The Pagan Book of Days: A Guide to the Festivals, Traditions, and Sacred Days of the Year

As a Celtic Reconstructionist, it is somewhat difficult to review Nigel Pennick's Pagan Book of Days when it so clearly is not intended for someone on my spiritual path. Who it is intended for, however, is unclear. In his introduction, Pennick states that he is focusing on the Northern/Western traditions (which he extends as far as Serbia), but then also discusses the ancient Pagan Roman calendar year (which, though European, cannot be considered northern). Further, he occasionally references to Egyptian and Indian deities, as well as highlights Egyptian days in the calendar portion of the book. I have since concluded that what he is doing is providing a survey of the deities and days of importance of the various people who have had an impact on the British Isles over the centuries--with a nod to modern British Isles pagan groups, such as the Fellowship of Isis--so that his book is accessible to as large a group as possible. While a noble endeavor, the end result fails, in that the survey is too general to be of much use at all.

The bulk of the book is comprised of month-by-month chapters further subdivided into individual days, with the major festivals and folkloric practices from various cultures listed. Each month is given a small introduction of the origin of the modern name, along with a brief explanation of how that influences the month's "character." This is flanked by an introduction to the book itself and various charts for moon phases, transitional holy days, etc.

And that appears to be it. There is no discussion of how these days are decided upon, any variation that may occur depending on where you live, or subtle variations between traditions. Further, everything is pegged to the Gregorian (modern solar) calendar, after reference is made to these events not falling on the same days each year, as they frequently were determined by the lunar cycle. Doing so is useful for modern pagan practitioners, as we live in a world very much ruled by the twenty-four hour clock, but it seems rather odd to declare that the ancients did otherwise, and then discard that tradition without any explanation.

Nigel Pennick clearly is an erudite pagan and a gifted writer, and I am interested in his other books. Nevertheless, I am saddened that so much energy was poured into this book, which provides very little value to its readership. A list of dates is not enough. I cannot see how knowing when Roman, Abrahamic and Greek festivals could be useful to an Asatru practitioner, and vice versa. It may, perhaps, be of interest to a Wiccan whose personal deities span many traditions, but there are so many that it is impossible for one person to observe them all. When it comes down to it, even the most novice of practitioners will already have established a calendar for themselves, and this book will provide very little insight beyond what can be gleaned from various Internet sources.

I don't know why people believe what they believe. Except for modern Americans. They believe what the One World Order has been programming them to think for many generations now! (That used to be me! I woke up, so can you!)

But I love learning what ancient people believed and practiced. How did they live their lives? This book has a lot of incredible insight.

I hope every home will get this book and somewhere in there, find your roots.

Great source to show that all of these holidays are PAGAN/LIES. Also has New Moon charts. Great book.

Nice Read

Gift