Lee R. Gandee (1917–1998)

As the title says, this is an autobiography. Gandee was a very interesting man, but he should have had someone else write his bio. This book was somewhat irritating, as it oscillates between wonderfully fascinating sections and utterly boring parts of his life and childhood, and unfortunately more often the latter. If it wasn't for the occasional parts that were pure gold, I would have given up. He also has a habit of going off on tangents that have little to do with anything else.

While I'm glad I read it, it wasn't quite what I was expecting, or what it could have been. Gandee led a really unusual life, yet the majority of the book is focused on mundane things that are part of most anyone's life, at least those from that time period. He really should have focused on what made his life unique. Perhaps he was trying to prove that he wasn't all that weird after all.

It was still worth reading because I was able to see Pennsylvania Dutch hexcraft, from a Pagan perspective, rather than the usual Christian. And I learned about a lot of practices that I hadn't encountered else where, including numerous designs for hex signs and their meaning. Most books only contain hex signs designed for positive effects; however, Gandee includes a few that are for malicious work. These are very rare, and I find them fascinating. So while I did find value in it, over all it was a disappointment, especially considering the interesting legends surrounding Gandee.… (mais)