Barrett Weatherwax

Though this book call's itself 'The Dabbler's...', it should rather be called The Dilettante's guide. The rhetorical agenda of the author is a carefree and almost capricious style which leaves the reader with both a sense that they are just skimming the surface and not taking things seriously, though the surface level of the content suggests otherwise. This author's concept of witchcraft is rooted in the modern individualistic style of European magical traditions after the 19th century without excavating the history nor presenting anything new to magical communities. I would recommend this book to a reader who already has a deep understanding of anthropology or textual criticism who will be able to analyze the content in situ, or a reader who wants to buy a joke gift. As both a Librarian and Historian of Magic wait for this book to show up in a used book store or a free box of books on the street. If one is a practitioner of magic I would suggest reading the Kybilion for a better framework to build ones own path. And if one is a student of religious studies looking for a start on European Witchcraft traditions the writings of Ronald Hutton is a good place to start