Sahmain 1998 Newsletter Book Review Witchcraft and Paganism in Australia by Lynne Hume Review by Adrianne

I have just finished reading this book, as I was at home recovering, and managed to read it in a couple of days, as it is quite easy to read, despite being written from an anthropological point of view. Lynne covers the background to modern Paganism, different paths and traditions as practiced in Australia, how to connect with other Pagans, rites of passage, magic, morals, ethics and the laws in Australia. As someone who has studied Religion at University, I found the comparisons and arguments drawn to be interesting from a comparative religions point of view. Especially when she refers to the work of Gary Trompf, who was a former lecturer of mine! It is not a book designed to teach you all you need to know about being a Pagan, but does offer insights into the Australian way of doing things.

The only gripe I had with the book, is that a lot of the information is a few years old, and it would seem that the book has been written a while ago, and has only now found a publisher, as there is no information about the statistics from last years census. But apart from that I would recommend this book to anyone seeking information about the way Paganism is practiced in Australia, or who is interested in an objective anthropological analysis of our faith and traditions.

Witchcraft and Paganism in Australia by Dr Lynne Hume

Published by Melbourne University Press, 1997