Having grown up in Massachusetts and attended college in "Witch City", I have always been attracted to, and in love with, all things witchy. I could relate to so much of Pam's personal exploration. I just loved it!

I absolutely love this book. It was is one of my favorite books and I recommend it to people often. Pam Grossman sounds like someone I could be friends with. We grew up during the same time and had very similar experiences and likes growing up. In Waking the Witch we get pieces of Grossman's life but we also get a really well done look at witches and how they have been portrayed historically and through pop culture. I purchased the Audible version of the book and it's read by the author. She has a great speaking voice and as a result I've started listening to her podcast.

"A comprehensive meditation on one of the most mysterious and captivating figures of all time, Waking the Witch celebrates witches past, present, and future, and reveals the critical role they have played—and will continue to play—in shaping the world as we know it."

-Pam Grossman is and always will be my favorite witchy teller. The book is packed with history and culture. The writing feels more like an conversation with the author rather than just a book. Must read for anyone interested in learning the feminism of witchcraft.

Waking the Witch by Pam Grossman has a decidedly different “feel” than most of the books currently on the market about Witches, Witchcraft and what it means to be a Witch in the 21st century. Her academic background of a degree in cultural anthropology with minors in art history, creative writing and comparative religion has served her well in crafting a book that is beautifully woven with very thorough research and on point references that are easily recognizable by anyone reading.

Waking the Witch begins with the traditional Introduction, is separated into eight (8) chapters and ends with the “Afterwyrd”, a purposeful play on words and apt ending to the journey laid out. Each of these offerings is rich in contemporary reference that evolves from well researched historical references that brought to light many nuances of the why’s, and where’s of identity of the Witch that I would venture to guess many are not aware of. The result is one of being able to engage both the seasoned practitioner and the seeker new to the path in ways that are relevant, thought-provoking and empowering.

What Ms. Grossman finished in approximately a year and a half until completion is clearly a reflection of a lifetime of experience, reading, learning and research that has produced the clarity of intention and a distinctly palpable feeling in Waking the Witch.

I particularly appreciated the content of Chapter 1: The Good, the Bad and the Wicked,which sets the tone for what follows with a lengthy and very in-depth introduction to the archetype of the Witch that has pervaded much of our cultural bias and misunderstanding of what a Witch is. Ms. Grossman brings to light the impact that the book “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum and its concept of the “good” Witch and the “bad” Witch laid as the groundwork for an enduring and over simplified polarity of positive and negative. We learn that this classic tome was not only influential in its archetyping of the witch, but that the author himself had long been interested and (part) of spiritual practice and philosophies as a theosophist. Add to this Ms. Grossman’s introduction to the reader of the first threads of her alignment of the Feminist component of the Witch....

... It’s a spectacular story, not only as a parable about friendship and truth-seeking, but also due to its exceptional originality. The Emerald City, the

Yellow Brick Road, magical slippers, a brave farm-girl protagonist, and

of course, the good and bad witches are all now seemingly timeless

icons from what some have called “the first American fairy tale.”

But several of these ideas were not invented by Baum ....

In fact, a great many of them can be traced to the influence

of his mother-in-law, the suffragist and equal rights

pioneer Matilda Joslyn Gage...(Chapter 1)

We go on to learn more about Gage and the overlapping of the efforts of the suffragists and abolitionists, theosophy’s philosophies and the far reaching effects of these on society’s concepts of power; specifically feminine empowerment.

Finishing this chapter, my curiosity was piqued. So, when the opportunity to speak at length with Ms. Grossman about this treasure of a book, saying yes meant looking behind the curtain to reveal the Witch who was in control and find out a bit more about her thoughts, hopes and intentions in writing Waking the Witch. These are some of the key points from our conversation.

Ms. Grossman’s book takes a deep look into the Feminist ideology and identification and how many of these are the same assignations given to the Witch as their individual underpinnings tread a similar path. I wanted to dive a little more deeply into her experience as a feminist and as a Witch.

