W. Winwoode Reade

Title:	The Veil of Isis
Author:	W. Winwoode Reade
Publisher:	New Castle Publishing
Reprint:	1992
Reviewer:	Mike Gleason
Contact Information:	gleason.mike@verizon.net
Category:	Druidry
Review:	Perhaps the only problem which I had with this book was the lack of information regarding the original publication data. At no time is there any indication of when this book was published. From internal evidence (i.e., the latest date mentioned for a reference, and the style of writing) it is apparent that it was published near the end of the 19th century, but an actual date would have been nice. The author, understandably, writes from a Christian perspective and this perspective permeates the entire work. If you are seeking a balanced view of the Druids, you should look elsewhere. This book presents a look at how the earliest of "modern" writers approached the subject of "heathen" religions. It does not suffer, as many Victorian age works do, from beings so dry as to be difficult to read. It is, however, written in a style which many readers may feel uncomfortable with. There are no personal remarks except when referring to the natural superiority of the Christian beliefs. It is, in short, more scholarly than many more modern books on the subject. Whether it suffers from the prejudices of the author depends on individual interpretation. Although I did not expect to, I found myself enjoying the book. He assumes throughout the work that Christianity (specifically the Church of England) is divinely inspired, and has restored religion to what it was before paganism caused it to become degraded. Much of what he says about the religion of the Druids is reinforced by the "scholarship" of the 19th century, which tended to accept classical accounts as being totally accurate. As an account of Druidic belief, it is marginal, at best. As an account of early "modern" beliefs regarding Druids, it is an invaluable resource. It reflects the beliefs of the time without taint of political correctness. Those who have studied Druidism will find nothing new here. These accounts have been reprinted in many more modern writings. The value of this work, in my opinion, is in its non-apologetic approach. It relays the beliefs of the times with the assumption that anyone reading it will, of necessity, agree with the facts and conclusions reached. A good book for someone starting down the road to Druidism? Not particularly. A good resource for someone trying to learn how our understanding of Druidism has evolved? Absolutely. Would I rush out to buy it? No, but if I had the spare cash, I would certainly pick it up.
Review written:	13-06-01