Drawing Down the Moon offers an almost academic historical account of the development, growth, and beliefs of pagan groups in the 1970s, covering both the US and the UK. Margot Adler, an author, journalist, and a Wiccan priestess herself, endeavors to provide readers with a comprehensive overview. It includes personal stories and anecdotes from Adler and other pagans, as well as survey results on festivals. The book describes the rise and fall of several belief systems and groups, and delves into the fundamental thought schools within the pagan community.

However, its drawback is that it is outdated. While the 2006 update makes some changes, it is not a complete update from the 70s to the present. Nevertheless, it is still a full and interesting compendium. The style is detached and journalistic, with Adler trying not to impose her own views. It can be dry and dense at times, but it's still an enjoyable read. The historical perspective is fascinating, introducing readers to pagan groups and cultures they may not have known existed. If you're interested in the history of paganism, this could be the overview you seek, but remember it's not a how-to book and its in-depth coverage stops at the 70s.

A benchmark work for studying witchcraft as a world religion,

this semi-autoethnographic/historical piece is truly remarkable. The landscape of understanding witchcraft has, of course, shifted over time.

However, this work offers a wealth of context and profound insights. It delves deep into the roots and evolution of witchcraft, providing a comprehensive view that is essential for unpacking modern neo-pagan and occult movements, their beliefs, and practices.

By exploring the historical and cultural aspects, it helps us to better understand the significance and meaning behind these contemporary manifestations. Whether you are a scholar, a curious individual, or someone interested in the occult, this work is a must-read as it offers a unique perspective and valuable knowledge that enriches our understanding of this fascinating and often misunderstood subject.

I have had this book for 20 years.

During these two decades, it has been sitting on the shelf of my personal library, unread and waiting.

Recently, I have been attempting to read the books in my library that have been gathering dust for decades.

This particular book has caught my attention.

It is extremely well written and documented.

The author has done a remarkable job in presenting the information in a clear and engaging manner.

The details and research that have gone into this book are evident on every page.

As I start to read it, I find myself getting more and more absorbed in the story.

I am excited to see what lies ahead in this well-written and documented book.

Well done to the author for creating such a wonderful piece of work.

This is an incredibly wonderful book.

I have learned an enormous amount of things that I had no prior knowledge about Wicca and other Pagan traditions in America. The writing style was truly inspired, making the reading process extremely easy and enjoyable. The entire experience was a pure joy.

It was truly astonishing to follow the development of this spiritual and religious movement through its numerous phases. We can see so many diverse aspects of it, as well as the people who live it and give it life. There is a great deal here for us to ponder upon. Although the revised edition was published in 1987, the issues and ideas raised are undoubtedly just as important, if not more so, especially with regards to ecology and diversity in the present times.

Margot Adler has done a remarkable job of objectively studying, questioning, and analyzing her subject matter. At the same time, she brings the subjective warmth of her own personal experience to the book. It is an absolute must-read for anyone who has an interest in modern spirituality.

On the one hand, this book holds great significance as it is integral to understanding the spiritual landscape of the US over the past 50 years. It provides valuable insights and perspectives that can enhance our knowledge and comprehension of the spiritual evolution during this period.

On the other hand, it cannot be ignored that the book is extremely white. The lack of diversity in its focus is a significant drawback. Trae Gorn of the BS-Free Witchcraft Podcast recommended this book so highly for such a long time that I finally decided to listen to the audiobook. And indeed, they were right in calling it one of the most important books a new witch, Wiccan, or Pagan could read. However, its exclusive focus on white people makes it incomplete and unfortunately helps to perpetuate the racial divides within the community. This limitation not only restricts the book's potential to offer a more comprehensive and inclusive understanding but also contributes to the marginalization of non-white voices and experiences within the spiritual realm.

It is essential to recognize and address this issue to promote a more equitable and diverse spiritual community.

I am certain that there are far superior reviews for this book than the one I could pen. However, I will assert that you can place your faith in the buzz surrounding this work.

For many years, I had heard about this book but never made the actual effort to read it. Now, after having completed it, I feel rather foolish.

This is potentially one of the finest resources for both Pagans and non-Pagans alike when it comes to accurately depicting the cultural resurgence of Goddess and Nature-oriented religions.

After perusing this, I truly take pride in referring to myself as a Neo-Pagan. I feel that a significant portion of what I believe in was explored and placed into a real context in some form or another throughout the text. Most astonishingly, contrary to what I had previously thought, a very large group of Neo-Pagans share the same perspective on technology (pro rather than con) as I do and simply strive to achieve a balance between the natural and the artificial.

I would strongly urge anyone who is serious about studying Pagan topics to invest the time in reading this. It may be substantial at over 600 pages, but Margot Adler kept her chapters concise and to the point, and I sense that very little of this book was "filler" content.

I'm a highly pro-science, atheistic person. However, I still found great enjoyment in this book for a plethora of reasons.

Many of my dear friends, whom I hold in high regard, have pagan or pagan-orthogonal beliefs. They frequently express a profound appreciation for nature, ritual, and poetry that is truly captivating.

There are also many other individuals whom I have not yet had the privilege of befriending but who have developed these fascinating outlooks on how to live in the world with respect.

