The Meaning of Witchcraft - Gerald Gardner

Author: Gerald Gardner
Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser
Format: Paperback
Edition: 2004 Weiser edition. Originally published in the U.K. in 1959 by Aquarian Press
ISBN: 1578633095 / 9781578633098

Condition: Very good second-hand paperback condition with light shelf wear and minor rubbing and handling marks to the covers and edges. Binding appears firm and pages appear clean and readable. Please see photos for the exact copy available.

The Meaning of Witchcraft is one of Gerald Gardner’s key works and an important source text in the development of modern Wicca and contemporary witchcraft.

Originally published in 1959, the book explores Gardner’s views on the history, beliefs, symbolism, rituals, folklore, and magical thinking behind witchcraft. It presents witchcraft from the perspective of a practising witch, making it an important companion to Witchcraft Today and a notable title in the modern pagan revival.

This edition includes chapters on witch memories and beliefs, Stone Age origins, Druidism, magical thinking, signs and symbols, the Black Mass, and the survival of witch traditions. While some of Gardner’s historical claims are now debated, the book remains highly collectible and historically significant for readers interested in Wicca, Gardnerian witchcraft, paganism, and occult history.

About the Author:

Gerald Gardner was an English occultist, author, and one of the central figures in the emergence of modern Wicca. Often described as the father of modern witchcraft, Gardner helped bring witchcraft into public discussion through books such as Witchcraft Today and The Meaning of Witchcraft. His writings remain important to the study of Wicca, modern paganism, and twentieth-century occult revival movements.