Doreen Valiente Witch
-
-
4.0 • 1 Rating
-
-
- $9.99
-
- $9.99
Publisher Description
A personal biographical account of the life of Doreen Valiente, described by Professor Ronald Hutton as "the greatest single female figure in the modern British history of witchcraft". Author Philip Heselton draws on first hand testimony and Doreen's own personal papers to reveal previously unknown details of her life with fascinating and sometimes startling insights. Adding to the still-emerging story of how an underground cult, described by some as Britain's only living indigenous religion, became a worldwide spiritual movement in the course of a few decades. While Gerald Brosseau Gardner is credited with breathing life into modern witchcraft, it was his High Priestess Doreen Valiente who made it truly accessible to the wider world.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Drawing on public documents, interviews, and Doreen Valiente's own published books and personal journals, Heselton pieces together a compelling look at the life of "the mother of modern witchcraft." Having published several books on Gerald Gardner, another important figure in modern witchcraft and in Valiente's life, Heselton notes throughout the book that this particular biography does "little more than lay some foundation stones for others to build on." This speaks to the wealth of material available on Valiente, as Heselton does an excellent job covering her journey from a precocious child dissatisfied with school to an influential figure known for rewriting the Charge of the Goddess, authoring and coauthoring several books on the history of witchcraft and its relationship to Valiente's native England, and creating a vast body of poetry. Heselton balances the important accomplishments of Valiente's life with anecdotes about her personality, which paint a charming picture of someone who owned over 2000 books, would refuse all guests while watching the World Cup, and whose impressive history is prefaced by dropping out of high school after biting a prefect her "best childhood memory"! Descriptions of Valiente's books, an extensive bibliography, and references to Valiente's contemporaries and their works indeed provide "foundation stones" for anyone interested in further study of Valiente, her work, and her world.
