Gerald Gardner (1884–1964) provided the central inspiration for Wicca, as a modern, revived, form of Pagan witchcraft. As such, his cultural and religious significance has grown exponentially over the 60 years since his death. 'A Rough Magic' re-evaluates the sources of Gardner's inspiration, redefines his early life within the context of colonial Malaya and the opium trade, and emphasises his vision and ability in fashioning an entirely new synthesis of magical beliefs drawn from both Eastern and Western traditions. In so doing, he stripped away the demonic elements of witchcraft and emphasised Wicca as a creative, mutable and undogmatic nature religion, serving as both fertility cult and a unique source of personal empowerment, that was capable of transforming the world.
By:
John Callow (University of Suffolk) Imprint: Cambridge University Press Country of Publication: United Kingdom Weight: 255g ISBN:9781009713870 ISBN 10: 1009713876 Series:Elements in Magic Pages: 82 Publication Date:30 October 2025 Audience:
College/higher education
,
Further / Higher Education
Format:Hardback Publisher's Status: Active