Cunningham?

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[mandrina]

DO I want to know what Queer theory has to do with Harry Potter? (I'd be asking the same question if it was feminist theory or any other theory.

[RandallS]

DO I want to know what Queer theory has to do with Harry Potter? (I'd be asking the same question if it was feminist theory or any other theory.

I suspect there are Harry Potter Slash stories (Slash from Kirk/Spock from Star Trek Fandom). I'm not big into Harry Potter fanfic but I heard there are even a few Harry/Dudley stories -- the mere thought of that pairing is scary. 

[catja6]

DO I want to know what Queer theory has to do with Harry Potter? (I'd be asking the same question if it was feminist theory or any other theory.

Queer theory has to do with anything and everything that involves sexuality and gender.  It's a theory (a collection of theories, really) about how sexuality and gender are represented and performed in culture, with a special emphasis on those forms which stand outside the mainstream.  I'm focusing on slash fiction, as Randall said -- no Harry/Dudley though, thank god -- but there's been some interesting work on sexuality as represented in the Potter books.  One scholar, following the example of a lot of fans, pointed out that the wizarding world itself is rather "queered" in relation to the Muggle world -- people like the Dursleys use language to talk about wizards that, in the real world, is often coded as homophobic ("abnormal, disgusting freaks!"); there's also the fact that Harry is rescued from having to live in a closet.     Also, werewolfism bears a lot of the markers of AIDS, especially in terms of the way people respond to it, with fear and prejudice far in excess of the actual danger posed; Rowling has said that she was using werewolfism as a way of discussing how people respond to disease.

[Fausta]

I'm asking because I just read a book last night called Mythic Ireland by Michael Dames, who is described on the back as "a graduate in geography and British archeology, and a former senior lecturer in the History of Art.  His previous publications include The Silbury Treasure:  The Great Goddess Rediscovered and The Avebury Cycle."  This book was published in 1992, so I assume it was being researched and written in the 1980s.

Is the book an academic publication or something completely different?

Unfortunately, an author's academic training and credentials are not a guarantee on the quality of books put out outside the academic press, even when the author is writing within her field of expertise. Their information in their academic publications may be solid - or solid enough, so to speak - their non-academic publication can be anything but, especially if the author in question has pet theories or religious ideas that do not stand the scrutiny of peers...

[Aster Breo]

Is the book an academic publication or something completely different?

Unfortunately, an author's academic training and credentials are not a guarantee on the quality of books put out outside the academic press, even when the author is writing within her field of expertise. Their information in their academic publications may be solid - or solid enough, so to speak - their non-academic publication can be anything but, especially if the author in question has pet theories or religious ideas that do not stand the scrutiny of peers...

I guess I'd have to say non-academic.  It's published by Thames & Hudson, http://www.thameshudson.co.uk/en/1/home.mxs, which does not appear to be an academic publisher.

I first learned about the book from the Imbas reading list.  Imbas is a Celtic Recon organization, so I had high hopes for it.

[Elisabette]

Jumping back to Cunningham, the the only book of his that I own is Magical Herbalism. I use the encyclopedic section quite a bit as a quick reference. I'm glad to hear that Catja thinks highly of his plant knowledge; I thought the information was good, but she is much more knowledgable than I am about history and folklore.

A lot of the claims he makes about "what witches do/did/have always done" raised red flags for me as soon as I read them, and there are some things I just don't agree with him about, like his statement that magic should never be performed for pay, or that you shouldn't ever perform magic while wearing deodorant.

As a basic practical guide to doing magic with plants, this book is good, though his ritual language is a bit highfalutin' for my taste, and while I understand that there are reasons for the fussy details of gathering and using herbs that he includes, I just don't keep that much white linen around the house. However, the point that I want to make is his favour, is that his plant spells aren't junk; they will work.  There's one house purification ritual that I can't help but chuckle at every time I read it, because it's so heavy-handed. [Yeah Scott, that'll definitely work. A hammer will sure get that pickle jar open, too.] 

So I'll add my voice to the history=no, plants=yes vote on Scott Cunningham.

Betty 

[Aster Breo]

you shouldn't ever perform magic while wearing deodorant.

Uh.......sorry??

[Thorn]

...you shouldn't ever perform magic while wearing deodorant.

I'll second that "Wha??" 

That's a good one.  It should go in the spectacularly bad info thread. 

[Dreamweaver]

Hello,  I agree with everyone on SRW, but what about Scott Cunningham?  How do you tell who is full of it and who isnt?

I have several of his books, and I recommend them highly. Especially his Encyclopedia of Magickal Herbs, and his books on incense making and stones. I also like his Wicca for the soliatary practitioner book. It's light material, but it's just enough to get your feet wet if you're alone and trying to absorb what ALL OF THIS is about.

[Tirah]

you shouldn't ever perform magic while wearing deodorant.

  I don't remember reading that?  Where was it?  I knew I shouln't have put my stick down on my altar.  Damn That Secret!!!

[Goth]

I own the Magical Household and Wicca ~ A Guide...

*Shrugs*  I like him 

[Pythiana]

Hello,  I agree with everyone on SRW, but what about Scott Cunningham?  How do you tell who is full of it and who isnt?

One of the first books I ever read when I chose to walk my current path was Cunningham's Guide for the Solitary Practitioner.  I absolutely loved it, and have reread it several times since then.  He remains to be one of my favorite authors on the subjects of Wicca and the craft.

[Chaliceocean]

Namaste,

My personal opinion of Scott Cunningham is an excellent one. He is a fabulous author and knows his stuff. I have not ever heard a bad review about him and many of the pagans and Wiccans I have talked with, friends and aquientences highly recommend him. From my experience it would seem that he gets glowing reviews and really is a must as far as it goes when exploring Wiccan literature.

Blessed Be,

Ravyn

I wholeheartedly agree with ravyn. I am not a Wiccan myself and I still read every book he has. I love how open minded he is, how concise his writing is, how he thinks for himself on alot of his material and is very find your own truth/path, and I just love his overall style. I got a very positive vibe from him the moment I first picked up the first book i saw by him, Living Wicca, which I still recap on over and over,lol.

Bright Blessings

[Chaliceocean]

Namaste,

I have to agree, I suppose there really is no excuse for false history being taught in a day and age where anyone can do a lil research to find out the truth. I guess I just don't like to condemn others, especially when I find their work of personal value.

I also agree and did state that we should point out the errors about history and bring the facts to light. But for good or worse that bad history is out there.

Sometimes people are blinded by their religion, as had been shown time and time again, and Pagans are not immune to that either. So I don't belive it does anyone any good to get their breeches all in a knot over the issue of bad false history. All we can do is patiently correct the errors as they come to light, teach the truth and learn from the past mistakes of others.

Blessed Be,

Ravyn

Some of this is starting to boggle my mind,lol. I agree alot of things that were thought as truth, like the earth is flat,lol. turn out not to be so. Then I start thinking, if we are teaching the *truth* for right now and it is one day disproved, as was mentioned somewhere in these threads, aren't we mistakenly contributing to our own bad history?lol. I might be misunderstanding and I know what we beleive to be truth now should be held in such esteem, even if it were to be discredited someday, but it was something to think about,lol

Bright Blessings all

[Mari]

you shouldn't ever perform magic while wearing deodorant

I have all of Scott's books - I don't recall ever reading that in any of them. Source, please?

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