Book Review: New World Witchery by Cory Thomas Hutcheson
The Book: New World Witchery: A Trove of North American Folk Magic by Cory Thomas Hutcheson
Source: I received an advance copy of this book on NetGalley (and then pre-ordered my own physical copy!)
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (see my review on Goodreads)
Holy snap! New World Witchery is the kind of book my teen self would have devoured, back when I really started wanting to learn more about witchcraft and lore. Recently I've been especially interested in North American witchcraft folklore, so this book appeared at the perfect time. I was delighted to discover the wealth of history, story, and knowledge Hutcheson packed into this book! I appreciated the focus on North American craft, while still hearkening back to the roots of various practices -- ranging from Mountain Witchcraft to Hoodoo and so many others! I loved the way this book highlighted so many common themes and practices surrounding witches, lore, and the craft that have woven their way throughout our lives from cultures all around the world. Incidentally, I've been recognizing some of these themes within my own witchy path in recent years, so the familiarity and recognition was a nice surprise.
I think my favorite part of New World Witchery is the sections at the end of each chapter, "Dirt Under the Nails" and "The Work", which provide a wealth of ideas for integrating some of these things into your own practice (if/when appropriate) and recognizing how they may already be surfacing in your own life. This is one book I definitely want to keep on my shelves and pass down to whomever I have the honor to mentor in the future (whether that is my own children or fellow witchy folks). Just a treasure trove of discovery here. Definitely recommended for anyone interested in witchy folklore beyond the more well-known European varieties.