Rating: 
Summary: Definately *not* "Pagan Lite"!
Review: As a matter of fact, this is one of the most scholarly books in this series, by English Traditional Witch, Anna Franklin. It goes into leangth in researching the Celtic God, Lugh, for whom this Sabbath is dedicated. Using many historical sources & very olde poetry which gives new & fascinating insight into the myths & lore which surround not only Lughnasadhe, but thisn Celtic God. As well as some very obscure folk lore surrounding it, as well. And, any book which deals with the sabbaths really ought to contain recipes, crafts & games, etc. As, there were a part of our ancestors feastivities back in the day. And, I believe that the SERIOUS STUDENT *will* find that it is quite in depth & informative. Even showing links that Lugh has connections with other Sky/Lightning Gods accrossed the ocean & via several written sources, etc. So, I believe that the previous "review" was not very well informed, as it does not appear they have read the book. Especially the historic & scholarly content, nearer the front.
Rating:
Summary: Definately *not* "Pagan Lite"!
Review: As a matter of fact, this is one of the most scholarly books in this series, by English Traditional Witch, Anna Franklin. It goes into leangth in researching the Celtic God, Lugh, for whom this Sabbath is dedicated. Using many historical sources & very olde poetry which gives new & fascinating insight into the myths & lore which surround not only Lughnasadhe, but thisn Celtic God. As well as some very obscure folk lore surrounding it, as well. And, any book which deals with the sabbaths really ought to contain recipes, crafts & games, etc. As, there were a part of our ancestors feastivities back in the day. And, I believe that the SERIOUS STUDENT *will* find that it is quite in depth & informative. Even showing links that Lugh has connections with other Sky/Lightning Gods accrossed the ocean & via several written sources, etc. So, I believe that the previous "review" was not very well informed, as it does not appear they have read the book. Especially the historic & scholarly content, nearer the front.
Rating: 
Summary: Golden corn, silver blade, here the sacrifice is made...*
Review: First of all, please ignore the review below that proclaims this book to be "Pagan Lite". This reviewer has cut-and-pasted that review, verbatim, under all of the books in the Sabbat Series. Given that I've read several of them which don't fit the "Lite" description, I am surmising that the reviewer read maybe one of the books and made a generalization about all of them. Bear in mind that they are written by different authors, with varying degrees of knowledge and writing skills. Anna Franklin and Paul Mason do a great job here with the fragmentary material they have to work with. Lammas/Lughnasad is possibly the most obscure of the Wiccan holidays, both because little survives about it and because the sometimes uncomfortable theme of sacrifice is present in it. The authors piece together what information remains to us about the deity for whom Lughnasad is named--Irish Lugh, Welsh Llew--and about the ways they were honored. Since this isn't a huge body of information, they supplement it with material about other sacrificial gods whose rites occurred around this time of year, such as Odin, Adonis, and Dionysos. They add in some of Robert Graves's evocative speculations about sacrificial kings, and together all this stuff will give you a good starting point for your Lammas rituals. There are also recipes, incenses, spells, dyes, etc. Additionally, there is a large section on warrior magic, since Lugh was a warrior and Lughnasad is often considered a time to honor these fierce energies. This section almost could have been another book, dealing with things such as totem animals. The book concludes with several rituals for the season, each with a different cultural slant (Druidic, Norse, general Wiccan, etc.) The rituals are relatively simple as written, which I like, since it means I can use them as a framework and flesh them out with my own writing and ideas. Overall, a valuable book about an obscure holiday. *--A chant I made up.
Rating:
Summary: Best Book of The Series
Review: I agree with the previous reviewer. I bought the other titles in this Llewellyn series, but this is the best one so far with real information for grown ups. I have never been able to find a book on Lughnasadh, and most books just say that it the festival of Lugh and the first harvest, but this book tells you loads! I didn't know about the connection with the Dog Days, or the festivals of various vegetaion gods and a whole load of other stuff that is in here. The rituals are real ones too, though the book seems to have had to follow the pattern Llewellyn have laid down for the series with spells and recipes included which I would have gladly foregone. When will they treat us witches and Pagans like grown-ups? We're not all teen witches.
Rating:
Summary: Complete, Scholarly, Practical and Fun
Review: It is true that the Llewellyn series of books on the pagan Sabbats is a mixed bag with some of the eight books being light-weight, some being useful and some, as in this case, being excellent in every way. Each of the books should be judged on an individual basis. This title has a thorough introduction and much history and lore on the subject of the pagan holiday or Sabbat called Lammas or Lughnasadh. The writing is engaging and well-researched and very informative. It discusses among others the customs of well dressing, Telltown marriages, handfastings, and Highland games. It provides good detail on the myth of the Celtic god Lugh from whom one name for this holiday is derived. It discusses similar harvest festivals and practices from other cultures around the world. It provides a well-rounded view of this holiday and does not depict it only as a harvest festival but includes the lesser-known aspects of competition, gaming, warrior activities, divination and the lore of the Ash tree. Even a well-read and experienced pagan is likely to find new and interesting insights in this book. It contains a good section on Lammas traditional foods that include Boxty Scones that I can personally attest to as being delicious. The craft section of this book has many seasonal crafts that are fun and easy, including the familiar and traditonal craft of making corn dollies. There are recipes for making incense and herbal dyes. The chapter on Warrior magic is filled with evocative and colorful crafts as well. Several simple but meaningful rituals are also included, adaptable for personal Sabbat celebrations.
