I found this book in my local library and could not put it down. It was a reference book though and I could not check it out. So I purchased one for home reading.
I do not know how accurate a lot of the research is in this book, but I feel it is an excellent place to begin one's search for information and traditions. Personally, I will try to corroborate most of the claims before I accept the facts to be truth.
I appreciate the author's objectivity. This book covers a huge area of study and each topic is only just touched on, just as an encyclopdia should be.

This comprehensive encyclopedia contains hundreds of entries (from Abracadabra to the Zagarramurdi Witches) and over a hundred illustrations. Explaining its nature as a holistic religion that emphasizes the sanctity of life and the unity of all things, it provides a survey of witchcraft from its early pagan roots to the present, including the periods of persecution like the Inquisition and the Salem witch trials. Included are biographical profiles of leading modern witches, many with interviews. Some prominent personalities include Patrcia Crowther, Laurie Cabot and Margaret Adler and there is also an interesting piece on Carl Weschke, the magician and founder of Llewellyn Publications.

Buy this book...trust me, its worth it; because you get a huge amount of info.

This has to be one of the most impressive books on Witches and Witchcraft I have ever Purchased. One because it is not exclusively about Wicca, but of Witchcraft. ( Let the world understand that not all Witches, are Wiccans. First of all the book is huge, and has entries on Demons, the Devil, "Which really did have a big part in the history of Witchcraft." What impressed me the most of this Huge Book was that it was not just only about European Witchcraft, but also has entries on Witchcraft from around the world.

The Book is one of those books that if you have a question on Witchcraft, just alphabetically look it up and it will be there, both the black and white aspects of witchcraft are included. There are entries on Grimoires, Black Magic, Voodoo, Santeria, Quimbanda, Stregarism, A few entries on popular Wiccan Authors, Curses, Spells, Brujeria, Curanderismo, Salem Witch trials, Sorcery, Evil Spirits, Shamanism,The Orishas, the Loa, Morgan La Fey, Merlin, Voodoo Queens, and the list goes on and on. Yep and it is al in one impresive volume, that should be in every Witches, or Brujos Library. This is a good book to have, but not really meant for the Wiccan Faint of Heart.

I felt nothing but negative energy from the book. I was not aware that there would be so much information evolving around Satanism and demons. I do not recommend this book to anyone starting off on the Wiccan path.