Pam Grossman - Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power

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PRAISE FOR

WAKING the WITCH

Pam Grossman has written a flowing history that I scarfed down like an clair. She reminds us that witches are not monsters so much as possibilities . The archetypal, swirling symbol of witch is a guide to remind us that we are allowed to act on our desires AND congratulate ourselves for choosing to. I hope this book makes everyone who reads it ask themselves What do I deny myself and why? I started this book all in, but when I read the sentence Show me your witches, and Ill show you your feelings about women, I knew I was done for.

Neko Case, singer-songwriter

Deftly illuminating the past while beckoning us towards the future, Waking the Witch has all the makings of a feminist classic. Wise, relatable, and real, Pam Grossman is the witch we need for our times.

Ami McKay, author of The Witches of New York

A masterful and moving meditation on female power and persecution, Waking the Witch deftly lifts the veil between fact and fiction, indulging joyfully and critically in the distortions and delectations that have surrounded magical women for millennia. Pam Grossman is a beacon in the world of contemporary witchcraft and neo-paganism, and this comprehensive work grounded in scholarship and cultural criticism is brought to life through intimate stories from her own life and spiritual practice. Waking the Witch is an artful gateway into a history that is both profoundly and painfully relevant today. Whether youre intrigued by or deeply committed to the who, what, when, where, and why of the witch, this book is for you.

Kristen J. Solle, author of Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive

The wonderful Pam Grossman takes us on a whirlwind tour of witches in history, literature, and the cinematic and visual arts, serving up much food for thought along the way. Her exploration of alchemical artists Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo is no less than brilliant. But my own favorite parts of Waking the Witch are Pams generously shared descriptions of her own personal journey to magic and power. Recommended!

Judika Illes, author of Encyclopedia of Witchcraft , The Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells , and other books of magic

With this brilliant offering, Pam untangles the web of the witch and invites us to explore all the aspects of ourselves that linger in the shadows. Waking the Witch weaves us into the mystery of the witch, reminding us of her familiarity through stories, symbols, and the subconscious, inviting us into her world with a wink and the promise of an apple. Pam reminds us of the resilience of the witch, of all we have to learn from her, and of what she has to offer us. Through both her words and practice, Pam exemplifies that now more than ever, we need to wake the witch in her magick. This book is an indispensable addition to anyones altar or bookshelf, witch or not.

Gabriela Herstik, author of Inner Witch: A Modern Guide to the Ancient Craft

Elegant, grounded, and warm, Pam Grossman is the perfect guide for initiation into the mysteries of the witch. Pam conjures witches from their many dwellings in history, feminism, and pop culture with care and play. Swaying among this coven is Pam herself, embodying the witch in a tender spiritual memoir woven through the cultural sense-making. Waking the Witch goes beyond edifying and enjoyable, casting a spell that might wake your own connection to magic, beauty, and meaning.

Taisia Kitaiskaia, author of Literary Witches: A Celebration of Magical Women Writers and Ask Baba Yaga: Otherworldly Advice for Everyday Troubles

Students and scholars will savor Waking the Witch s historicismwhich is brilliantand practitioners will thrill to its understanding and inspiration. In a world of boundless choices, this is one of the singularly finest works for understanding modern witchcraft. It will never leave my bookshelf.

Mitch Horowitz, PEN Awardwinning author of Occult America and The Miracle Club

Pam Grossmans brilliant examination of the witch in history, literature, politics, and contemporary culture provides much-needed insight into our convoluted and deeply held beliefs about feminine power. With wit and wisdom, scholarship and sass, Grossman reveals why witches both frighten and fascinate us, and why witchcrafts popularity is growing today as women reclaim their birthright after centuries of infamy. Waking the Witch is a must-read if you want to understand gender politics today or seek to enjoy a more fulfilling relationship with the women in your life. Prepare to be pleasantly awakened as you meet your own inner witch, reconnect with her origins, and see how honoring her can transform your world.

Skye Alexander, author of The Modern Guide to Witchcraft and The Modern Witchcraft Spell Book

Conjuring a contemporary perspective on the witch in both fact and fiction, Pam Grossman lays the breadcrumbs, connecting the corners from devilish cohort to bubblegum hero and all the identities between. Sublime, witty, and often deeply personal, she draws you into her circle, that of the Divine Feminine and her Earthly practitioners.

Nicola Scott, Wonder Woman comics artist and cocreator of Black Magick

My heart thrills in gratitude for this book and for everything Pam Grossman contributes to the study, practice, and pleasure of witchcraft. With rare insight and a flair for nuance, Waking the Witch explores ambiguous territories few writers dare to tread. As only a practicing witch could do, Grossman engages the witch archetype even in the liminal spaces where she becomes most difficult. Witches are myths, are monsters, are sisters and sirens, and witches are REAL. Fearless and brilliant, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in spirituality with intelligence.

Amanda Yates Garcia, author of Initiated and cohost of the Strange Magic podcast

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Certain names and other characteristics of those portrayed have been changed.

Excerpts of letter from Remedios Varo to Gerald Gardner from Letters, Dreams, & Other Writings by Remedios Varo, translated by Margaret Carson. Translation copyright 2018 by Margaret Carson. Used by permission of Wakefield Press. All rights reserved.

Excerpts of A Spell to Bind Donald Trump and All Those Who Abet Him from Magic for the Resistance: Rituals and Spells for Change by Michael H. Hughes, copyright 2018 by Michael H. Hughes. Used by permission of Llewellyn Publications. All rights reserved.

Some portions of this book have previously appeared in Sabat Magazine , Ravenous Zine , and Huffington Post .