Will the real Hans Holzer please stand up

That last review should have indicated minus O for stars

Since Amazon hasn't posted an editorial review for this book, here is the description from the back of the book to help you decide if this book is for you: "Exciting explorations of the supernatural and the wonders of the human mind ... Dr. Hans Holzer, best-selling author and psychic investigator, examines many fascinating and ever-changing subjects. Read exciting and true accounts of: the powers of extrasensory perception, telepathic messages sent and received from thousands of miles away, prophetic dreams, reincarnation dreams in which past lives are revealed, UFOs and visitors from other worlds, witchcraft and paganism, healing and the occult sciences, survival after death. Many people have preconceived ideas on most of these subjects -- frequently ideas held over a lifetime. Dr. Holzer dispels the misconceptions and falsehoods by presenting new ideas, new evidence to endorse, correct, or supplant the old. Today the world is changing rapidly, with new discoveries and tremendous advances. ESP, Witches and UFOs helps to adjust our thinking -- even start thinking for ourselves."

After reading quite a few of the other reviews of this book, I thought I should toss in my opinion...

The spirit of this book (as based on Aiden Breac's teachings) follow fairly closely to the tradition that I was raised in by my mother, who grew up in the far north of Scotland. The idea that the Scottish pagan tradition is a solitaire one is very true, and the methods put forward are workable in any solitaire trad.

I will grant, on the other hand, that Buckland went overboard as usual. That I know of, the only pre-roman alphabet ever found in use in Scotland was Ogham, so I have no idea where he came up with his others. Also, the idea of a set formula of spells was never taught to me, so I don't think that this was a part of the trad. But I expected these things from Buckland as his goal is to give the masses what they want.

My point is that there are some jewels of wisdom in ths book that are of great use to any student of pagan traditions, and especially to a student of Scottish traditions.

A great book that i have used so many times the cover is falling off! Dr. Buckland got the information to write this book from the late Aiden Breac "a real life Scottish Witch" who lived all of 92 years,this book is anything but a fluff wicca book,this is a book that focuses predominantly on solitary ritual,and can be adapted to small circles of hedge witchs.For the uninformed, Pictish and Scottish are virtually one and the same,being that the Scots interbred with the Picts to the point of total absorption.In my opinion you cant go wrong with this book, but its important to know that the rituals are mostly for out of doors. True to Life PICTISH WITCHCRAFT IS WHAT YOU GET HERE.

I love this book!! I have read this book cover to cover countless times. If your looking for a book that teaches very structured rituals that need alot of tools(athame, pentacle disk, boline, broom, chalice, etc.) then I would recomend going else where, But if your looking for a very simple, basic yet beautiful and fulfilling book on the scottish laypersons aspect to the craft than this book is for you. Not alot of hoopla and dogma here just folk magick, natural magick and a some great yet simple sabbat rituals. Awesome book for people who want to practice wicca/witchcraft of the common folk and not the more elaborate ceremonial magick of the rich folk of the day.

I have several books on dream interpretation,which I keep on my bedside. I was looking for something more specific to my dreams...perhaps more of a breakdown. This book offers more broad interpretations, however, I enjoyed the insight and its different stance on interpretations.

Usually, I am a fan of Ray Buckland's work. I was a bit disappointed with the Gypsy Dream Book though. Usually in any other book I have bought, there are a lot more topics and a lot more information contained under those topics. The Gypsy Dream Book lets me down on both aspects. The background information that Buckland provides on Gypsy dream interpretation does, however, make for interesting reading.

I'm not certain that I take dreams very seriously, but Buckland has Rom ancestry and if this is his family's tradition regarding dream interpretation... well, why not have fun with it? This text is not presented as a deeply academic work, and if you enjoy dream books, this one is at least as good as--and perhaps better than--most in print today. I like Buckland's writing style, and this book is fairly easy to use. (And, yes, I have Traveler ancestry myself.)

