Book title and author: Italian Folk Magic by Mary-Grace Fahrun
Status: Finished
My overall rating of the book: 10/10
How does this book relate to my magickal practice? I’m still trying to expose myself to as many different viewpoints as I can. In addition, according to 23&Me, I have some Italian in me, and one of my cousins was born in Italy while my uncle who was in the Navy was stationed there, so I figured I’d read at least one book on Italian witchcraft.
My personal thoughts/opinions: Even though I’m not Catholic and wasn’t raised Catholic or in an Italian-American family culture, the information in this book resonated with me a lot more than I expected it to. My guess is that the reason for this was that there was such an emphasis on food and the kitchen; anything and everything relating to food is one of my biggest passions in life. The workings discussed are also very simple and down-to-earth like my practices. They don’t require any exotic tools or ingredients – everything is based on things that just about everyone has in their home or kitchen, or can relatively easily acquire or make.
This book was an absolute pleasure to read! I felt like I was sitting at a table across from the author while she was casually telling me about her traditions. I’m a slow reader, but this was a fast read for me because it was so enjoyable to read. I bought the Kindle version, but I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase the print version as well – one of the ways I know that I enjoyed the book.
One of the things that I liked most about this book is that it was very clear that the author was simply presenting information as she learned and practices it; she was very clear about “this is how I do it, but you should do what works for you, and I won’t judge you.” That is to say, it doesn’t come across as preachy at all. The information and workings could all be easily adapted to work for pretty much any practitioner.
An interesting quote from the book: I couldn’t pick one, so I picked three that I feel sum up the book pretty well.
“My hope is you then take these components, do your own research, and craft a tapestry of practice that is uniquely you.”
“The Italian witchcraft I will be presenting is not a religion. It is a practice anyone can incorporate into their spirituality regardless of religious belief.”
“The contents of this book are recorded oral history. Its purpose is to document this oral history and provide a road map for all spiritual seekers and lovers of tradition. May it guide you in reconnecting with your roots, and assist you in forging a tradition and legacy of your own.”
All-in-all, would I recommend this book?: Yes!