Weird Ways of Witchcraft by Leo Louis Martello, with an introduction by Lori Bruno, available from Weiser Books, arrived at the Reading Room courtesy of the publisher. In particular, I found quite interesting the front material about Martello, who I really only knew about because I understood him to be in contact with Victor Anderson back in the day, but was a figure in modern neopaganism about whom I developed an entirely new appreciation from this introduction.

“Weird Ways of Witchcraft is the story of the radical Leo Louis Martello, founder of the Witches’ Anti Defamation League. A pioneer in the Witches’ Liberation Movement of the 1960’s, Martello was one of the most controversial members of the pagan community.

Martello was an outspoken witch who raged against the Catholic Church with his infamous Witch Manifesto. He made history organizing the first Witch-In in Central Park. In his own distinct voice, Martello enlightens, entices, and enchants readers with spells, incantations, and folklore, along with the historic events in contemporary Witch history.

Weird Ways of Witchcraft provides a snapshot in time, when the seeds of the Neopagan movement and the teachings of witchcraft began to spread and become popular with the generation that variously called itself hippies, flower children, and the counterculture. These were heady days of women’s liberation, gay liberation—a revolt against church, state, and the way things were.” [via]

The Hermetic Library Reading Room is an imaginary and speculative future reification of the library in the physical world, a place to experience a cabinet of curiosities offering a confabulation of curation, context and community that engages, archives and encourages a living Western Esoteric Tradition. If you would like to contribute to the Hermetic Library Reading Room, consider supporting the library or contact the librarian.