Robin Fennelly (RF): There are many different layers to the word “Feminist”. What does being a Feminist mean to you?

Pam Grossman (PG): I was raised to believe that the definition of a feminist is simply to believe that people of all genders should have equal worth and therefore should be treated equally. And, it really is that simple. Now, there are others who use the word “womanist” or “humanist”. I realized there are associations with the feminist movement, especially those who believed the second wave of the movement was for middle-class white straight women and so for some the word feminist is not their favorite word.

RF: When we hear the word “Feminist” automatically a specific gender comes mind, versus the polarities offered. How does that fall into gender identity?

PG: I think it is a word that has evolved. A third wave of feminists was what I grew up to know in the nineties. And, now we are allegedly experiencing the fourth wave which is more intersectional and driven by digital communities and dialogues. So, it is a word that is really important to me because just like the word “Witch” people have for so long tried to shame those of us who have chosen to describe ourselves as such. I am really glad that we have moved past the stereotypical image of a feminist and it is now more inclusive of all genders and preferences.

RF: How do you see this evolving?

PG: I feel the big drive for Feminism and Witchcraft alike has to be about us being as compassionate and intersexual and interconnected as possible. And that means both honoring your individual experience and your background. This means not saying we are all the same, because we aren’t. We all have different amounts of privilege we are born with. We all have different amounts of pain we are born with. So, I don’t think it is correct to say that we are all the same, and therefore we should never talk about how we are different. I think what we need to do is listen to each other and honor one another’s differences while at the same time celebrating the larger values of humanity (as a whole) that I believe we all need to be fighting for together.

(The humanities flow strongly through this book and are used as a vehicle for highlighting the influence culture has on our perceptions. This thought process is clearly evidenced in the subtleties of application of the product of these two worlds of overlap giving new meaning to the conceptualization of the archetype, the semantics and the deeper meanings of the Witch. Using this format, Ms. Grossman provides us with enough evidence that you can find the Witch in most anything whether transparent or in all of her power. I was curious about the development of these sensibilities in Ms. Grossman’s own experience and her choice in using the arts so prominently in her book.)

RF: When did the synthesis of these ideas emerge for you and take shape?

PG: It has been a gradual evolution. But, the first group of artists who really opened my eyes to the fact that art could be magic, and vice-versa were the female surrealists. I fell in love with the work of Remedios Varo and Leonora Carrington when I was a teenager. Another major influence was the book, “Women Artists and the Surrealist Movement” by author Whitney Chadwick. I happened upon this book in the gift shop of the Metropolitan Museum at the age of fourteen and it just blew my mind. Through these images it was as though they (Varo and Carrington) were painting the stories of the fairy tales and myths that I loved, but adding their own personal details to them; making it almost autobiographical. This became the big key for me with the realization that you could make works of art and infuse them with magical intention and magical truths, and in doing so it would occupy this nether space between art and magic where the two overlapped.

(In Chapter 6: The Dark Arts: Magic Makers and Craft Women, Ms. Grossman delves more deeply into the world of art and its influence in our perceptions of the Witch and her depiction. In what she calls the “magico-artistic” family tree she includes five women who exemplify the uniting of art and the craft. I wanted to know more about this alignment.)

RF: You talk about the word craft and its deeper meaning to you as a synthesis of arts and magick. Could you speak more to that?

PG: I love the fact that this word can be used when it comes to making art, but it is also part of “Witchcraft”, and some people say we are “crafting” our own lives. To me it means working with intention and focus and being actively in relationship with the work. So it is neither passive such as...”I am simply a receptacle for something”, but it is also not completely based in the ego, ie: “I am responsible for all of this”. I think craft implies that it is part of you and part of the divine or at least coming from an unconscious base and that you are actively working with it with intention and with the idea that it can grow and evolve as a living, fluid system.

