The Witches Almanac 2016: Air, the Breath of Life Issue 35

The Witches’ Almanac (not to be confused with various Llewellyn publications) is an annual anthology of superstitious delights, complete with weather predictions, annual western horoscopes, and a useful lunar calendar. Illustrated with clips of public domain art and filled with articles such as “The Cursed Amethyst and Other Cursed Gems,” “Dear Santa Clause,” and “Bogeys” this intermingles folklore, herbalism, and diverse cultural perspectives in ways that delight the heart of traditional and hedge witches, among others. While whimsy certainly colors the text, investigation into practices long forgotten anchors it. While perhaps presented as a curio, there is always that clever twinkle, a hint to practicing witches of “perhaps you could try…”

In many ways this almanac hearkens to twentieth century witchcraft, when eclecticism was the norm and the seemingly random assortment of ideas could come together in a thousand ways across the individuated practices of a thousand witches.

Never change, Witches’ Almanac.

~ review by Diana Rajchel

Author: Thetic, originally, Elizabeth Pepper
The Witches Almanac Ltd, 2015
pp. 193, $12.95