David Rankine

There are dozens of brilliant books about Celtic mythology, most of them dealing specifically with Irish folklore and the Irish pantheon. As someone who spent their formative years in Scotland, however, I am more interested in the myths and stories of my adoptive homeland. I was therefore overjoyed when I discovered this slim volume by renowned pagan authors Sorita D'Este and David Rankine.
I thought the book was extremely well researched, the overall tone was academic without being too dry, which made it a pleasure to read. The authors cite older texts throughout the book, sometimes written in medieval English or Scots, which might pose a challenge to some readers at times, especially if your first language isn't English.
The books starts with a short overview of the origins of the Cailleach myths before moving on to some of her individual aspects, such as earth-shaping, the significance of water, her shape-shifting abilities or her role as goddess of winter. The book concludes with a list of possible Cailleach derivatives, includding Black Annis , Nicneven and Mala Lia.
Finally, the authors present a very comprehensive bibliography for further study.
Visions of the Cailleach is a solid introduction to the Cailleach, the myths and folklore surrounding her and her significance in shaping the local landscape. As a reader, you should have prior knowledge of Celtic mythology, as the authors regularly refer to individual figures and stories from Celtic cultures. The book would work both as a reference work and a text one would read cover to cover. It is a very compact, slim little book which gives the reader a very good overview of the topic. I personally would have wanted a bit more detail in certain parts though. However, the extensive bibliography at the end provides ample scope for further research, so this is not a major issue. A short conclusion at the end would have been helpful, as the book ends rather abruptly.
A very good book, which I would wholeheartedly recommend to anyone interested in Cailleach mythology.… (more)

A wonderful collection of rituals, rites and stories regarding the goddess Hekate. This book is very well cited and their sources are always listed where the reader can find them easily (either in footnotes or in the back of the book). The authors even went as far as to cite certain passages that came from different reading sources.
The book itself reads rather flat as though the authors are presenting just straight facts, however let's be real, that is exactly what this book is. It gives great historical accounts of the goddess Hekate, her many counterparts, as well as her many cohorts.
With the way this book is written it may be a little bit boring for just the casual reader. I would definitely suggest REALLY wanting to read this book before picking it up as the information is a little dry. However very good nonetheless.… (more)