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A review by clairedrinkstea
Toil and Trouble: A Women's History of the Occult by Melanie R. Anderson, Lisa Kröger
4.0
This was a great non-fiction look at magical women and non-binary people within American witch and occult history. It covers a wide spectrum from Salem witch trials, the rise of spiritualism, to the 80s Satanic Panic and digital occultism.
I liked the authors including ostracised or forgotten individuals whose contributions to the occult are fundamental. I also appreciated the inclusive language and calling out the problematic words or behaviours, and not simply writing it off a “that’s how things were back then” but linking it back to the core values of the practice.
It’s a gorgeous book, and I can see it gracing a coffee table. One of the things I enjoyed about it was being able to pick it up and now and then, read one or more entries and put it down. It helped draw out the pleasure of discovery and it has signposted me to individuals I want to learn more about such as Rose Mackenberg and Alice Sparkly Kat.
I liked the authors including ostracised or forgotten individuals whose contributions to the occult are fundamental. I also appreciated the inclusive language and calling out the problematic words or behaviours, and not simply writing it off a “that’s how things were back then” but linking it back to the core values of the practice.
It’s a gorgeous book, and I can see it gracing a coffee table. One of the things I enjoyed about it was being able to pick it up and now and then, read one or more entries and put it down. It helped draw out the pleasure of discovery and it has signposted me to individuals I want to learn more about such as Rose Mackenberg and Alice Sparkly Kat.