2006 Witches Datebook © 2005

2006 Witches Datebook        ©  2005    Llewellyn   144 pages  Paperback

ISBN 0-7387-0154-8   $9.99 (U.S.)     $14.99 (Canada)

Llewellyn relies on a group of authors to provide the bulk of articles for its annual publications.  Despite seeing the same names year after year, the range of topics presented never grows stale.  The articles in this year’s edition range from “Walking the Path” by Raven Grimassi (on being aware of the moment) to “Forgotten Days of Power” by James Kambos (which covers some other observances besides the Sabbats).

This year’s edition of the Datebook includes, as usual, an assortment of anniversaries, important events, and half-paged sized articles on a wide variety of topics.  There are recipes, rituals, and poetry among the offerings.

The facts noted on the daily entries include all of those found in this year’s “Witches’ Calendar” and more, thanks to the fact that there is more space available in the book format.  The daily entries have enough space for basic notes, the spiral binding means that the book will lay flat for you, and the convenient size means you have no excuse not to toss it into your purse or backpack.  It is a bit more expensive than most of the almanacs, but I suspect that the spiral binding is responsible for that.

The illustrations come from the hand of Jennifer Hewiston.  They convey a sense of primal energy in their black-and-white starkness.  They are not “pretty,” but they do appeal to one inner sense of reality (or, at least, to my inner sense of reality).

You could read through this book, or you could skim the articles and the 1/2 page informational inserts and save reading the daily entries until you actually encounter them.  I have found, more than once, that some note for the day ends up being particularly appropriate when I come across it unexpectedly.

I did find what might be one minor error in their daily notes:  The Covenant of the Goddess was formed on March 1, 1975, but it was founded on October 31, 1975.  To me, those two words mean pretty much the same thing, so perhaps a better choice of words might be indicated.

The daily entries include all the things you have come to expect from Llewellyn – moon phases, planetary entry into signs and retrogrades, etc., as well as a color for each day.

The appendices contain everything you have come to expect – a list of Full Moons, eclipses, Planetary Retrogrades, and Moon Void-of-Course Data and a short personal phone book, as well as the usual astronomical/astrological data for each day.  The inclusion of recipes, illustrations, stories and such on the odd-numbered pages adds some spice to your reading.

All in all, this book continues the Llewellyn tradition of making an attractive, easy to use datebook.  It isn’t detailed enough for a professional astrologer, but is definitely handy for the average Pagan.