Knowledgeable? No way! Not this story that is at least listed as "psi-fi" nor the other writings. Anyone knowledgeable or participant in any of the numerous divisions has know for a long time that Bucklands books are seemingly all fiction and figments of his imagination. He is a good producer of imagination and would probably make a great fiction writer but not on the occult. I hope readers will not be fooled by all this self-hype that many writers write about themselves and their own accomplishments.

Raymond Buckland is well know for his writing on the occult, including those aspects he covers in The Committee. He covers those aspects quite well, bringing out an interest in the subject, particularly for people who would not normally read his other material.

Unfortunately, his writings on astral projection and other occult topics is supported by a weak cast of predictable characters and a stereotypical plot. In fact, all the requirements of a predictable plot are fulfilled - the hints of romance, the conflicts within the groups, even the backstabbing villain.

The only reason to read The Committee is as a light preview to Buckland's other writing on the occult.

I've been a reader of Buckland for ages and just recently started reading his fiction. This book was an interesting read that kept me going forward.

HEY!!! WHO WROTE THIS JUNK? BUCKLAND WHY IS YOUR NAME ON THIS THING? BETTER YET WHY IS HOLZERS NAME ON IT? HANZ TRUST ME YOU DO NOT NEED BUCKLAND TO HELP YOU WRITE. WHOEVER DID THIS MESSED UP WHOEVER IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE GOTTEN CREDIT FOR GOOD WRITING. GEESH!!!!!!!!!!

A terribly written book. So bad.......it's scary

This book contains cases published elsewhere, from the beginning to middle portions of Holzer's career. Many have criticized Holzer for his breezy style, his flair for dramatics, and his love of the spotlight, but in truth he is a dedicated investigator of the paranormal who used the tools available to him to investigate haunted places, and help free those souls trapped on this side of the veil. Not incidentally, he also brought peace to those who were unwilling hosts to these unhappy creatures. Mediumship, his preferred method of interacting with the spirit world, has been attacked as lending itself to forgery or misinterpretation, but Holzer is sincere in his efforts, and combines his love of history and his passion for the paranormal to verify, as best he can, that the ghosts he claims to have encountered do indeed walk the earth. His methods were the most objective available at the time when Holzer began to study the phenomena in the 1950's.

There is no new material here, the book's contents having been culled from his previous works, but it does provide the reader with an understanding of Holzer's scope and approach. The book is flawed in that it misses out on the opportunity to have Holzer speak on these particular cases after all this time (most of them are from books published in the 1960s)--do the ghosts of Whaley House still walk, for example? Revision and new commentary on works previously is the most important reason for the republication of works, after all. This collection comes across as if neither the editor nor the author knew the purpose of its publication: neither did the public, apparently, judging by the numbers of them one finds at used bookstores.

Still, Holzer is the Carl Sagan of his field, making his subject matter accessible to the educated layperson. Future generations will look back on his work as we do on the works of those earlier scientists who made observations on material they could not completely analyze, for lack of proper equipment or paradigms; his works will also provide a rich resource for those who wish to go ghost hunting themselves. This book, then, is recommended for those who are just beginning to study the paranormal: the cases he studies here are classics of the field, and his bright conversational style is sure to entertain even as it informs.

Give us ALL a break Buckland. You have written such nonsense about every Craft I can think of. From Pagans, Wiccans, Scots, Voodoo, Gypsies, Africans,and ON AND ON and ON. How many traditions are you claiming to be part of? Why don't you let the people who actually KNOW about the different paths do the writing. This is by far the MOST ridiculous one you have out yet, but then we all know how the younger folks who are searching will still waste their money on books like this. Shame on the publishers for continuing this junk!

This 'divination set' is absolute garbage. Buckland is not a initiate of the secrets of Yoruba or Santeria or Orisha religion. He just put together a set based upon the most superficial understand of the Orisha. If you are a serious student of Yoruba/Santeria/Regla de Ocha begin looking at the books of Joseph Murphy and William Bascom. Stay away from this vile sort of pseudo-spiritual cotton candy.

By far one of the best ruse's ever. Americans are not dummies??? Well I don't know about that if they actually buy all this made up trash. What a waste. You may have never had a REAL job except making up your stories and publishing them as fact, but maybe it's time.