WITCH AMONGST US: The Autobiography of a Witch

Bourne's autobiography is sanely written and, in many ways, it is a convincing story of her life as a witch. But, there are portions which strain our credibility and some sections that she would have done well to omit altogether. The author claims that the powers witches have are actually senses that ancient man possessed--the ability to ""smell"" danger, to detect hidden prey, etc.--that have atrophied through evolution; and that there are vestiges of this instinct in most people, but that they are strongest in witches. Bourne is a white witch; that is, she uses her powers to cure illness, lift depression, solve problems. She recounts here the experiences and visions that convinced her of her powers, and the ways she has used her gift. In descriptions of her initiation into witchhood, and joining a coven, she tells, without giving away much, what tools and rituals are used. In doing so, she retains the mystery of witchcraft, while strongly voicing her own beliefs and impressions. While certain of her visions and experiences serve to mar the validity of her account (a ludicrously fantastic encounter with a goblin, and her experimentation with hallucinogenic drugs), most of the book reflects the thoughts of a practical, intelligent woman with a very special gift. Despite the few minor flaws, Bourne's account is sensitive, pragmatic, intelligent and thoughtful, and both her references to other books (by Colin Wilson, who wrote the introduction to this book, Aleister Crowley, Robert Graves, etc.) and her historical analyses are intriguing.