Pagan Book Reviews

21st Century Wicca: A Young Witch’s Guide to Living the Magical Life
Jennifer Hunter
Citadel, 2000
219 pages

Amid the recommendations of Cunningham, Ravenwolf, the Farrars, and other classics, some of the best books get overlooked. However, I was fortunate enough that a friend in college first introduced me to 21st Century Wicca. I recently reread it just to remind myself if why I liked it so much, and I’m glad I did!

This is, quite simply, in my opinion, the best Wicca 101 book alongside Cunningham’s “Wicca for the Solitary”. While the latter book goes into more ritual detail, “21st Century Wicca” discusses everyday life as a Wiccan.

While the usual basics are in here, Hunter really shines with the personal testimony and the attention she gives to what it’s like to be a Wiccan in the “real world”. She addresses issues that a lot of high school and college-aged Wiccans (who make up the bulk of the 101 crowd) are concerned with, such as whether or not to find a group, the virtues of self-initiation, and coming out of the broom closet.

It’s an exceptionally realistic look, without going into persecution complexes. The added quotes from people who have been practicing pagan ways for varying amounts of time just makes the book that much more valuable, showing the reader that it really is a very individual path and there’s no single “right” way to do things.

No matter what age you are, if you’re new to Wicca this is an excellent introduction.

Five pawprints out of five.

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