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Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism
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Manufacturer: Citadel
Author: Isaac Bonewits
Publisher: Citadel
Average Customer Rating:
Our Price: $11.16
You Save: $ 2.79 ( 20% )
Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Citadel
Author: Isaac Bonewits
Publisher: Citadel
Average Customer Rating:
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Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism Description
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 299.16
EAN: 9780806527109
ISBN: 0806527102
Label: Citadel
Manufacturer: Citadel
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 256
Publication Date: 2006-08-01
Publisher: Citadel
Studio: Citadel
Dewey Decimal Number: 299.16
EAN: 9780806527109
ISBN: 0806527102
Label: Citadel
Manufacturer: Citadel
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 256
Publication Date: 2006-08-01
Publisher: Citadel
Studio: Citadel
Editorial Review of Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism
A book about Druids unlike any other, Bonewits’s Essential Guide to Druidism not only goes far behind the usual Celtic and Classical references by discussing the evolution and migration of the Proto-Indo-European peoples, from whom the Celts arose, but also discusses the beliefs and ritual practices of both the British and American streams of modern Druidry, as well as providing warnings about deceptive Druid organizations and authors. This is a book that belongs in the library of every modern Druid, regardless of their particular path or style of Druidism.
Customer Reviews of Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Yes!
Review: A number of years back, I sat there for a number of days comparing the flow of similarity between different basic words from a number of languages and compared that to what I knew from archaeology (ancient trade paths, some of which are discernable from space, archaeological finds turning up from cultures distant to their location, and so on). Naturally, I wondered if our ancestors traveled, mingled, and mated (exotic is sexy, trade means money/power, such things make such unions desirable, and then comes baby) far more than most of us were previously made aware so I truly enjoyed the description of the evolution and migration of the Proto-Indo-European peoples with their theologies and rituals (orthopraxy) and how that has led up to contemporary Druidry on both sides of the Atlantic.
Highly engaging, this type of scope and the author's attention to details, patterns, metapatterns, and probabilities are consistently and delightfully conveyed with such a carefully (!) and well articulated level of honesty - this is why I have a serious crush on this author's work. And how often do I see this caliber of work? Not nearly often enough and rarely when it comes to religion!
Enjoy. ;)
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Jaw dropping nonsense!!!
Review: Bonewit is wrong, wrong, wrong about the Druids.
There is very little evidence about Druids, just a handful of mentions by ancient writers, and, recently, some archaeological evidence. How could anybody build a cult out of the teeny bits we know about the Druids? You would have to make most of it up. Which is what Bonewit seems to have done.
Furthermore, why would anyone want to revive the Druids, given what we do know of their practices? They were headhunters. They put people inside a wicker works of twigs and burned them alive. This would be the last group of people I would want to see on the earth again.
Archaeologists believe Lindow man, found in a bog, was ritually sacrificed by strangulation, cutting his throat, and crushing his skull by the charming Druids. Human sacrifice, long a practice of the ancient world, had been discarded by the time of the Romans and was considered barbaric. Which, I might point out, it was.
Bonewit admits the "Celts had long-lasting headhunting cults" (p 48) and speculates they hung skulls in yew groves and alarmed the Romans. Actually, the Romans themselves cut off heads of criminals and displayed them in cities, which Bonewit clearly doesn't know.
Bonewit believes Druids existed as an underground cult, but with what evidence? None.
Druids weren't "absorbed by the Church" (p 63). Where is the evidence? The Druids as a class were exterminated by the Romans, and then there were long centuries of Roman paganism before the Church arrived.
He writes that "clergy having spouses was a terrible sin" in the early Catholic church. No it wasn't It was very much allowed.
Culdee Catholics, according to Bonewit were "feminist, environmental, and semi-Pagan" (p 67). Nonsense. To drag fads from this century and read them into the past is always a mistake.
He actually appears to imagine that no one thought there were witches until the Middle Ages.
His information about the Inquisition is so wrong that I actually laughed out loud. Somebody please give the man a copy of "The Spanish Inquisition" by Kamen, the leading authority on the subject.
This is one silly, badly researched book.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism
Review: I have been a Druid for twenty-three years and I have recommended this book to my adult children and others who want to get a basic perception of what a Druid was and is and if they are interested in a "How to" manual. It is a veritable panacea for various rites, incantations, clothing, regalia, ceremonies, and a host of other items and issues of concern to potential and practicing Druids. This is a meat and potatoes book for Druids - or for anyone who wants to know more. It differentiates between the real Celtic Druids of the past (Paleo-Druids), the resurgence of Druids in the 19th century called Meso-Druids, modern Neo-Druids and Reconstructionist Druids.
It goes into considerable detail of the many varied and diverse modern day groups claiming, rightly or wrongly, they are Druids, and debunks much of the disinformation out there. This alone is worth purchasing the book. It does contain several versions of rituals so one could grab and go with this book. It does belong on a Druids book shelf - or better on the coffee table for constant reference. It gives many addresses and email contact points for individuals who may desire to become involved in groups.
