odd, almost as if it was done by an a.i. However the writing itself was interesting.

[Mid Fimbulwinter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A historical examination of modern Pagan Witchcraft. I've been reading enough non-fiction in the past few years to develop strong tastes. This was well suited to those tastes. The author is an academic, who strives to present arguments for and against various positions as they are presented, with evidence on each side. There are substantial notes. Where the author knows the people he's discussing, he works to declare his bias, and still presents criticisms of the subject. Similarly, when he clearly dislikes someone he is writing about, compliments and positive aspects are presented as well.

I was hoping for a good grasp of the history of Paganism, especially Wicca in the age of Gardner and his successors. I certainly got that, and considerably more. This is one of those books that keeps bouncing around in my head as I correlate bits of information from it with stuff I've run into in my own life. I sort of want to dump out a big detailed review of all the cool bits of stuff I got from each chapter.

Instead, I will just say that if you've an interest in the subject, this is definitely worth reading. In particular, I'd be interested in what those friends of mine who are either historians, or initiated Pagans, have to say on the book.

[Shelly Wilson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Normally when I dislike a book as much as this one, I stop reading it. Unfortunately for me, I was reading it for a book club (which I loved), so I trudged through all 400+ pages. To be honest, I thought it was 800 pages with how painful it was to get through.

Let me save you some time: British Pagans claim an ancient history of unbroken religion. They all lied. The end.

Perhaps not a great comparison for pagans, but if you thought the Book of Numbers was the best book of the Bible, then this is the book for you. A poorly written litany of so-and-so begat so-and-so, who begat so-and-so.

Just awful.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most important Witchcraft book ever. I mean, once you've read all the pretty pseudo-histories and herstories that this book turns into lovely fairy tales. Every single religious movement, occult organization, art trend, anthropologiist mistake and more that went into the Gerald Gardner creating Wicca is documented brilliantly! It's worth the read for non-Pagans just to learn about things such as the Freemasons. The writer is an English scholar, but it's a fun read while your brain gets packed with facts, something few Pagans care much about when it comes to our heritage.

[Gabriel Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book demands a thorough review from me at some point. Suffice to say that if you're attracted to any form of Paganism, Triumph of the Moon will provide you with a framework for appreciating and engaging with the experiences those paths offer without requiring you to check your credulity at the door. Not without flaws but generally wonderful.

[Nu Jahat Jabin · Rating 1 out of 5]

একটা আর্টিকেল পড়ার তিক্ত স্বাদ ।
যে বই রিলিজিওন কি সেটার ডেফিনেশন দিয়ে শুরু হইছে সেটা আসলে পড়া উচিত না। সমস্যা হল একটা কবিতা ভাল লেগে যাওয়ায় ঠুকায় ঠুকায় বইটা শেষ করেছি। যদি আরেকটা মন মত কবিতা পাওয়া যায়!!!
আনন্দের বিষয় হল রিসার্চ পেপারের মত এই জিনিস পড়েও কি পড়ছিলাম কেন পড়ছিলাম সেটা ভুলে গেছি

[Bianca Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. It puts to rest many of the false mythologies of Wicca and it's foundation. More people need to read it, to stop the fluffy bunny history bs.

[Dave Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book of scholarly history. it will kick you in the nuts no matter what you believe

If you are looking for "Oogy Boogie" witch stuff here, ...move on. If you truly desire facts and truth, grab your butt cheeks. here they come

Spoiler: Paganism is a new an unique religion
that it is not a cult
that it is not a continuation of any long lost tradition
that most everything that it is "based" on is is erroneous
that it is a fine new thing unto itself, and a product of it's time. the early 20th century.

"in biology and chemistry, as well as in history it is a common pattern for the components of a given situation to come together slowly and unevenly until a particular set of circumstances arises which causes the combination of those components suddenly to blend or explode or become alive.
and that is what could be said to have happened in this case."
-Ronald Hutton
(on the formation of Pagan Witchcraft)

full confession, I'm from California.
I grew up believing.
...nearly everything. That a little pot was good for you. That there was a factual historical Jesus. That the church stamped out the last vestiges of the pagan religion with the inquisition. That getting a tan had healing qualities. That all of Europe was basically matriarchal in prehistory. ...Oh also that the Druids were rockn' folks who ate shrooms and had crazy sex under the mistletoe. Basic California stuff.
All that aside, or because of it... It's not surprising that I have often thought of myself as a sort of urban pagan, when I wasn't a pirate, or an Atheist, or a citizen of the United Federation of Planets.
a bit of a romantic dreamer with a soul, except when I doubted that I had one.

