Waking the Witch
Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power
BUY NOW
COMMUNITY BOOKSTORE
BOOKSHOP US
BOOKSHOP UK
BARNES & NOBLE
BOOKS-A-MILLION
AMAZON
KOBO
APPLE BOOKS
GOODREADS ✶ STORYGRAPH
Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster, June 2019
A whip-smart and illuminating exploration of the world’s fascination with witches
Podcast host and practicing witch Pam Grossman (The Witch Wave) delves deeply into why witches have intrigued us for centuries and why they’re more relevant now than ever.
When you think of a witch, what do you picture? Pointy black hat, maybe a broomstick. But witches in various guises have been with us for millennia. In Waking the Witch, Pam Grossman explores the cultural and historical impact of the world’s most magical icon. From the idea of the femme fatale in league with the devil in early modern Europe and Salem, to the bewitching pop culture archetypes in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Harry Potter; from the spooky ladies in fairy tales and horror films to the rise of feminist covens and contemporary witchcraft, witches reflect the power and potential of women.
In this fascinating read that is part cultural analysis, part memoir, Pam opens up about her own journey on the path to witchcraft, and how her personal embrace of the witch helped her find strength, self-empowerment, and a deeper purpose.
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.
Also available on audio
Praise for Waking the Witch
Library Journal, Starred Review
“A celebration of witches and everyday individuals whose independence and self-possession fuel their resistance and rebellion against the long-standing social contract of female disempowerment…A rich and unique mix of historical events, literary references, and contemporary popular media inform keen observations on how we have arrived at a place in which feminism and witchcraft find a cultural convergence. Reminiscent of Sarah Vowell's work and equally affecting, this intellectually satisfying, personally liberating, and remarkably humorous classic is recommended for readers of women's history, paganism, witchcraft, and feminism.”
Booklist
“A fun, informative glimpse of witchcraft… Waking the Witch reflects Grossman’s ability to cast her spell with memoir, storytelling, journalism, and history… Feminists will appreciate Grossman’s in-depth, woman-focused history and analysis… A must-add for public and academic collections.”
Judika Illes, author of Encyclopedia of Witchcraft, Encyclopedia of 5000 Spells, and other books of magic
“The wonderful Pam Grossman takes us on a whirlwind tour of witches in history, literature, and the cinematic and visual arts, serving up much food for thought along the way. Her exploration of alchemical artists Leonora Carrington and Remedios Varo is no less than brilliant. But my own favorite parts of Waking the Witch are Pam’s generously-shared descriptions of her own personal journey to magic and power. Recommended!”
Mitch Horowitz, PEN Award-winning author of Occult America and The Miracle Club
“Students and scholars will savor Waking the Witch’s historicism—which is brilliant—and practitioners will thrill to its understanding and inspiration. In a world of boundless choices, this is one of the singularly finest works for understanding modern witchcraft. It will never leave my bookshelf.”
Ami McKay, author The Witches of New York
“Deftly illuminating the past while beckoning us towards the future, Waking the Witch has all the makings of a feminist classic. Wise, relatable and real, Pam Grossman is the witch we need for our times."
Neko Case
“Pam Grossman has written a flowing history that I scarfed down like an eclair. She reminds us that witches are not monsters so much as possibilities. The archetypal, swirling symbol of ‘Witch’ is a guide to remind us that we are allowed to act on our desires AND congratulate ourselves for choosing to. I hope this book makes everyone who reads it ask themselves ‘What do I deny myself and why?’ I started this book all in, but when I read the sentence ‘Show me your witches, and I’ll show you your feelings about women,’ I knew I was done for.”
Kristen J. Sollée, author of Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive
"A masterful and moving meditation on female power and persecution, Waking the Witch deftly lifts the veil between fact and fiction, indulging joyfully and critically in the distortions and delectations that have surrounded magical women for millennia. Pam Grossman is a beacon in the world of contemporary witchcraft and neo-paganism, and this comprehensive work grounded in scholarship and cultural criticism is brought to life through intimate stories from her own life and spiritual practice. Waking the Witch is an artful gateway into a history that is both profoundly and painfully relevant today. Whether you’re intrigued by or deeply committed to the who, what, when, where, and why of the witch, this book is for you."
Publishers Weekly
"A fun study… Feminist readers will be pleased by Grossman’s deconstruction of witch clichés.”
Times Literary Supplement
"[A] beguiling exploration of witches across history, myth, art and pop culture. Part history, part memoir, part effervescent feminist manifesto, the book takes readers on an exhilarating ride through witchy archetypes...The book fizzes with an infectious energy and paints a compelling picture of witches in all their shape-shifting complexity."