I didn't know exactly what to expect when I ordered this book following an impulse-buyer's urge to find something on modern Druidry... What I found was a refreshing collection of essays by various authors (among them: Isaac Bonewits, Cairistiona Worthington, Caitlin Matthews, Mara Freeman, Tom Cowan and, of course, Philip Carr-Gomm, the editor) offering insight into the wide range of the modern practices and philosophies of Celtic and Pagan earth-spiritualities.

Carr-Gomm's foreword says it all when he writes, "Druidry is the perfect lover. You fall in love with her so easily because she is so romantic. She whispers to you of the magic and mystery of the turning stars and seasons. She loves trees and Nature above all things, and you yearn for these too..." And yet, "Just when you are convinced you will marry her," she transforms into a mocking, hideous hag who disappears, leaving you only "some lines from classical authors, whose accounts are probably inaccurate anyway, a few inferences drawn from linguistic and archeological research, which could be wrong, with the rest from material written from the seventeenth century onwards, replete with speculation, forgery and fantasy."

This collection is not about Recontructionist Druidism, nor is it apologetic for not being so. It acknowledges the tough work of scholarly research and objective criticism, but is not bound by them; seeking instead to follow "awen," the inspiration and creative draw of the earth. Several essays are strictly academic, tracing the development of modern druidic movements or exploring what little evidence exists of ancient druid practice; other essays are closer to memoir or poetic prose, telling the personal stories of those who have sought and come to rest within the tradition of modern Druidry. Offering a broad perspective (without much of the in-fighting that, even as a newcomer to this topic, I can sense often bogs it down), this is a wonderful introduction to the movement. It helps if the reader is familiar with other Pagan and Wiccan practices and texts, but it is certainly not necessary. This book will be enjoyable for the merely curious and the serious seeker alike.

I'll end by giving Carr-Gomm the last word: "The articles in this collection show that She is as present as She ever has been--and perhaps more so at this time. The Goddess who seduces us with romantic images of magic and mystery at one moment, and then repels us with images of the tattered remnants of past ages at the next, is trying to lead us beyond the realm of illusion to something more substantial, more enduring and more creative." ( )