The book is thorough and though not a beginner's book, certainly helpful and easily understood. It makes keeping this Sabbat a deeper experience and I think it will be much appreciated by the serious pagan. It is an interesting look at lesser-known cultural customs even for the non-pagan and can aid significantly in one's appreciation of the subtle turning of the wheel of the year.
Rating:
Summary: Another good book although not as good as Mabon or others
Review: Like the other Llewellyn books, this one is a great introduction to this particular Sabbat. It starts out with some history of Lammas, and then goes on to comparing similar festivals across cultures. The story of Lugh is a chapter in itself. Then there are all sorts of neat crafts (Lughnasa Magic) to make. Spells and such are throughout a few chapters. There's a section on Bird Auspices and another on totems - I don't agree with all the "meanings" but its a start. Jamie Sams and her medicine cards are better. There are some nice hand drawings throughout the book. This book is good and I'm glad to have it - would buy it again but I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because I would have liked more of the history, more of the goddess discussion, more of the connection to mother earth and the symbolism of the season.
Rating:
Summary: Another good book although not as good as Mabon or others
Review: Like the other Llewellyn books, this one is a great introduction to this particular Sabbat. It starts out with some history of Lammas, and then goes on to comparing similar festivals across cultures. The story of Lugh is a chapter in itself. Then there are all sorts of neat crafts (Lughnasa Magic) to make. Spells and such are throughout a few chapters. There's a section on Bird Auspices and another on totems - I don't agree with all the "meanings" but its a start. Jamie Sams and her medicine cards are better. There are some nice hand drawings throughout the book. This book is good and I'm glad to have it - would buy it again but I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because I would have liked more of the history, more of the goddess discussion, more of the connection to mother earth and the symbolism of the season.
Rating:
Summary: A good book that covers the whole subject
Review: This is the first book on the festival of Lammas, or Lunasa, as we call it round here that deals with the entire subject. Usually you get the harvest festival stuff, first fruits and so on. The hunting and fighting part has gone out of the window with lots of writers. This one is different. It actually includes all the elements and makes interesting reading. There's also lots of things to do and make for the day, which is very helpful. I think I should point out that there's a misprint though - fried basil on page 100. I think that should be dried basil.
Rating:
Summary: Pagan Lite
Review: This is the most comprehensive book on a Wiccan festival that I have ever read. It goes deep into the lore and origins of the festival, and talks about the real origins of the celebrations, unlike most books that just pass it off as 'a festival of first fruits'. The legends of Lugh/Llew or closely examined, plus all of its folklore and history, which give an amazing glimpse into its meaning, rather than just being quaint window dressing as they so often are in books of this kind. Then the book goes on to being of real use to a Wiccan/Pagan celebrating Lammas, with rituals, ritual activities including traditional games and contests and warrior magic, plus spells and charms of the traditional variety. Well done the authors!
Rating:
Summary: A strong addition to the "Sabbat" series by Llewellyn
Review: When discussing the sabbats, most pagan and wiccan books reserve only a few paragraphs to the various cellebrations, and most specific titles devote most of their time to Yule or Samhain/Hallowe'en. Lammas often gets a paragraph or two at best, and no real descriptive text giving you even a starting point on cellebrating the sabbat. Having taken a timid step toward the Sabbat series of books by Llewellyn with "Yule," and "Hallowe'en," I snapped up a copy of "Lammas" in time for my celebration in August, and read it cover to cover.
Much like Morrison's worldly take in "Yule," Franklin and Mason have penned a book that is a blend of various pagan and celtic folklore and world harvest celebrations. From Lugh to fashioning corn maidens, to specific Lughnasa magics, and rounding it all up with a cookbook perfect for any first harvest spread, the book was quite full of ways to craft a more serious Lammas cellebration, and had just the right mix of inspiration and lore to make it more than a glorified arts and crafts book for your New Age shelf. I cannot say enough about the folklore aspect of this book: there is so much here that helps bring a real focus to your Lammas cellebration.
Definitely more useful and in depth than Ravenwolf's "Hallowe'en" (the weakest of the series so far), "Lammas" will find a welcome home in the hands of beginner and more experienced pagans and wiccans alike.
'Nathan
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