Falling James“I’ve always made it a policy to do things that scare me,” Amanda Yates Garcia boldly declares in her fascinating new book, Initiated: Memoir of a Witch (Grand Central Publishing). As a witch, writer, artist and the self-declared Oracle of Los Angeles, Yates Garcia demystifies a lot of the misconceptions about life as a practicing witch, revealing how venerable pagan traditions not only resonate in modern, mechanized society but are also a source of relevance and inspiration for feminists and their allies.
“This book is an alchemical mixture of memoir, mythology, manifesto, theory, visions and dreams,” she explains, and Initiated is just as much a compelling memoir about the author’s experiences as a sex worker and spiritual seeker as it is a guidebook to magical living that’s infused with impressive literary allusions and historical references. Yates Garcia discusses her new tome with fellow writer Reneice Charles.
Book Soup, 1818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; Mon., Nov. 4, 7 p.m.; free. (310) 659-3110, booksoup.com.
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