Aradia: Gospel of the Witches
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Aradia: Gospel of the Witches
by Authors:
Charles G Leland
Released: 01 April, 1990
ISBN: 0919345107
Paperback
Sales Rank: 53,709
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List price:
$6.95
Our price:
$6.95
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| Book > Aradia: Gospel of the Witches > Customer Reviews: |
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Average Customer Rating: 
Aradia: Gospel of the Witches >
Customer Review #1:
 A rare, authentic gem of "stregheria" -- Italian Witchcraft.
Contrary to the impression given by superficial debunkers of Witchcraft, Charles Godfrey Leland was a 19th-century scholar of broad learning and solid reputation. He was famous in his lifetime for his groundbreaking researches into Gypsy and British "tinker" lore and culture; for discovering the "Shelta" language surviving in western Britain; for identifying the survival of Etruscan deity-names in Tuscan peasant lore; even for instituting "industrial arts" education in America and Europe ... all this *before* he found what anyone else who looked in the wilder corners of Europe a hundred years ago still found: a surviving outpost of the Old Religion. ("Pagan" means "country-dweller", after all.) Northern Italy was notorious during the Burning Times for the stubborn resistance of its Witches -- centuries before, Tuscany had been the home of the Etruscans, who taught the Romans magic and religion. An excellent book. But remember -- the European witch-lore that survives in print for library-bound scholars to pontificate about is only the tip of a very widespread folk and oral iceberg.
Aradia: Gospel of the Witches >
Customer Review #2:
 Whoops! Which Craft?
I bought this book after quickly skimming a couple of pages, and as a language buff, grabbed it for the prayers in Italian. Was I surprised to find Diana sleeping with her "brother," Lucifer (yes, the Christian lord of Hell- talk about a mixed mythology!), spells powered by threats to the divinities invoked, encouragement of curses and poisoning, among other strangeness. Now, Im sure many Strega in Northern Italy did practice this mix of old religion and twisted Christianity, but this is neither "gospel" nor representative of modern Witches. Its like saying Native South Americans practiced Santeria as a pure derivation from their ancient religions. This has a lot of interesting historical implications about the mutations of myth, and is great as a comparison to Strega and Wicca, but should be read with a critical eye. This is a compilation of Northern Italian folk tales, charms, and invocations. The tradition is maybe best described as Italian Voodou- a mix of ancient religions and Christianity, but so different from either as to be something entirely unique. An excellent read for the advanced practitioner, but probably confusing for the novice, and potentially misleading for the non-witch. Also, this may be one of the sources the fundamentalists use to "prove" that Witchcraft is satanic in nature, because of the title. Sigh. Overall: myth/historically fascinating, but confusing and potentially troublesome.
Aradia: Gospel of the Witches >
Customer Review #3:
 Why do witches give this praise?
I have been a witch over 13 years and I am a big fan of Charles Leland. This book I am not. It has very little truth to it. Mr. Leland got the text from someone who wanted to abuse the craft with lies. This is a Christian book. That is put in a way to please the church. Witches do not belive in satan, though to this book. The horned god is satan himself. Aradia is said to make comments that would have gotten her killed on the spot. I NEVER threaten the goddess. Again we have many areas saying we do this. There is not enough room to go through it all. You can get free copies from websites all over if you must read it. If you do think about what it is saying and you can easy see it for what it is. A preverted vesion of what should of been sacred.
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Aradia: Gospel of the Witches >
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