It is a good, informative read, well researched, well documented and well written.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A wealth of Druid information
Review: This book contains a wealth of information for beginning Druids or those interested in finding out more about them. The book contains an extensive history, as well as information on many different types of Druids and caveats on what to watch out for. It definitely is a must-read for anyone interested in the subject. Very informative and detailed.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Good for Overview on Contemporary Druidry
Review: This book both failed me and surprised me positively. I personally don't subscribe to a lot of the subtly promoted political agendas nor do I feel that modern Paganism needs to be anti-Christian, but the parts about contemporary Druidry are unique. I think some material, like the history of the RDNA cannot be found anywhere else, also the history of ADF.
If anything, this book is worth the money for the chapters about history of modern Druidry and the provided contacts and profiles of Neopagan organizations.
For those who aren't students of comparative religion like me, the arguments for comparative mythology may be an important imput. Bonewits definitely deserves praise for throwing in some popular science.
Review Summary: Yes!
Review: A number of years back, I sat there for a number of days comparing the flow of similarity between different basic words from a number of languages and compared that to what I knew from archaeology (ancient trade paths, some of which are discernable from space, archaeological finds turning up from cultures distant to their location, and so on). Naturally, I wondered if our ancestors traveled, mingled, and mated (exotic is sexy, trade means money/power, such things make such unions desirable, and then comes baby) far more than most of us were previously made aware so I truly enjoyed the description of the evolution and migration of the Proto-Indo-European peoples with their theologies and rituals (orthopraxy) and how that has led up to contemporary Druidry on both sides of the Atlantic.
Highly engaging, this type of scope and the author's attention to details, patterns, metapatterns, and probabilities are consistently and delightfully conveyed with such a carefully (!) and well articulated level of honesty - this is why I have a serious crush on this author's work. And how often do I see this caliber of work? Not nearly often enough and rarely when it comes to religion!
Enjoy. ;)
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Jaw dropping nonsense!!!
Review: Bonewit is wrong, wrong, wrong about the Druids.
There is very little evidence about Druids, just a handful of mentions by ancient writers, and, recently, some archaeological evidence. How could anybody build a cult out of the teeny bits we know about the Druids? You would have to make most of it up. Which is what Bonewit seems to have done.
Furthermore, why would anyone want to revive the Druids, given what we do know of their practices? They were headhunters. They put people inside a wicker works of twigs and burned them alive. This would be the last group of people I would want to see on the earth again.
Archaeologists believe Lindow man, found in a bog, was ritually sacrificed by strangulation, cutting his throat, and crushing his skull by the charming Druids. Human sacrifice, long a practice of the ancient world, had been discarded by the time of the Romans and was considered barbaric. Which, I might point out, it was.
Bonewit admits the "Celts had long-lasting headhunting cults" (p 48) and speculates they hung skulls in yew groves and alarmed the Romans. Actually, the Romans themselves cut off heads of criminals and displayed them in cities, which Bonewit clearly doesn't know.
Bonewit believes Druids existed as an underground cult, but with what evidence? None.
Druids weren't "absorbed by the Church" (p 63). Where is the evidence? The Druids as a class were exterminated by the Romans, and then there were long centuries of Roman paganism before the Church arrived.
He writes that "clergy having spouses was a terrible sin" in the early Catholic church. No it wasn't It was very much allowed.
Culdee Catholics, according to Bonewit were "feminist, environmental, and semi-Pagan" (p 67). Nonsense. To drag fads from this century and read them into the past is always a mistake.
He actually appears to imagine that no one thought there were witches until the Middle Ages.
His information about the Inquisition is so wrong that I actually laughed out loud. Somebody please give the man a copy of "The Spanish Inquisition" by Kamen, the leading authority on the subject.
This is one silly, badly researched book.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism
Review: I have been a Druid for twenty-three years and I have recommended this book to my adult children and others who want to get a basic perception of what a Druid was and is and if they are interested in a "How to" manual. It is a veritable panacea for various rites, incantations, clothing, regalia, ceremonies, and a host of other items and issues of concern to potential and practicing Druids. This is a meat and potatoes book for Druids - or for anyone who wants to know more. It differentiates between the real Celtic Druids of the past (Paleo-Druids), the resurgence of Druids in the 19th century called Meso-Druids, modern Neo-Druids and Reconstructionist Druids.
It goes into considerable detail of the many varied and diverse modern day groups claiming, rightly or wrongly, they are Druids, and debunks much of the disinformation out there. This alone is worth purchasing the book. It does contain several versions of rituals so one could grab and go with this book. It does belong on a Druids book shelf - or better on the coffee table for constant reference. It gives many addresses and email contact points for individuals who may desire to become involved in groups.
It is a good, informative read, well researched, well documented and well written.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A wealth of Druid information
Review: This book contains a wealth of information for beginning Druids or those interested in finding out more about them. The book contains an extensive history, as well as information on many different types of Druids and caveats on what to watch out for. It definitely is a must-read for anyone interested in the subject. Very informative and detailed.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Good for Overview on Contemporary Druidry
Review: This book both failed me and surprised me positively. I personally don't subscribe to a lot of the subtly promoted political agendas nor do I feel that modern Paganism needs to be anti-Christian, but the parts about contemporary Druidry are unique. I think some material, like the history of the RDNA cannot be found anywhere else, also the history of ADF.
If anything, this book is worth the money for the chapters about history of modern Druidry and the provided contacts and profiles of Neopagan organizations.
For those who aren't students of comparative religion like me, the arguments for comparative mythology may be an important imput. Bonewits definitely deserves praise for throwing in some popular science.