Jason Mankey

Winter 2020 (December);

How is it I always forget to ever toss these books up on Goodreads reviews? I'm just so used to leafing through them and putting them away again. This was a new pickup this year, and given how many really good Yule activities, spells, and magic books I have, I didn't find myself as disappointed and offended as many reviews have.

Yes, there is a lot more focus on how to bring magic into Christmas, and more mentions of Christmas, than Yule, but I honestly loved all the background knowledge from other cultures and the stories behind things in. Plus, I got a good handle of new traditions, spells, crafts, and dishes to try. All in all a win and I'm glad to add it to my collection.… (més)

This is a solid introduction on creating and using an altar. As the title suggests, the book is geared towards witches and Wiccans, but others could probably get a lot out of it (I did!). The authors usually chose to write individually, rather than with a shared authorial voice, and the chapters definitely show their different perspectives. And as with other books in this series, there are short contributions from other writers. The book starts with a general discussion of altars, and their history. It then moves into the creation of altars, how to use them, and a discussion of different types (daily, seasonal, devotional, etc.). There's also a chapter on the creation and use of pentacles.

Reading this book gave me some helpful ideas for using my altar. Some were basic and practical, from putting water in a sealed bottle to minimize spills (somehow that hadn't occurred to me) to reminding me that I could compost spent offerings. Others were more inspirational: I'm pondering a few new ideas on how to actually use my altar. I'd read two of Mankey's earlier books; this is the first by Zakroff I've read, but both write in an engaging style, and I enjoyed reading the book, even the parts I can't see myself ever using. (Hey, this is the most information in one place I've ever seen on pentacles!) Recommended for readers interested in working with Pagan altars.… (més)

This is a useful guide to making your own Book of Shadows. It's primarily aimed at people who haven't made one before, with information on the history of magical books, suggestions on what to include and how to organize what you've included, information on different formats, how to decorate a BoS, and how to cleanse and consecrate one. That same breadth of coverage, though, means that a more experienced practitioner may find ideas and inspiration about what they can do with a BoS they've already created. Mankey writes a lot about his own experiences, which I found interesting, but then, I knew I liked his writing style from having just read The Witch's Athame: The Craft, Lore & Magick of Ritual Blades. While he's a Witch, and while this book was written for Witches/Wiccans, a lot of it could be adapted to other traditions. Many of the ideas presented didn't appeal to me (write in a special alphabet?) and the thought of destroying an old BoS made me feel a bit faint, although I could see why you might want to do that. But I found a few ideas in this book that I plan to try, and I'm glad I read the book.… (més)

Useful and informative. The introduction covers absolute basics, such as the pronunciations of "athame," the names of the parts of an athame, how to get one, and why you would want one in the first place. Mankey goes on to discuss the history of athames, the elemental associations, using an athame in ritual and out, the different materials an athame may be made of, and practical suggestions on how to care for one. He also discusses other ritual blades, focusing on the boline and the sword. There are short essays from other authors scattered through the book that give different perspectives on the use of athames. I admit that I wasn't sure how interesting an entire book on athames would be, but Mankey did a good job of sharing his enthusiasm, and I ended up liking it more than I thought I would.… (més)