Book Review: Backwoods Witchcraft by Jake Richards
Thereâs something about this book that makes it feel so personal to the point that I almost donât want to recommend it, especially not to folks who donât have a connection to Appalachia. For someone like me whoâs connection was disrupted by financial hardships, moves, and strained relationships, this book is invaluable for filling in the gaps of the practice I did manage to inherit. I was born in West Virginia, much like many many generations before me. But I think I may have been the last child in my family to have been so. I lived in the state itself intermittently over the years, spending the rest of my time in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia at various points.
While this book is extremely approachable, I have a hard time knowing how someone who isnât either living in the region presently or connected to the region through family being able to get the full usefulness of this book. Which isnât to say those who donât have that connection canât read it, in fact I think those folks should but perhaps instead of the goal to use it, the goal should be to gain a greater appreciation for this style of traditional witchcraft and the power a thrifty hillbilly can wield with a little cunning and a lot of faith.
Stylistically, I have a deep appreciation for the way Richards has structured and narrated this work. Itâs true to how these traditions are passed down in families - in rambling stories, in spirals that touch on the same practices again and again in different lights, in biblical verses themselves. It felt familiar and welcoming in a way I rarely experience in texts.
Itâs also firmly rooted in the practical. While Richards backs up most spells mentioned with the theory as to why it works - something often missing and extremely important in texts detailing magical practices - they are described in simple uncomplicated language. The spells themselves range from incredibly simple to the painstakingly detailed so whether youâre looking for a few associations to add to your workings or a detailed cure for headaches - Richards has you covered.
One thing to keep in mind, and something Richards touches on at points, is that Appalachia is not a cohesive region by any means. Itâs highly regionalized and even within those regions family traditions will vary and take precedent. So this book is definitely a picture of a particular kind of Appalachian magic, but one that folks from other parts will no doubt find familiar. There were many practices that overlapped with my familyâs practices and for me lends credence to the rest.
Another reason I feel comfortable recommending this book is that it does not Wiccanify Appalachian magic at all, which is one reason why Iâve stayed away from the vast majority of works on the subject. Appalachian magic is firmly rooted in the Bible and thereâs absolutely no way around that. I know this will probably gain me plenty of pushback but at least for white folks in the region, thereâs no shortcut through nature spirits or deferring to some other god without losing the heart and soul of Appalachian practices. If you are uncomfortable with spellwork that requires a Bible and biblical verses/figures, then itâd be best to leave this book be. Â While there are a handful of practices that donât touch on things associated with Christianity, theyâre far outnumbered by practices that just plain wouldnât work if you bled them dry of the belief.
There were some things I didnât care for in the book personally. Iâm not sure how well the connection of Appalachian folk magic to practices of indigenous and enslaved folks was handled. Parts of it felt off. Richards explains his grandmother was Cherokee but doesnât explain any tribal ties so it feels a bit strange when he tries to convey practices and stories that he says are from that tribe. I know bonds like that are complicated - especially in the mountains - but itâs just not handled in a way that feels entirely skillful. Itâs hard to explain and I doubt Iâm the best person to speak on it so I raise it here only as a caution. I would just be leery of conveying those stories as facts.
I also wasnât a big fan of where some of the larger history was conveyed. Itâs a throw away line at the beginning of the chapter but it did bug me and I want folks to know the truth - folks in Appalachia didnât just sell off their land to coal mines and railway companies. Some did and those families enjoyed a certain amount of financial stability with their funds. But far more were forced out through disputing their claims, systematically destroying their ability to make a living off of their land, and outright theft. Â If your image of the modernization of Appalachia is one of a poor hillbilly that wasnât bright enough to know the coal mines would be terrible, youâre dead wrong. So take the social and geographic history here with a healthy dose of skepticism. If youâre looking for Appalachian history, Iâd suggest Ramp Hollow: The Ordeal of Appalachia by Steven Stoll and Uneven Ground by Ronald D. Eller.
But even with those weaknesses, the spellwork described in this book is something special and I feel comfortable recommending this book. Itâs extremely engaging; practically a masterclass in how to write about traditional witchcraft in an authentic way. Itâs unbashedly forthright and plainly practical. I eagerly look forward to any future work from Richards. What I wouldnât give for more work that makes a hillbilly like me feel so damn seen.
