The Witching Year

A Memoir of Earnest Fumbling Through Modern Witchcraft

By: Diana Helmuth

Narrated by: Diana Helmuth

A skeptic spends a year trying to find spiritual fulfillment by practicing modern Witchcraft in this fascinating memoir that’s perfect for fans of A.J. Jacobs and Mary Roach.

Diana Helmuth, thirty-three, is skeptical of organized religion. She is also skeptical of disorganized religion. But, more than anything, she is tired of God being dead. So, she decides to try on the fastest-growing, self-directed faith in America: Witchcraft.

The result is 366 days of observation, trial, error, wit, and back spasms. Witches today are often presented as confident and finished, proud and powerful. Diana is eager to join them. She wants to follow all the rules, memorize all the incantations, and read all the liturgy. But there’s one glaring problem: no Witch can agree on what the right rules, liturgy, and incantations are.

As with life, Diana must define the craft for herself, looking past the fashionable and figuring out how to define the real. Along the way, she travels to Salem and Edinburgh (two very Crafty hubs) and attends a week-long (clothing optional) Witch camp in Northern California. Whether she’s trying to perform a full moon ritual on a cardboard box, summon an ancient demon with scotch tape and a kitchen trivet, or just trying to become a calmer, happier person, her biggest question remains: Will any of this really work?

The Witching Year is a “compelling memoir” (Frances Denny, author of Major Arcana) that follows in the footsteps of celebrated memoirs by journalists like A.J. Jacobs, Mary Roach, and Caitlin Doughty, who knit humor and reportage together in search of something worth believing.

Beautifully written memoir

Beautifully written memoir that happens to be set inside a year of researching and experiencing witchcraft, Wiccan beliefs and spellcasting. This is not a how to book. It's about what if. What if you wanted to learn something immersively, speak to friends, family and practitioners along the way. And what if by the time you invested a year learning the thing, your biggest discovery was about yourself? Maybe that's the real magic of it all.

Refreshing!

I just loved this book! The author’s perspective and journey along with her writing style felt so genuine. I felt like I was going through her experiences with her. It also felt like a green light to try more things and it’s okay if I don’t connect with everything I try. Thank you for writing this book!

Freaking fantastic.

I’m so glad I chose to listen to this story. The author did a wonderful job reading her work. Her story is so relevant to those of us searching for the spiritual path that fits. Thank you for sharing your story.

Fun, engaging and informative read

I really enjoyed following the author’s journey and her candor about the trials and tribulations. I appreciated the amount of research she did and dedication to the cause. Her performance was entertaining and made you feel like you were having a conversation over coffee.

Moonlit shenanigans

Absolutely wonderful. Diana tells her story in such an engaging and fun way… I related so much to her and truly enjoyed sharing in her journey. Great performance on the audiobook, as well! Such a kind voice!