So, I saw this book on the shelf and snatched it up in a heartbeat. And WOW! (not to play to regional stereotypes) This book kinda kicked the feet out from under me. and also set me free a little bit.

...Maybe I should start the book review? yeah Okay.
This is a actual factual history book. That means that there are long stretches of long dense boring facts punctuated by stuff you don't want to hear and things you didn't want to know.
-This book is huge! 512 pages of small script. You thought "a brief history of time" was ponderous.
This book reminds me of many college lectures, but none so much as The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas S. Kuhn. Where most everybody believes a thing until a vast preponderance of evidence outweighs the existing belief.

Anyway. This book is a slog. and if you don't care about the subject, The history of the founding of modern paganism in the 1920-1950s, than it's likely a waste of your time. if you do care too much, you are dogmatic- Really really do walk away!
This is a highly specialized book for people who care, but want to know the facts about the faith.

-You can all laugh, but I have to reevaluate my world view after this book. I can think of no higher praise for a work of non-fiction.

[Einzige · Rating 4 out of 5]

“...it explains why occultism became the language of radical counter-culture in late nineteenth-century France, just as paganism did in Britain during the same period. Like the theosophy which it was partly to inspire, it offered the thinkers of the age a middle way between a defensive Christian orthodoxy and a science which threatened to despiritualize the universe and question the special status of humanity. Its emphasis upon practical learning and experimentation appealed to the scientific instinct, while its acceptance of supernatural forces and stress upon ancient wisdom appealed to the religious one. Unsurprisingly, it soon began to spread from France to most parts of the European cultural world, including Britain


I’ll let you know that the short answer to the question which inspired me and no doubt many others to read this book –

Q: Do Wiccan’s or any of the other modern practitioners of witchcraft represent the continuation of pre-Christian paganism?

A: While this is question which we can never have a 100% certain answer on, the overwhelming evidence is no – it’s a modern creation largely based on romantic ideas of paganism from the 18th Century mixed with practices and beliefs from distinctly non pagan sources.

Though this is a relatively simple answer given the huge scope of the question it requires a lot of background material to justify, which is something the book does do but to the point that it can be off putting – for instance over half the book discusses the sources of the practices and belief of Modern witchcraft (occult and otherwise) as well as the development and evolution of the scholarship in that area before it even discusses modern witchcraft.

As interesting and large as the topic is, its definitely easy to see why this book can be disappointing (aside from those people who wanted something a bit less academic) as the conclusions are really disenchanting; the pre-Christian religion of the Celtic peoples are extinct and we barely know anything about them, there was not great pan-european goddess religion and secret and occult societies have consistently lied about their antiquity and invented “traditions”.

[M.J. Ceruti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me encantó. Lo leí como parte de un programa básico de lecturas sobre wicca y paganismo que me preparó una amiga muy querida (gracias, Aitz). Odio decir que con los libros litúrgicos per se no conecté mucho (quizá sea la licenciatura en Historia, pero llevo mal las afirmaciones sin referencia), pero al final me decidí a leer este y voilà! Justo lo que necesitaba.

De nuevo, quizá sea simplemente que la historiografía es un lenguaje que sí entiendo, pero Triumph of the Moon consiguió darme una imagen mental clara y sólida de la génesis del neopaganismo y de sus valores fundamentales. El lenguaje de Hutton es erudito, pero claro y bien articulado (enésima demostración de que no hace falta hacer tu texto lo más impenetrable posible para escribir historiografía) e incluso humorístico a ratos, aunque no sé si con intención; no pude evitar reírme ante el evidente estrés del historiador profesional ante las afirmaciones descabelladas de algunos de los personajes fundacionales de la wicca. Aún así, creo que en general es un libro respetuoso, bien investigado y fiable, con algunas tesis sorprendentes (me encantó la relación que establece Hutton entre los primeros movimientos escultistas y el protopaganismo). Muy instructivo.

