The following are Reviews of "Stewart Farrar - Writer On A Broomstick"

Review by  Mark Sosnowski This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   March 15, 2008 http://www.amazon.com/review/product/0979140277/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1_cm_cr_acr_txt?%5Fencoding=UTF8&showViewpoints=1

Finally, the other side of the story. From the amazing foreward by the publisher himself, R.J. Stewart, to the unpublished poetry of Janet and Stewart Farrar, this book is a delight to read. Many of us knew Stewart Farrar through his many writings on Wicca. Most practicing pagans use material written by Stewart, whether they realize it, or not. Now, we get to meet the man behind that in this biography. Liz Guerra, chosen by Stewart's widow Janet, pens the story of her late husband, weaving his life's journey that's simply a joy to read. With access to his archives, Ms. Guerra weaves a lovely tale of the man, who helped put Wicca on the map. And, most importantly, in the hands of anyone who read his books. We get a sense of this man, as Ms. Guerra deftly spins his story with-in a charming historical framework. Her easy-to-read work will be a joy to most readers seeking out an important piece of Craft history. While Ray Buckland physically brought the Craft to our shores, Stewart did so literally.

Review by Michael Gleason This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   March 20, 2008  http://pagan.listarc.com/theelderscoven-book-review-stewart-farrar-writer-on-a-broomstick.htm

This book is a carefully crafted (if you will pardon the word play) telling of the entire life of a journalist, and man, who contributed much to the world of Wicca.  It is not a pretty story.  Stewart had his shortcomings, as do we all.  No attempt is made to hide or disguise them.

None of us live our lives in isolation.  We exist in relation to others, so this is also a story of those who Stewart loved and who loved him.  This is not an idealized story.  Stewart is shown, warts and all.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I received this book.  I have reviewed many books from smaller publishers and have come to expect many minor problems in their productions.  Such problems were largely non-existent with this book.

Ms. Guerra faced a daunting task in trying to make Stewart’s life story accessible in anything less than a massive tome.  He was many things and entire books could be devoted to his work as a journalist, a free-lance writer, and an extremely influential Witch and Priest.  Yet she has managed to distill all of that into an extremely readable book whose size is not at all intimidating.

There are many individuals in the Craft today who found their way “home” because of the work of Stewart.  Even more have been inspired by his writings to create their own rituals and poetry.  For those people and for future generations of Crafters, this book is a must-read.

The remembrances and unpublished writings at the end of the book are an added bonus in my opinion. They show the effect Stewart had on a generation (or more) of practitioners and can inspire another generation (or more) to come.  They show that although he took his calling seriously, he still remembered how to have fun along the way – something we can all stand to be reminded of once in a while.

This book is well-written and a fitting tribute to an extraordinary gentleman in all his many undertakings.  I strongly recommend it.