Over the years, many witches have told their tales of awakening in memoir form. While the backgrounds and settings of these narratives are all richly unique, what they share is a theme of reclaiming one's power by embarking on an underworld journey that ultimately releases them to eschew cultural pressures and tap into their own raw, suppressed magic. In this post, we run through the best recent memoirs about witches and magic that can enlighten and inspire your own journey.
Initiation (noun): “the rites, ceremonies, ordeals, or instructions with which one is made a member of a sect or society or is invested with a particular function or status” (Merriam-Webster). When 13-year-old Amanda Yates Garcia is initiated into her role as a witch by her mother, a practicing witch herself, she learns that with great initiations comes great responsibility. Garcia’s calling towards the earth-centered magic of Wicca led her to reclaim autonomy over her body and identity as a witch from the throes of the patriarchal world around her--because what witch hasn’t faced a few trials throughout her life? Michelle Tea, author of Against Memoir, called this feminist memoir “gorgeously written, fierce, political, personal, and deeply inspiring.” Initiated is the perfect read not only for the modern day witch, but also for anyone looking to harness their inner magic to create a more liberated world.
Diana Helmuth's memoir offers an honest look at seeking spirituality outside the confines of Western religion. A provocative seeker's journey, Helmuth's 2023 book straddles the line between memoir and literary documentary as the writer searches for the answer to why witchcraft is such an alluring path for so many young women today. Written from the perspective of a curious skeptic, the memoir sees Helmuth showing up wary of both organized and disorganized religion as she connects with practitioners and guides in the world of witchcraft.
Readers are treated to a 365-day journey of investigating incantations, liturgy, rules, and coven structure. Along the way, we can appreciate and relate to the strange mix of feeling as though one is coming close to touching the divine and wincing through absurd moments of blunders and self-consciousness.
Maria Toll's memoir chronicles an enchanted path of magical awakening that takes readers on a journey from Brooklyn to Ireland in search of fulfillment and the realization of a deep longing to connect with the earth. Practitioners and curious minds who are interested in the medicinal and "potion" sides of magic will enjoy Toll's account of her year-long sabbatical spent studying under an herbalist in Ireland. In addition to chronicling her own spiritual growth and connection with the earth, the writer shares the magical knowledge and rituals she collects along the way.
Elissa Washuta's White Magic is an essay-based memoir that is as much about the American experience as it is about the writer's relationship with magic. While Washuta's early exposure to spirituality as a Native American woman came in the form of tarot cards and sage, she developed a deeper yearning for the occult that could connect her to the spirits and powers that communed with her ancestors. Intertwined with Washuta's spiritual journey is a raw commentary on abuse, addiction, bipolar misdiagnosis, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
A comedic, slightly sardonic memoir of witchcraft, complicated family bonds, and self-discovery, Toil & Trouble is an entertaining account of one modern man’s relationship with ancestral magic. Filled with an innate knowledge of being “different” from others, Burroughs confessed his ability to manifest things that should have never happened to his mother, who told him, rather calmly, that he was a witch. After learning he descended from a long line of witches, Burroughs embarked on an expedition to understand what it means to be a witch in the modern world and how to use his gift for the greater good. A Goodreads Choice Award winner, Burroughs’ memoir is a testament to embracing the deepest and darkest parts of yourself, no matter how strange they may be.
Inglenook Lit is an online literary magazine for magic enthusiasts and enchantment seekers
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