Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft - Good or Bad?

[hexualfrustration]

Just getting started here and picked up a copy of Buckland's Complete Book of Witchcraft (Llewellyn's Practical Magick). Is this a good book to introduce one to witchcraft? Is there a better source out there I should be using?

Thanks in advance.

[TwilightDancer]

It's a really great book.

One of the first books I read on witchcraft. I really liked that it was workbook style. I'd highly recommend it. It covers a great deal of information.

Hope that helps.

When you have a moment, hop on over to the intro section so we can welcome you properly.

[SpiritTalker]

Big Blue has stood the test of time as an introductory resource. No single book can possibly cover everything, and you don't have to agree with every thought it contains. I've had mine over 30 years and still refer to it, though I'm eclectic more than Wiccan.

[Lord_of_Nightmares]

There's better intro books out there and it's a bit dated. Also, it is more for groups.

[moonlightsonata]

I'm reading it now for the first time as part of my pagan book club. So far, I really like it. I think the workbook format makes it good for someone starting out.

[planewalker]

A bit stiff and slightly dated {30 - 35 years if I recall}, it none the less is a good reference for someone just starting out who doesn't have the support of experienced Coven members or a teacher in their close personal environment. As I remember, it was a good read when it came out and I recommended it to a couple people that I had meet who were looking to understand the Craft.

[SpiritTalker]

The book gives the foundations which haven't changed over time. Obviously when we apply the basics to our personal practices, we are free to adapt and take liberties to adjust the fit. Otherwise it wouldn't be any fun.

[YanaKhan]

I've read a lot of books about witchcraft and magick over the years and I can't really say there is a bad one, although most should be taken with spoons of salt. I have learned from each and every one, even if it is to not believe everything you read

But I like Buckland, It's a great beginner's guide. I would also recommend "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wicca and Witchcraft" by Denise Zimmerman and Katherine Gleason.

[SpiritTalker]

Another useful book is Raven Grimassi's "Wiccan Mysteries" which tells about the beliefs and practices, and why they are used.

[Ròcas Cearcall]

There is a ton of information in it, and if you work through it as a workbook, you get a really good wide-ranging understanding of witchcraft. It covers a lot very quickly. The downside for me was that much of it is coven-based and I am solitary. I enjoyed it though. I think it was the second or third book I read after Cunningham's Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner and Ellen Cannon Reed's Heart of Wicca.

Cunningham's book was a bit easier to digest, but I got a lot out of big blue. It inspired me to further explore some of the topics that it could only give a chapter to.

[Darkest Auldearn]

Lots of agreeable comments here, but let me put it like this:

There are no better books out there if you want an actual grimoire to introduce you to Witchcraft; certainly none that I've found. If you take a year out of your life to work through 'big blue' as instructed, I can guarantee you'll be a better equipped witch or warlock than 90% of people who claim the title.