(Throughout Waking the Witch, Ms. Grossman really drives home the concept of the Witch as a truly Universal Archetype that can be found throughout many cultures and spiritual practices. Staying with that idea, I wanted to know more.)

RF: How do you see or perceive some of the now popular Eastern practices aligning with what your definition of the Witch is?

PG: I feel they are very relevant. In the book, I am writing about the Witch archetypally and sometimes that archetype is just a character in a film, or can be someone’s political stance as a feminist or it can have many other meanings. But, I am also a practitioner and it was important to represent that too. When I say I am a Witch, sometimes I mean that as a metaphor and sometimes I mean it literally. I cast spells. I am pagan. I have an altar. A lot of practices I have learned, certainly meditation, any type of body-work, such as yoga or any of the things popularized through the “New Age“ movement, I have incorporated into my own practice. I am certainly using more of the Western Witch (British Witch) as an archetype, because that portrayal is one that most people associate the Witch with.

(As our conversation neared conclusion and my reading of the book felt like the first reading of what would become a frequently returned to favorite, I was intrigued about the origin of the title. Being “woke” has been used in a variety of ways and I didn’t have a sense that this was yet another derivation of that word’s intention. So, inquiring minds wanted to know.)

RF: Why did you choose the title of “Waking the Witch” for this book?

PG: “Waking the Witch” is a song by Kate Bush that I really love. So, it is a wink to her and that song. But, what she is really referencing is a really dark bit of witch history. During the witch craze in Europe and later in the New England colonies one of the ways to get confessions from accused witches was to torture them. And one of the forms of torture was sleep deprivation. You would wake them in the middle of the night and ask them all of your questions and if they were tired and weak enough they may confess to being a witch. So, it does have a really dark connotation. I love reclaiming dark things and making them sparkle but it really is more of a multi-layered meaning.

I am also seeing more and more people in my life and in society waking up to their own power, and their potential. And, many of them are gravitating towards Witchcraft or some sort of magical expression, or an alternative spiritual practice. I don’t believe that everyone has to be a Witch, but I do believe that this waking up and raising of consciousness is a really crucial one for us all to become better citizens of this planet if we want a future of sustainability and the type of societies we desire to rebuild we need people to awaken spirituality. Love really is the answer. Loving our planet, the bodies we are in and the people who share this world. So, the title, “Waking the Witch”, really gives me a lot of hope and the idea that people are waking up to what I hope to be a new chapter of humanity.

(My sense after hearing this explanation is that Ms. Grossman has offered an opportunity to the reader to uncover the bits and pieces of our memory of those deeper connections with the Witch and give a poke to what can be the evolution of that reclaiming of power within oneself and the writing of a new history and archetype. In keeping with her thoughts I wanted to know what she envisioned for us collectively.)

RF: What do you feel we could do as a collective (community) to empower the feminine and awaken this power to change those beliefs and challenges that are failing us?

PG: One thing that I find frustrating about those who purport to be spiritual or get involved in Witchcraft for a sense of self-empowerment. That’s great, but it won’t get you very far unless you take that empowerment and healing and make use of it to be in service to something greater than just yourself. I believe a lot of people are attracted to alternative spirituality because they need healing and to be told that they are valuable because our governments, religious structures and businesses don’t currently support the fact that people of all genders, backgrounds or sexual orientation are of equal worth. So I understand why Witchcraft is very attractive. But that is just step one and we need to then talk about what is next. To me the what’s next is connecting to other people and being of service to them, the planet and all that inhabits this space with us, seen and unseen.

To quote from the Afterwyrd (coming from the word “wryd” which means fate personified or the Anglo-Saxon view of personal destiny), Ms. Grossman offers up her vision of the destiny of the Witch...

The redemption of witches and the ascension of women will be

forever interlinked. That both are happening at this moment

in time is no coincidence. Each is a reflection of the other.

And, so my last question to her was a reflection of this.

