Fairy book reviews on the Sidhe
December 28, 2021
Book reviews by Michael Pilarski
I am on a fairy book-buying spree in preparation for the on-line Fairy & Human Relations Congress on January 14-16, 2022. Here are reviews of two recently received books.
Fairy Faith in Ireland: History, Tradition and Modern Pagan Practice.
Lora O’Brien. 2021. Eel & Otter Press. 143 pages.
Present-day beliefs in Ireland about the Sidhe . A breath of fresh air on the topic. Drawing on the past, but very contemporary at the same time. An accessible read. Hard to misunderstand Lora O’Brien. The Sidhe are powerful beings and have magic powers. Traditional (and current) lore has it that they are not to be trusted and are dangerous to deal with, but it is possible to have beneficial relationships. Lora is an Irish witch who has personal experience with the Sidhe and has done extensive research. I read the book cover to cover inside of two days. A contemporary perspective for anyone with a serious interest in the Sidhe.
Call of the Sidhe: Magical Poems by WB Yeats and George Williams Russell (AE).
Commentary by Soren Hauge. Art by Jeremy Berg. 2021. Lorian press. 88 pages.
This book not only gives us a look at the Sidhe it also gives a nice introduction to W.B. Yeats and AE and their role in carrying on the fairy tradition. Both Yeats and AE were Irish revolutionaries and close friends. Yeats being a famous poet of the period and AE an artist and a poet. Their contributions to Ireland and the world are recognized. In this book, Soren Hauge highlights their work with the Sidhe.
Soren Hauge writes of William Butler Yeats: “He was not shy or reserved about his involvements [with the Sidhe] and it says a lot about Irish mentality that his fame has not been ridiculed or diminished because of his exploration of these dimensions of life.”
I wonder if that is what they will say about Michael Pilarski in the future.
About AE, Soren Hauge writes: As mentioned he was also a burning voice for the poor, was against capitalism and its greedy nature and fought for ordinary people and for real justice. No matter how much he was against injustice, he never forgot the ethical dimension of life. He is known for having said: “We may fight against what is wrong, but if we allow ourselves to hate, that is to ensure our spiritual defeat and our likeness to what we hate.”
