What Should I Read? A Guide to Evaluating Information
And if it's one of those "spell cookbooks"... one of those "get revenge, get the man of your dreams and make him your love slave, make piles of money at your dream job" books? That goes right back on the shelf. While there are spell books that I find worthy of recommending and purchase, these sorts are only good for a laugh, and maybe scaring folks who peruse your bookshelves. Save your money.
But above all, you need to look at the information presented in the book. Here's where that critical thinking comes in. Does the information sound correct? Does it contradict stuff you already know? If so, does your prior knowledge come from a reputable source? A prime example of this is the myth that there were millions of Witches killed during the "Burning Times" of the Inquisition. While many thousands were killed (not millions), most (if not all) were not Witches. They were Christian. And they weren't all burned, either. In Salem, for example, all the accused Witches were either hanged or pressed to death between heavy stones. Some authors will still tell you the revisionist story of the Burning Times, but a good history book will be able to tell you otherwise. Which is a better source to believe?
Also, be on the lookout for any biases the author may have. Take a look at Starhawk's "Spiral Dance" for a good example of this. It's a great beginner book that I highly recommend, and yet Starhawk's strong eco-feminist political views are easy to pick out in the writing. Every author (myself included) has biases that influence his or her writing. The trick is to be aware of when those biases bleed through, and when that hampers the quality of the information. Starhawk's politics, while they may be annoying if you don't happen to agree with her, don't really hamper the informational quality of the book.
Finally, check any bibliographies or "further reading" sections at the back of the book. What are those sources like? Does the author use many of his or her other published works to support this book? Are there academic sources listed for any mythology or history discussed in the book? Are the sources current for the time the book was written? This last question is especially important for any book that tackles the history of a Pagan religion such as Wicca. In Gerald Gardner's "Witchcraft Today", he talks
Latest Articles