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Rating: 
Summary: Or alternatively...
Review: ... she believes there are intrinsic differences between witchcraft and Wicca, and she wants her readers striving to be the best craft practitioner they can be, rather than the best quoter of someone else's ritual. Not her best - "A Witch Alone" is better, but still a solid contribution to a body of writing slap full of fluff and insta-spells.
Rating: 
Summary: A Good Antidote to all the Pagan Denominational Hype
Review: After reading many of the Wicca/witchcraft books on the market today I have to say this book is in a class by itself. This is the first book I've come across that focuses on direct attunement with wild nature as it is rather than on an abstracted relationship through ritual. I was happy to see that she recommended using field guides to plants and animals and actually going out making contact with nature on its own terms instead of sitting around reading books on magick. One of my favorite pieces from the book was regarding how silly it is to have a symbol of a moon goddess on your altar when you can just look up (or outside the window) to see the moon itself. I also liked that she honestly presented the varied mythologies of the world showing how they are different from the typical Wiccan attributes of the God and Goddess. For example, although the Egyptian mythology has the story of Isis (Aset) and Osiris (the dying and reborn God) that same mythology has Thoth as the moon god, not Isis (the idea of Isis as a moon Goddess didn't come about until the Romans adopted Isis into their religion and then melded many of the Egyptian Deities into her including the Egyptian creator god). This is not to discredit the Wiccan mythology, since it has a mythology all its own, but rather to point out that the characteristics of the God and Goddess are not as universal as often presented in Gardnerian/Alexandrian Wicca. I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to follow a nature based spirituality whether they are Wiccan or not.
Rating:
Summary: A Very Insightful Book
Review: After reading many of the Wicca/witchcraft books on the market today I have to say this book is in a class by itself. This is the first book I've come across that focuses on direct attunement with wild nature as it is rather than on an abstracted relationship through ritual. I was happy to see that she recommended using field guides to plants and animals and actually going out making contact with nature on its own terms instead of sitting around reading books on magick. One of my favorite pieces from the book was regarding how silly it is to have a symbol of a moon goddess on your altar when you can just look up (or outside the window) to see the moon itself. I also liked that she honestly presented the varied mythologies of the world showing how they are different from the typical Wiccan attributes of the God and Goddess. For example, although the Egyptian mythology has the story of Isis (Aset) and Osiris (the dying and reborn God) that same mythology has Thoth as the moon god, not Isis (the idea of Isis as a moon Goddess didn't come about until the Romans adopted Isis into their religion and then melded many of the Egyptian Deities into her including the Egyptian creator god). This is not to discredit the Wiccan mythology, since it has a mythology all its own, but rather to point out that the characteristics of the God and Goddess are not as universal as often presented in Gardnerian/Alexandrian Wicca. I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to follow a nature based spirituality whether they are Wiccan or not.
Rating:
Summary: Witchcraft 101
Review: I just finished reading this book and I feel that it is the best Witchcraft 101 book that I have ever read. This book lays the foundation of Witchcraft in an open and honest way. It deals with the true powers of Witchcraft and how to get in touch with them. Marian Green shows that through direct personal contact with the forces of nature, you can move beyond trying to be a Witch to actually living life as a Witch.
Rating: 
Summary: A rant from everyone's favorite cranky British hedge-witch
Review: I only got one valuable concept from this book: we must let Nature as it exists in our particular homeland teach us spirituality. Meaning that we shouldn't look to any standardized book-definition of deity, but should let our land reveal it, and that it will be different for each person. An appealing and fascinating concept, it came across better in A Witch Alone. Here, you have to wade through 175 pages of scolding to extract it. Green doesn't like Wiccans for their artifical spirituality: praying indoors on rigid festival dates taken from books rather than letting the festivals shift with the actual changes of nature. Yes, I take her endlessly repeated point. But what about those witches who don't live in the British countryside where one can play at Green's pre-Industrial Revolution fantasy? Those who have to work in offices all day and live in apartment complexes in cities that are located in drastically different climates from Britain? Green grudgingly offers a few tips that are mostly overwhelmed by the critical tone of the book.
Rating:
Summary: Intelligent and helpful
Review: I think one of Marian Greens' reasons for writing this book is to get people who are interested in Wicca and witchcraft interested in something that is less encumbered by Western Ceremonial/Qaballic magick. I feel that she also wants witches to be more aware of the enviorment and their impact on it. No new age [stuff] in this book about putting crystals and candles in groves where they don't belong. This is exactly what it is: Natural Witchcraft. Perhaps she will start a new fad of people calling themselves Natural Witches, much as many people started calling themselves Green Witches after the Green Witchcraft series (which, is not nearly as good in my opinion as Natual Witchcraft). Yes, she is opinonated, but so what? Can authors not express their opinions? If an author has thoughts that don't go exactly with the "group mind" of Wicca 101 books these days, is that a BAD thing? I say no. I loved the book, and while I don't always agree with all her asertations and opinions, I still think she writes well. Perhaps her information is meant for people who are a little more well read. And, if you are heavily drawn to long, annoying rituals that take five hours to perform, then this book is NOT for you. If you like simple, natural rituals, this book will give you inspiration to create your own, and possibly forge your own path. Think for yourself when you read this book. Some of the things will not be true, like the old country witches going by planetary correspondences. Folk magic practioners/"witches" didn't have access to that until recently. But, authors are not perfect, but as long as you are willing to think about what is being written, and you are able to conciously dicern what you believe to be true, then this book is great.
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Summary: FINALLY an alternative to 101s and Wicca!
Review: In this new, more edgy book, Ms. Green has gone beyond the myriad "Magic 101" and "Wicca" books and finally given the many followers of earth-based spirituality something to think about, consider and work with. This is an important book in many ways: Wicca isn't the only path to witchcraft and this book presents a new (and Old) way to journey. This book, along with her "A Witch Alone" are maybe the only two books you'll need to study Earth Spirituality without all the neo-Celtic trappings. I found this valuable book very empowering, and confrontive in the best possible way; it forces you to look at your preconceived ideas about Earth Spirituality and "accepted" associations that have been developed within the Wicca tradition. I disagree with the reviewer who said she just gives her own rules, I didn't feel she did that. She simply states that the rules within Wicca are not the ONLY rules, and then puts you to your own discovery of what it really means to be a witch, and to taking responsibility for your own magical actions and growth. Practical exercises, real examinations and great insights fill this book. This book is for people interested in Reclaiming traditions and Earth-based spirituality seekers, not really for the "Wiccans" (after all, not every witch book needs to be about Wicca or appease Wiccan sensibilities!) Happily, I recommend this book to people who need something more than beginner's knowledge and are seeking to move to a new, deeper level of growth within their own Work.
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Summary: A Good Antidote to all the Pagan Denominational Hype
Review: This book is a must-read antidote for those people who know in their hearts that there's more to paganism than some of the pagan denominations require of their members. It was refreshing for a change to read that you don't need to be degreed, covened, pentacled, athamed (that's pronounced ath-a-mayed), cloaked, tattooed, pierced, or any of the other outer manifestations of "belonging" to a pagan denomination. You merely need to revere nature, the seasonal changes, and hone the magical skills of your choosing. Whew! What a relief! Having had way too many people say that you needed a year and a day in a coven, being scourged and/or bound and/or blindfolded(just for fun, of course...), skyclad, initiated to the nth degree, etc. or you're not a REAL witch -- this book is a breath of fresh air that rings true for me. I've often asked, why would a loving god or goddess ever want their child to be put through such abuse, all for the love of them? Thank you, Ms. Green, for a wonderful book!
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