Scan barcode
thepurplebookwyrm's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Max Dashu's Witches and Pagans is exactly the kind of book I wanted to read regarding the pagan and folkloric origins of the witch figure, and the survival of pagan – and female-centric – spirituality in European culture. This overview of the topic is multi-faceted and multi-disciplinary, in a way, though it was still only written by one author and… independent researcher is what I’ll call Ms Dashu. That, in and of itself, is really impressive given the scope and depth of scholarship displayed in this book!
Now this volume is the first entry in a projected series dedicated to female-centric history, sociology and religion or spiritual tradition, and centres on female spheres of spiritual power in the early European Middle Ages. Ms Dashu draws on linguistic evidence, the written historical record, but also oral folk tradition, mythological texts, canonical law, and archaeological evidence to flesh out her analysis. And takes a close look, specifically, at the importance of spinning and divining as symbols and practices of female spiritual power; folkloric goddess-like figures such as Herodias, Frau Holle or the Lady of the Night (as Ronald Hutton does in his Queens of the Wild, which I read in January); or evidence from the Germanic, Norse and Gallo-Celtic worlds.
I was particularly impressed by the linguistic analysis she presented in the book, and found it absolutely fascinating, not to mention immensely stimulating for my mild etymology nerd… and pattern-making self. Yes, I have, at long last, found a book that tackles this topic, one I consider a special interest, from different but linked angles, and which relies on drawing patterns of meaning from different sources of evidence! This book was fascinating, and not at all "soapboxy": the author offers up her own interpretation and analysis of the topic, of course, but she follows the evidence – from what I could tell at any rate – and sources everything as well.
To temper my enthusiasm a tiny bit, however, I also have to point out I found the book a little dense at times, because there’s just so much information here, and structured a little disjointedly. This may actually be by design though, since I believe Max Dashu holds a specific fondness for the concept of webs and matrices of knowledge, which I can honestly respect and even mildly vibe with... but I guess I ultimately do prefer something a bit more linear when it comes to published non-fiction.
Still, this was a rock solid 8 to a soft 8.5/10. I would highly recommend it, especially paired with Ronald Hutton’s work, honestly, though as I stated in my review of the latter’s The Witch, this stuff is for nerds, in the best way possible, but do keep that in mind. Now I really want to read the other volumes in this projected series, but I sadly have absolutely no idea if any of them are even close to being published.
Now this volume is the first entry in a projected series dedicated to female-centric history, sociology and religion or spiritual tradition, and centres on female spheres of spiritual power in the early European Middle Ages. Ms Dashu draws on linguistic evidence, the written historical record, but also oral folk tradition, mythological texts, canonical law, and archaeological evidence to flesh out her analysis. And takes a close look, specifically, at the importance of spinning and divining as symbols and practices of female spiritual power; folkloric goddess-like figures such as Herodias, Frau Holle or the Lady of the Night (as Ronald Hutton does in his Queens of the Wild, which I read in January); or evidence from the Germanic, Norse and Gallo-Celtic worlds.
I was particularly impressed by the linguistic analysis she presented in the book, and found it absolutely fascinating, not to mention immensely stimulating for my mild etymology nerd… and pattern-making self. Yes, I have, at long last, found a book that tackles this topic, one I consider a special interest, from different but linked angles, and which relies on drawing patterns of meaning from different sources of evidence! This book was fascinating, and not at all "soapboxy": the author offers up her own interpretation and analysis of the topic, of course, but she follows the evidence – from what I could tell at any rate – and sources everything as well.
To temper my enthusiasm a tiny bit, however, I also have to point out I found the book a little dense at times, because there’s just so much information here, and structured a little disjointedly. This may actually be by design though, since I believe Max Dashu holds a specific fondness for the concept of webs and matrices of knowledge, which I can honestly respect and even mildly vibe with... but I guess I ultimately do prefer something a bit more linear when it comes to published non-fiction.
Still, this was a rock solid 8 to a soft 8.5/10. I would highly recommend it, especially paired with Ronald Hutton’s work, honestly, though as I stated in my review of the latter’s The Witch, this stuff is for nerds, in the best way possible, but do keep that in mind. Now I really want to read the other volumes in this projected series, but I sadly have absolutely no idea if any of them are even close to being published.
More...