Review: Aradia A Modern Guide (Expanded Edition)

How about a new review to end the week? How about we talk about Aradia, Diana, and the Italian witches that threaten deities? If this sounds interesting to you, then you might want to give this book a try. It's Aradia: A Modern Guide to Charles Godfrey Leland's Gospel of the Witches (Expanded Edition), by Craig Spencer. As always, many thanks to the publisher for the review copy!

• Print Length: 200 pages.
• Publisher: Crossed Crow Books.
• Publication Date: November 18, 2025.
• Genres: History, Italian, Folklore, Non-Fiction, Paganism.
• Rating: 5/5 stars.

A fresh approach to the classic text.

Craig Spencer presents vital cultural context and updated translations of Charles Godfrey Leland’s classic book in Aradia: A Modern Guide to Charles Godfrey Leland’s Gospel of the Witches (Expanded Edition). Passed to Charles Godfrey Leland through supposedly hereditary witches from Italy in the late 1890s, Aradia was one of the building blocks for British Witchcraft as we know it today. Through Spencer’s in-depth commentary and analysis of the original work, contemporary value and rich historical narratives are revealed to anyone with a penchant for British Witchcraft’s most formative texts.

Spencer presents Leland’s original English manuscript with new interpretations, translations, and the restoration of forty lines of text that were left out of the original publication. This exploration of one of the world’s most fascinating and enduring pieces of magical literature is sure to inspire and enrich your own journey along the spiritually profound path of witchcraft.

I previously read the first edition of this book, which I enjoyed a lot. This edition presents additional spells at the end, while maintaining the in-depth analysis that I liked a lot from the beginning. Revisiting the Gospel once again, now as a more experienced practitioner, however, made me understand many more things than before.

Although I still disagree with some of the ideas, I can see the reasoning behind them much better now and understand where they come from. As I said in the first review, that's what I look for in a discussion: maybe not agree on everything, but have a clear understanding of where those arguments come from. Craig did a wonderful job at that in Aradia: A Modern Guide to Charles Godfrey Leland's Gospel of the Witches (Expanded Edition), so this is something I respect a lot.

I do wish there had been some updates in the material, however. The original book was published six years ago, so I feel there were opportunities to expand on the arguments, include new ideas, to enrich an already good book. While I respect the decision to present it as it has been, I still feel there could have been more to it.

All in all, I loved it. It felt like a discussion from the beginning, a nice class with a professor that knows what questions you will have ahead of time and has done his research. The original Gospel has been a source of much controversy through the years, so it shall come to no surprise that Craig addresses that as well as we progress with the reading. A book that enriches your practice and understanding, Aradia: A Modern Guide to Charles Godfrey Leland's Gospel of the Witches (Expanded Edition) is a must have for everyone!

PS: While we're at it, make sure to also read Craig Spencer's Witchcraft Unchained as well. You won't be disappointed!

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