I strive to understand as much as possible because all of these beliefs and perspectives contribute to a much more vivid, engaging, and interesting world. It is through this diversity that we can gain a deeper understanding of the human experience and the many ways in which we can connect with the world around us.

Read this 25 to 30 years ago and really thought it was good. Maybe I had a more developed awareness or imagination then. There was an awe within me to perceive everything living around me. It was as if invisible presences inhabited the natural world with its trees and forests. My poetry spontaneously erupted at the tiniest breath of wind. And being alive among all those living things carried me into the ecstatic realms.

Now I’m convinced that neurotransmitters are the source of most if not all these “mystical” experiences. As complicated, barely understood activations in temporal lobes and other brain areas create our reality as we fire and wire, weaving magic with our singing synapses. Knowing that we are the authors makes it even more awesome experiencing the apparently numinous.

The numinous is really there. Everywhere, the bright and shiny majesty of life on earth. But because our brains are busy with important things like survival, we barely notice what’s there most of the time.

I’ll read this one again someday and see if it was really as wonderful as I remember it so many decades later. Maybe with the passage of time, my perspective will change, and I’ll see it in a new light. Or perhaps it will still hold the same charm and mystery that it did all those years ago.

This book was rather a letdown.

The author did engage critically with certain ideas and group philosophies she was depicting, mainly in relation to feminism. However, she completely overlooked the blatant culture appropriation and racism.

For instance, she wrote in a neutral to complimentary tone about the AFA (which is now categorized as a hate organization), even quoting someone who stated, "Folk Asatruars aren't racist, but...".

Some aspects haven't aged well because of information that emerged long after the book's 2006 edition. For example, the abuse allegations against Marion Zimmer Bradley.

Some are a snapshot of the philosophies circulating within the neo-pagan movement in the sixties that now seem juvenile or out of touch. There is a significant amount of gender essentialism that appears rather awkward to me.

I would be intrigued by an analysis of the neo-pagan movement that incorporates intersectional feminism and places a greater emphasis on the significance of antiracism and decolonialization.

This would provide a more comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of the movement, taking into account the social and political context of today.

Honestly, I couldn't finish the book.

It is more of a detailed account of who said what and who was who in the 1970's.

I only managed to make it halfway through before deciding to abandon it and move on to books that aren't written in a style similar to textbooks, with an overwhelming number of quotes from others.

I had been really looking forward to this book, hoping it would offer engaging and unique insights.

However, I was extremely disappointed by its dry and uninteresting presentation.

The excessive use of quotes made it feel more like a reference material rather than an enjoyable read.

I had expected a more narrative-driven and captivating story, but unfortunately, this book failed to deliver on that front.

Perhaps others may find it more to their liking, but for me, it just didn't hold my attention.

I will now search for other books that can provide the kind of reading experience I was hoping for.

I absolutely adored this book.

Adler's writing style is highly scholarly, which compels the reader to engage in deep thinking about the topics she is discussing and formulate their own viewpoints.

This book offers a very comprehensive history of Neo-Paganism and witchcraft in America, and I took great pleasure in reading it.

The breadth of her knowledge and the extent of the interviews she has conducted are truly remarkable.

She refrains from imposing her own beliefs on the reader, and instead, she presents a complete perspective of Neo-Paganism in America by gathering the opinions of numerous different groups of people to provide a more comprehensive picture.

This book is rather scholarly and may require a significant amount of time to work through.

Therefore, I can understand how the density and length of the material might pose challenges for some people in terms of getting into and enjoying it.

However, I, personally, loved it.

Holy fucking moly!

I have been reading this book for a year. A whole YEAR! And what a year it has been, regardless of how relevant the book is to that.

I don't have a great deal to say about this book, but I do feel a review is appropriate considering how long I've been reading it.

First of all, I'm glad I finished it. I didn't read the appendixes, just skimmed them, but I'm not going to be too hard on myself. Finishing this book strangely feels like a small weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

This book contains a vast amount of information. If you want to know everything about paganism in the late 20th century, this book is five stars, 100%. For me personally, there was a lot of stuff I didn't really need to know, or at this stage didn't particularly care about a great deal (although it is now useful to have some cool context and understanding of when paganism became established). It is also very much focused on paganism as a religion, not just witchcraft, but all the religions that fall under paganism, from feminist covens to sci-fi based churches. So if you're looking for a book on basic witchcraft, this isn't it.

Also, one thing that may seem obvious given the title is that most of the stuff in here is based on America. Some of it can be applied to paganism worldwide, but the stuff on specific groups and festivals etc. (which makes up a large part of the book) is obviously centered around America and may be irrelevant to some people (like me). I guess when I started this, I didn't realize so much would be on specific covens. I thought it would be an in-depth look at paganism as a whole, but instead it's a deep dive into every single aspect of the religion. Which again, is great, just not specifically what I'm really interested in.

I liked it, I'm glad I read it and completed the whole thing. I'm sure it will be a useful reference book, but I wasn't completely blown away and absorbed. But that's okay! The information is great, it's very well written and thorough, but ultimately the reader's enjoyment depends on what information they're looking for/are interested in.

I think I might give myself a break from hefty non-fiction for a while!!