[Wade Macmorrighan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wouldn't be so quick as to call this book the "true history of Wicca," especially not since Prof. Hutton actually confessed that his "Triumph" was a mere exercise in a Logical Fallacy known as Confirmation Bias! In fact, he also confessed that as he was writing "Triumph" he discovered evidence for ancient paganism that directly mirrored and was traceable to Wicca; but, he intentionally ignored it, because it disproved the theory he was trying to prove! Ultimately, he also admitted that "Triumph" was merely a personal theory of his that he was unable able to prove. Therefore, it shouldn't be believed.

But, my fingers were burned by Hutton way back when I read his "Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles" when I noticed he omitted whole swaths of academic conclusions, he treated specialist scholarship as if they were wrong (but he's correct?), he would make sweeping generalizations that were always wrong, he would make many unsubstantiated claims, as well as engaging in numerous Logical Fallacies!!! So, ever since, I now ask myself "What else is he intentionally leaving out?" when one of his books comes into my possession.

Yet, when I tell folks of all the academic material and consensus that Hutton was intentionally ignoring, simply because it proved him wrong, the usual line I get fed by one of his sycophants goes something like: "It means that he is a rigorous scholar!" or (and I've actually been told this!) "If there was anything of value to those books/ authors Hutton would have considered them in great detail; but, because he hasn't, I needn't consider them, either!" Even when I show others where Hutton confessed--in his "Witches, Druids and King Arthur"--that "Triumph" was an exercise in Confirmation Bias because Hutton intentionally ignored the unequivocal evidence he discovered during "Triumph" tracing modern Paganism back to ancient paganism! Moreover, Hutton insists he ignored this data because: 1.) few scholars would have believed him, and 2.) his constructed model was still correct without bothering to include it! (Well, that's to be expected when one cherry-picks to construct a one-sided argument!) Heck, Hutton even admitted that "Triumph" was simply his personal theory for which he had no evidence to prove in the end! But, when I mention this to other Pagans, suddenly *I'm* the asshole whom they accuse of lying about Hutton. Despite the fact that Hutton makes his arguments by misrepresenting the views of his sources, putting words in their mouth (he recently claimed he and Carlo Ginzburg are on the same page when they couldn't be farther apart!), and cherry-picking data!

[Erik Akre · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first, I embraced the Wicca phenomenon as one smitten with infatuation. I did not jump in as a practitioner, but I was floored by the possibilities of religious practice that Wicca presented. I did not do a lot of reflection, however; I just consumed anything I could get my hands on, and did so somewhat indiscriminately.

It was fun, but somewhere in my mind I knew I wasn't getting a full picture. Always in the background were the questions: Where did all this stuff come from? What roots are there to this religion? How can it be said to be "traditional"? On what traditions is it based?

Now I feel I have the answers to these questions, and it must necessarily change my relationship with the religion. "All this stuff" turns out to be (largely) a remnant of the reaction to the rationality of the Enlightenment, through the imagination of the Romantic period. Of course it's not that simple: One must read the book. But after looking at Hutton's thorough, scholarly, and sound reseach, one can't help but be a bit disillusioned (that is, if one had bought it all hook-line-and-sinker). The book is dense, but anyone who's bought into Wicca needs to read it and not put it down when it begins to challenge beliefs.

After all that, the final chapter is sweet. Hutton raises the obvious question: What do we do with this information? Does it mean Wicca should be scrapped? Is it a meaningless practice, a farce, a fake? Are Wiccans just kidding themselves? His conclusion is beautiful, and it honors (for me at least) the true sense of what religion and magic are all about, and why they are so meaningful.

When you make it through this book, and you understand what Hutton means in his conclusion, you will not be ultimately disillusioned. Instead, you will have a new appreciation of the possibilities that Wicca holds. You will move forward with a much greater scope, and (after all) a greater faith and solidity in your own spiritual life. Be prepared to fully appreciate the unique relativism of pagan practice, and the boundless possibilities it holds.