The Triumph Of The Moon (a History Of Modern Pagan Witchcraft)

By (author) Hutton Ronald
Short description/annotation:
A fully updated new edition of Ronald Hutton''s classic work on the history of modern pagan witchcraft.
Description:
''a brilliant history'' The Sunday Times ''makes for riveting reading'' The Independent Modern pagan witchcraft is arguably the only fully-formed religion England has given the world, and has now spread across four continents. This second edition of The Triumph of the Moon extensively revises the first full-scale scholarly study of modern pagan witchcraft. Ronald Hutton examines the nature and development of this religion, and offers a history of attitudes to witchcraft, paganism and magic in British society since 1800. Its pages reveal village cunning folk, Victorian ritual magicians, classicists and archaeologists, leaders of woodcraft and scouting movements, Freemasons, and members of rural secret societies. We also find some of the leading figures of English literature, from the Romantic poets to W. B. Yeats, D. H. Lawrence and Robert Graves, as well as the main personalities who have represented pagan witchcraft to the public world since 1950. Thriller writers like Dennis Wheatley, and films and television programmes, get similar coverage, as does tabloid journalism. The material is by its nature often sensational, and care is taken throughout to distinguish fact from fantasy, in a manner not previously applied to most of the stories involved. Meticulously researched, The Triumph of the Moon presents an authoritative insight into an aspect of modern cultural history which has attracted sensational publicity but has hitherto been little understood. This edition incorporates new research carried out by the author as well as research by others who have been inspired by this book over the twenty years since its first publication.
Table of contents:
Preface Acknowledgements Macrocosm 1: Finding a Language 2: Finding a Goddess 3: Finding a God 4: Finding a Structure 5: Finding a High Magic 6: Finding a Low Magic 7: Finding a Folklore 8: Finding a Witchcraft 9: Matrix 10: God (and Goddess) Parents Microcosm 11: Gerald Gardner 12: Gerald''s People 13: The Wider Context: Hostility 14: The Wider Context: Reinforcement 15: Old Craft, New Craft 16: The Man in Black 17: Royalty from the North 18: Uncle Sam and the Goddess 19: Coming of Age 20: Grandchildren of the Shadows Notes Index
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Hutton''s book is a must-read not only for anyone interested in modern Paganism, or the occult, but it also embodies a deep insight into the development of British society and culture.
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It is to the credit of Ronald Hutton that he has documented its history so clearly and recognises its spiritual value to so many people.
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Review from previous edition this work ... makes for excellent reading. Hutton''s extensive scholarship allows him to make and clarify connections between people and movements in recent centuries.
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spirited, amusing and immensely informative ... Hutton''s exceptional work is by far the most scholarly, comprehensive and judicious analysis of the subject yet published. It will remain the standard for many years to come.
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A remarkable book ... passionate yet written with calm and clarity ... a passionate, important and consistently fascinating book.
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The Triumph of the Moon, which is densely argued and heavily annotated, leaves little doubt that the history which modern occultism has constructed for itself is bunk ... It all makes for riveting reading and, despite Hutton''s demolition of the supposed lineage of witchcraft, I am tempted after reading his book to become a witch myself.
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Hutton''s book is excellent ... Hutton uses his historical skills to tease apart some of the themes in this popular