BOOK AND PODCAST REVIEWS - NON-FICTION

The Undergrowth of Literature (1967)   Gillian Freeman with an introduction by the psychiatrist David Stafford-Clark   Sex And Spirit: Ecstasy, Ritual And Taboo (1996) Clifford Bishop   Magia Sexualis: Sex, Magic, and Liberation in Modern Western Esotericism (2006) Hugh B. Urban   Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence (2006) Esther Perel     The Undergrowth of Literature is an intriguing bit of history, both because it was written in the mid-1960s when sexual liberty was under discussion openly for the first time in decades and because of the subject matter - the types of pornographic literature available at the time. The inclusion of women's magazines from a feminist perspective and Marvel Comics from a fetishistic perspective make it a true curiousity. It is not a great book. It is of its time. But it is useful to read because it shows how much we have changed since 1967. Intellectuals cannot n...

The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft (1999) Ronald Hutton Everything Paganism Book (2004) Selene Silverwind Pagan Resurrection: A Force for Evil or the Future of Western Spirituality? (2006)  Richard Rudgley The History of British Magic After Crowley (2007)  Dave Evans What Do Pagans Believe? (What Do We Believe) (2013) Graham Harvey     The Secret History of the World (2007) Jonathan Black , Mark Booth   Triumph of the Moon is the near-definitive account of the new religions that emerged, largely from the UK, in the last century. Hutton is sympathetic but rigorously academic. He has swept away the traditionalist claims of some founders whilst ensuring respect and dignity for practitioners. It is the founding text for understanding the context for any further reading in this field.    Although very US-centred, the Everything Paganism Book is a good beginners text w...