Bkwyrm reviews Buckland’s Complete Book of Witchcraft by Raymond Buckland in the Bkwyrm archive.
Sometimes referred to (irreverently) as “Uncle Buckie’s Big Blue Book”, or merely as “The Blue Book”. This is a classic workbook for beginning Wiccans. Contains information on the history and philosophy of Wicca, tools, clothing, sabbats, dreams, divinations, channeling, Magick, etc. Purports to be complete, as the title says, but what you’re really getting is Mr. Buckland’s understanding of Wicca. No one book can ever cover Wicca completely, and Buckland’s book doesn’t. It’s an important book for beginners, however, as it explains in simple (if a bit pedantic) language just what a lot of Wiccans (though certainly not all) believe. It also contains well put together lessons, and guides the reader through simple rituals. Contains enough rituals to keep a beginner busy for a while. If you’re going to read the book, read it in order. Don’t skip around, otherwise you’ll miss one of the best features of this book, which is the way each lesson builds on the prior instruction. Caveat emptor, however – remember that Buckland does not have the final word on Wicca.