THE POWER OF THE WITCH; THE EARTH, THE MOON, AND THE MAGICAL PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT BY LAURIE CABOT WITH TOM COWAN copyright 1989 by Delacorte Press, a subsidiary of Dell Publishing New York NY REVIEWED BY MATRIKA of PAN - the ORIGINAL Psychic Awareness Network BBS for the StarNet Newsletter copyright 1990 by Matrika Laurie Cabot was one of my first sources of information on Wicca, having grown up in New England. Having also met her and spoken to her on several occasions, I bought her new book as I felt a sense of obligation to read it and I am fasiscinated by the woman herself, who is a most controversial figure in the Craft in that region of the country. But I didn't expect it to be interesting. I had gotten to the point where I've read SO many Craft books in the past 10 years that they all begin to be boring as they are presenting just about the same information to me over and over. So imagine my surprise when I picked up the book and found myself learning quite a bit I didn't already know. It was quite an enjoyable experience to be challenged to expand my thinking a little bit. The book presents a Celtic tradition of Wicca which Laurie teaches to her students in Salem MA. in her classes. What was a particularly refreshing change about this book is that it is not all history and theory, but actually goes into quite a bit of detail about how to do practical Magickal work. This is something I have found quite lacking in many books I've bought on the subject of WItchcraft. Although Laurie is a flamboyant figure in New England and her charging for training has been very controversial, even her opponents have to admit she was publicizing the Old Religion when many of us were still in diapers - for well over 25 years. She was coming out and talking openly about what the Craft was and, more importantly, what it was NOT (and is NOT) when most of us were still children or teenagers. I doubt anyone else could have done a better job. It is not commonly known but her title as the OFFICIAL witch of Salem MA. was given to her by that state for her volunteer work with Learning Disabled children. Every year she and her coven with it's outer court circle - the Community of Isis - collect large amounts of toys and wrap them for the children in the Boston (MA) children's Hospital, the Shriner's Burn Institute, and The North Shore (MA) shelter for Homeless famillies and individuals. I have been at a Lammas feast held by her circle where 3 or 4 times as much food was brought for the pot-luck as was needed. With everyone's permission, the extra food was brought to the same shelter to feed the area's hungry. Because of Laurie's work in that area, the 5,000 + Witches and Pagans in her town of about 200,000 can now walk the streets wearing Pentacles and even Robes with capes publically without fear of ridicule or worse. People in the Massechusetts and the New England area as well as the entire nation think twice about slandering or libelling the Craft due to the group that she provided the funds to start - the Witches League for Public Awareness. When the mayor or former mayor (I don't remember if he won or not) of Salem slandered the Craft during an election, she promptly collected the signatures to run against him and was doing pretty well at succeeding in winning when he apologized for his remark and she pulled out of the campaign as she had promised to do. So...... you can expect that a book written by such a powerful and strong High Priestess and Elder of the Old Ways has a power all it's own. I highly reccomend it to everyone who wants to know what this controversial figure, a legend in her own right, is all about. Of course I am a little bit prejudiced, although I am NOT her student and never have been, she was the first person who I had ever heard talk about the Craft as anything other than the evil old hags in Fairy tales and the Satan worshippers depicted in horror movies. This was when I was only about 12 or so years old. Whatever you THINK you know about Laurie Cabot and what she does, put it all aside until you read this book for yourself and get to know what the lady really teaches. I only wish some of her detractors would come out of their "broom closets" and do a better job. And if you are ever in New England, make a point of visiting Salem MA - a town where you can purchase almost any tool, incense, tarot deck, crystal, herb, amulet, book or anything else a Pagan needs as easily as buying bread and milk at the local 7-11 store. That's because the Pagan community, both her coven and several others, lives out in the open there and There are at least 5-6 occult supply houses and book stores in that one average (for New England) small city. The ciry that once killed 19 people as Witches in the 1700's