RF: What would you say to someone picking up your book for the first time and unfamiliar with the Witch, the Feminist and the practice of Witchcraft?

PG: Everything matters greatly and, that we shouldn’t take anything too seriously. That there is a sense of sacred reverence needed, and play that is equally holy too. There are those who get lost in the gate keeping of Witchcraft and the stance of the Witch and Witchcraft having to be very tightly structured and restrictive in the do’s and don’ts of what is acceptable and what makes you a “Real” Witch. There is no room or flexibility to enjoy the mysteries and the unknowable. I think that so much of life is standing in mystery and not knowing everything and being open to continuing to use our imaginations to keep remaking the world. And because of that we can have fun as Witches and practitioners of the craft and continue to grow and evolve into our place of power.

I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with Ms. Grossman about her book, Waking the Witch. The book is dense with information and insights and much has been left out of this review as it is a work to be experienced and savored in its complexity and breadth of reach. One comes away from the reading realizing this is both a cautionary tale and a text for those who choose to step up in a way that is very empowering but also very pragmatic and practical in its use in a modern and continually evolving world.

Our conversation ended with my request for what Ms. Grossman would like to share about the writing of her book...

PG: Although I may not call myself Wiccan, I still owe such a debt of gratitude to all of the writers and amazing creative spirits who came before and the rich history they have preserved and created. I have learned so much from earlier writers and generations and I hope that this book honors them too. I hope this is a continuum of a conversation we have been having for a long time and I hope people who have grown up with a Wiccan or Pagan practice will feel honored and included too.

I believe this final statement sums up the overall hope and inspiration that flows throughout Waking the Witch. That being one of not simply a story about how the Witch came to be, but how intimately woven that word and all of its aligning descriptors are a model for the potential we have as humanity for change, resilience and growth once we allow ourselves to awaken to the possibilities.

Reviewed by Robin Fennelly of PaganPages.org

I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. This is a very well woven story and history of witches. It paints a better picture of witches and not the monsters that history has claimed they are. Pam gives us her point of view, her stories, and some history of the magick of witches. It is something that is empowering and makes my heart race. I have a better understanding of what others think and see what witches think of themselves. IT was an enjoyable read.

For a really long time I have been longing for an influx of witchy memoirs. While Waking the Witch isn't exactly that, it is a wonderful book with drippings of personal, and super relate-able anecdotes, in between an in depth look of the witch in pop culture. In a market saturated with 101 books, Pam Grossman gives us a read that in both entertaining, informative, and anything but standard issue.

The analysis in this book is smart and spot on!,
I looked forward to reading it and it did not disappoint. The current references will date the book quickly, but for now it is a timely read.

This book was super engaging and thorough. I really connected with the style that interwove personal experience, history and growth, with a timeline of religious and cultural history about witches and other women of power who found their identities outside the historical norms of femininity.

Waking the Witch answered all sorts of questions I didn’t even know I had, about collective visuals (that black peaked hat), the flying and gross-out ingredients in literary spells.

I appreciated how she kept bringing the conversation back around to questions of power and how choosing to be unconventional was a way of holding on to personal power – without glossing over the real-life (and story-told) consequences of how power plays out.

Highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to investigate the ideas of witches, witchery and power.
(My thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy to review.)

In the introduction to <i>Waking the Witch</i>, Pam Grossman says "show me your witches, and I'll show you your feelings about women." And then she proceeds to do just that. <Waking the Witch</i> is a mix of history of witchcraft / personal memoirs / feminist study is well-written and hits on areas of study I find fascinating, specifically the role of women in Western society and how culture ensures that our roles don't ever really change. Grossman shows us how the label "witch" both inhibits our progress, when used as a pejorative, and celebrates the way in which women have traditionally interacted with the world around them...though this celebration is generally a result of women taking back the word and claiming it as something remarkable. Which it is.

