Witchcraft: A Concise Guide by Isaac Bonewits

Bonewits writes of Witchcraft from its disputed origins, to the Inquisition, to its re-invention in the 20th century. A scholarly, pungent, witty and sometimes personal account. The book is a succinct guide to the many ways the term "witch" has been used over the centuries, and includes a preface by Ashleen O'Gaea (author of "The Family Wicca Book"), a detailed recommended reading list, and an analysis of the standard ritual design used by most Wiccan traditions. It is the fruit of the author's over thirty years of Wiccan research and practice.

Bonewits, says O'Gaea, "knows Wicca from the inside out, and in this work he shares the definitions and distinctions he's developed from his intimate experience and original research. When you're talking about Neopagan Witchcraft, Bonewits is an author, advisor, and scholar you want - no, let me be stronger: he's someone you need on your side."

"Bonewits has made it easy to understand Wicca's history and structure meaningfully. Beyond that, he offers one of the best bibliographies I've seen - his reading list alone makes this book indispensable on any serious priest/ess' bookshelf. But there's something else that makes this book special, and that's how reader-friendly it is." (amazon.com)