Witches Weekly asks "If you had to buy a Book to give to someone that had no clue about paganism and wished to learn, what book would you pick and why?"

I guess this question is aimed at recommending books for a beginner, rather than someone who wants to know more about what paganism is for information's sake.

One of the first books I recommend is The Spiral Dance by Starhawk. It's a book that's very relevant to my variety of paganism (and I guess I'd be recommending with a bias towards my own practice - I can't really recommend books that don't resonate with me). I'd give the usual "ignore the history, read the footnotes" spiel, referring to the 20th anniversary edition, and then let them go from there. It's an excellent book that covers the basics but also has the potential for much deeper practice, and it does so with an eclectic approach rather than a strictly Wiccan approach. It's easy and absorbing to read, has plenty of exercises and personal anecdotes, and the footnotes that examine and elaborate on the way Starhawk's own beliefs have changed are great for a beginner to read.

If a beginner was interested in druid practices, or had Celtic leanings, I'd send them in the direction of Emma Restall Orr's Ritual. It's a book with a very broad basis - it can be reading from an atheist's perspective, which I think is good for beginners, as it doesn't assume certain beliefs. I came from an atheist upbringing into paganism, so I enjoy books that discuss aspects of belief and deity, which Ritual does. It's also a fascinating and deeper look at a main practice of most pagans - ritual itself. The ritualistic practices of paganism, and the reasons behind them, are a very useful point for a beginner to start.

Both of the above books assume a certain fascinated interest in paganism. If a beginner is looking for a very basic, "this is what's what" guide, then I would recommend some of the books published by Thorsons, like Paganism (Vivianne Crowley), Thorsons Way of Wicca (Vivianne Crowley), and Druidry (Emma Restall Orr). These are all good basic beginners books that don't go too deeply into aspects a beginner may not be interested in, but also don't skim over the top of important issues.