Although Grossman includes a long list of resources that she says were "informative and inspiring" in the process of writing <i>Waking the Witch</i>, she does not include any footnotes or end notes. I tend to think that her analyses are accurate and based on existing works that she can cite, I still wish that she had included specific references for some of her claims. This omission, however, doesn't change my rating or impression of the book.

I think that having a collection of witch history, up to the present is such a cool idea and pretty important since the cultural symbol has persisted this long and keeps going.  I am personally a huge fan of the identifier "witch" and love to support men and women who use it or feel drawn to it.  What I love about this book is that Grossman has taken a topic that maybe not many people take seriously or appreciate, and has given it a deep and retrospective examination that is packed with historical notes and references, but also delves into aspects that I have not normally read about in regard to witches and the idea of witches, such as art and music.  Normally, the things that I have read just deal with surface level things and use the witchcraft trials as a huge base.  I loved so much that Grossman moved past that and worked with more subjective subjects.  I always knew that I could feel certain ways with specific pieces of art or that some songs and musicians really called to me or spoke on different levels, I guess I just never had the thought to draw the connection between it/them and the mystical as tightly as Grossman does.  This is so smart and adds a new level to Witch culture for me.  

Along with this, it was nice to read about more contemporary things that have happened or contemporary figures and artists.  For me, being caught up in the current day and living through everything that is happening now, does not make me want to keep up with the events and read details about things.  A lot of things from the past several years, since Trump was elected into office, flew past me.  I also spent a lot of time in Mexico, so I was not trying to keep up on US news or events at all.  In fact, I was trying to escape it.  It is nice to read a book like this, that helps recount some of the ugly things that have happened and put them in a light that is interesting to read.  Grossman's attention to detail, especially when dealing with mainstream and Pop culture is crucial for this book to stand on its own and to be a significant contribution to the body of works already out there about witch culture and witchcraft.

All of these things are good to read and are there to inform and teach, but perhaps my favorite detail of this book is that it is a reflection, and so Grossman puts a lot of her own personal things into this book.  This includes stories of her early witchcraft days, her inspiration, and ways that she connects with the grander whatever there is in your pantheon.  I love the personal touches and personal details because it is almost like you know Grossman by the end of this book.  She is not afraid to say that she is a witch and share those moments in her past that help define who she is now.  

Grossman's pride and fearlessness run so rich and deep all throughout this book.  I was so drawn to her voice and her story as soon as I started reading this one and still am.  Grossman's ability to say she is a witch, on multiple platforms, makes my heart so happy because it is power.  The tiny word itself packs a powerful punch and I am so happy that she is able to come into her own, celebrate who and what she is, and be proud and willing enough to help others.  Reading this book gave me such a surge of witchy energy and feminine power.

I also love that this is not a "how to" book.  If there is one thing that I hate more, it is a "witchy" book that is just a how-to manual with spells and rituals or serves as some sort of introduction to witchcraft primer.  Those types of books make be great for some, but I dislike them so much because of how I see it all working and not wanting to follow someone else's ideas and rituals.  The way that I work is intuitively, and that includes not having to follow something from a book.  Also, for me, those types of books are just not fun to read.  

Overall, this book easily gets 5 starts and is bumped up on my list of 2019 favorites.  It is so good, richly discussed, and backed up with history and facts galore.  There isn't one part of it fails for me.

I have been following Pam Grossman’s work for quite a while now, and so when I heard that she was being published I was ecstatic for her and for all of us readers. This book reads very much like her, her tone is very clear and shines through, is very conversational and intuitive. I had no problem zipping through this book connected to much of it.

There is a good amount of information here exploring the witch in history and pop culture. It reads as a 40,000 ft. overview of the subject matter, and a good introduction too much of what we have all been exposed to in pop culture and politics. I was a little bit disappointed in this because I was hoping for a bit more of an in depth look, I would have gladly read many more pages exploring film, books, wider media, politics and other examples. Because I was so familiar with her other work, this book felt a bit redundant in many parts. I view that as more my problem then a problem with the book however, and since this is her first book and also has a goal of introducing this pop cultural history, I think it serves its purpose well even though I hoped for something different.

