Witches of America

Starred review from August 24, 2015
Writer and filmmaker Mar was accustomed to developing an emotional connection to her research subjects, but when she began filming her 2010 documentary on the occult, American Mystic, she became more deeply invested in her subjects’ world than she expected. Taking readers on an expertly crafted spiritual journey through a pagan conference, a weekend with a Feri coven in a New England “faux castle,” and an initiation ceremony for the Ordo Templi Orientis (which follows the teachings of Aleister Crowley) deep in the Louisiana swamps, Mar pushes past vulnerability in search of guidance and conviction. Along the way she gives an overview of modern American witchcraft, introduces readers to a multitude of variations on magical tradition, and helps dispel myths regarding paganism and the occult. Witches, priests and priestesses, and even a necromancer receive a sympathetic, humanizing treatment as Mar encourages empathy for the “outer edges” of society. Mar writes with clarity and candor, provides ample background information, and is neither preachy nor cheesy. She presents all her subjects as interesting individuals. The book’s only flaw is an abrupt ending, leaving many unanswered questions: Does Mar stay involved with the New Orleans branch of the Ordo Templi Orientis? Does she find the revelation she is looking for? Whatever one’s spiritual inclinations, Mar’s search for “something transcendent” is bewitching.

January 25, 2016
Mar takes a look at the modern witchcraft movement by digging into the history of the witchcraft and exploring places where magic is practiced and the people who practice it. Rather than reaching back centuries, though, she looks mainly at the 20th century and how it has shaped the many varieties of witchcraft practiced across the world today. Dolan maintains a warm and welcoming voice, guiding the reader through Mar’s prose and the worlds that she introduces to the readers. She captures the changing tone of the book, as Mar shifts from skepticism to intrigue and from bemused to amused. She provides strong voices for the people Mar interviews and avoids using clichéd voice tricks. She, like Mar, treats the exploration respectfully and thereby keeps listeners’ attention throughout the production. An FSG/Crichton hardcover.