“A monumental moment in women’s history, as well as Pagan history, is upon us, with the release of Max Dashu’s new book Witches and Pagans. Over 40 years; worth of research and effort created this book, and its companion volumes to follow. It’s a landmark work, easily the most important new Pagan title of the year, if not the decade.” —Yeshe Matthews, Mothers of New Time
“Max Dashú writes with lucidity and a compelling awareness of the silencing of women in male-centered cultures—especially women’s silencing in patriarchal religion. Max has spent decades excavating the exceptionally rich materials—linguistic, archaeological, mythological—found in this book, and uncovering clues to the spiritual spheres of pre-patriarchal women. A true tour de force!” — Miriam Robbins Dexter, UCLA professor of Indo-European studies and author of Whence the Goddesses: a Source Book
“Reading this book is like opening a box filled with jewels left to you by ancestors you never knew you had. Women preserved ancient mysteries that celebrated female powers of creativity as they went about the tasks of their daily lives. It was not so easy to stamp these practices out, because women understood their songs and rituals to be essential for the continued flourishing of life... Brilliant work. May it change the way we see the world!” —Carol Christ, author of Goddess and God in the World: Conversations in Embodied Theology
"Dashu has done her homework, and has unearthed,â¨uncovered and rediscovered a remarkableâ¨amount of information pertaining to women’s roles in folk religion, magic, witchcraft, healing and seership during the medieval era. ... ... This book is unlike any book by a Neopagan author on these particular topics thatâ¨I have seen (other â¨than perhaps Ronald Hutton), in its scope, the breadth of materials presented, and in providing access toâ¨an incredible amount of unusual sources of historical materials that would be of great interest to modern pagans, witches, seers and herbwives. ... I have rarely, if ever, seen a book on these topics that went so far into the traditions, explored them so widely and deeply, and provided a truly unique window into our spiritual past with such care and intelligence. Well-written, and a one-of-a-kind resource... a treasure trove... highly recommended." —Sharon Paice MacLeod, Sagewomen Journal
"The book is amazing; I am so impressed with the amount of scholarship you have sloughed through, and how hard it must have been to put all this together. All kudos to you, Max for the gifts of research and knowledge and vision." Gloria Orenstein, Professor Emerita of Comparative Literature and Gender Studies, University of Southern California
"Such a beautiful and academic read. Margin note taking and really absorbing the ethnohistorical references. Max Dashu, brava! Cannot wait for the next volume!!!" —Mercedes Draffin
"It's such a beautiful book, a work of art, so well done. An immense contribution." —Gilby Farnsworth
"I've been looking forward to the release of Witches and Pagans: Women in European Folk Religion by Max Dashu; this promises to be an important addition to the field, as it reweaves women's roles back into history". —Jhenah Telyndru August 2, 2016
"I have a huge amount of respect and admiration for your work. Witches and Pagans is a treasure-trove of of suppressed and lost information, lost no more thanks to you! — Mary Mackey, author of The Year the Horses Came and the Earthsong Trilogy