Ultimately, the whole book came together for me in the final chapter and discussion of the current climate for women, QUILTBAG+ folx, POC, etc. and the many ways these identities all intersect with that of the witch. It made me emotional and really solidified my own conviction in my own identity and affirmed my own adopted and created family structures, rituals, and belief systems. Beyond that it felt like it unified all of the information in the previous chapters and lifted it to relevance in the present place and moment. It all came together very well.

I very much look forward to exploring the further reading section, particularly the books recommended about surrealist art movements and the women that were integral to them. Very informative, and ignited more excitement about pursuing further study of the subject which is probably the best thing that a book can offer. Overall, I very much enjoyed reading this book and the further thinking it has inspired.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I've been following Pam Grossman for a while and love her podcast The Witch Wave. I connect with her intuition and sensitivity toward spiritual subjects. I was elated when I received this ARC. I am a feminist but not very outspoken about it. I am spiritual in private and I am bookish and academic outwardly. Waking the Witch touched upon all of these aspects of me. I felt, it was well-researched and logically laid out. I enjoyed the many mentions of books, paintings, movies, talks, and music. Contemporary, as well as historical facts and trivia, were expertly interweaved with Grossman's personal experiences and memoir-like tales.

Furthermore, it read easily. In fact, this may be the fastest I have finished a non-fiction book. At the end of the last chapter, I felt satisfied that I learned something. This book was educational to me without feeling like a textbook. It certainly is no in-depth guide to witchcraft or similar things but it appears to be a wonderful introduction to witches and their feminist aspirations. I love the idea that being a witch can have so many meanings and Grossman does an amazing job of being inclusive and open to other lifestyles, believes, and experiences. I walked away from this feeling seriously pumped of her interpretation of feminism and where we should go from here. This is a book that I will consult in the future when I might feel bleak about today's society or when I might need some spiritual insight. You definitely don't need to be a witch in the most literal sense to enjoy her writing and be inspired by it.

As a novice in this field (so take this with a grain of salt), I can see this book becoming a staple for people who seek mindfulness, spirituality, and/or a unique way of feminism. I believe this would be a fantastic book for book clubs and similar discussion groups as it has many jumping off points along the way.

Wow. This is the book I've been waiting for. A wonderful blend of memoir and well-researched information on witches and magic throughout history. This book was easy to read, engaging, and informative. I loved the blend of history, art and popular culture to weave a comprehensive narrative about the many meanings of witchcraft and magic. The author directly addressed the more challenging aspects of this story like race, gender, and economic disparity. This book is definitely worth reading if you are a witch, know a witch, or have any interest in witchcraft.

Waking the Witch delves into historical perspectives on witchcraft and feminism, how they are intricately linked, and how it's relevant today in our modern age. I would say this should be recommended reading for anyone interested or currently practicing witchcraft, as well as those studying feminism.

I have mixed feelings.....
On one hand I really loved this book. I loved the mix of history, modern day, and the authors own experiences. I think she did a great job on her writing overall. For the most part it kept me engaged and interested.
On the other hand I felt like some of the chapters were kind of dragged out. Like they just kept going and going.
Overall I think this was a great one time read for most females interested in the subject matter.

I love any book about witches and this one goes to the top of my list! I loved the history but then how she connects it to real life. I learned alot and will probably keep referring to this many times. Definitely recommend.

Grossman explores the history of “witchcraft”, from the hysteria and ignorance that caused the death of thousands of men and women in Europe, to the similar fear in early America to our current fascination with all things feminine and magical. Grossman’s own story with the craft also makes this part memoir, but to me the most fascinating part of this book was the idea of women discovering their own strength and power and how that strength has terrified the Church and the patriarchy and still continues to do so even today