As a teenager, Eddie Buczynski had dreamed of becoming a Jesuit Priest. Rejected by the Church because of his questioning mind and budding homosexuality, his feet were soon set on a different path-one that would lead from his childhood home in Ozone Park to the raucous streets of '60s Greenwich Village, through the burgeoning Neo-Pagan spiritual movement of the '70s, before depositing him into the academic realm of Classical & Near Eastern archaeology. Bringing together the threads of disparate subcultures, social movements, spiritual paths and characters, "Bull of Heaven" weaves Buczynski's life into a tapestry that encompasses the history of contemporary Paganism and the occult in New York City. And in so doing, it offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of GLBT men and women whose heretofore untold contributions helped to shape the face of contemporary Paganism. Part biography, part history, Bull of Heaven shines a spotlight on that rarest of beasts–a... More > previously unstudied slice of New York City history.< Less
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By Steven Posch
Aug 19, 2012
*Bull of Heaven* is the single most important work of modern pagan historiography since Hutton's *Triumph of the Moon*. Lloyd tells the story of Minoan Brotherhood founder Eddie Buczynski with clarity, panache, and a wry sense of humor, but the book is more than a biography of an individual: it is, in a very real sense, the first biography of a local pagan community. More: Lloyd scrupulously documents the centrality of gay men to the creation of a modern American paganism. Lloyd beautifully captures the excitement, the ferment, and the sense of endless possibility that characterized the age. Old-timers will be filled with nostalgia; for new-comers, this book will provide a fascinating window into the witch wars, the larger-than-life personalities, and the dueling-egos politics of the period. *Bull of Heaven* is a loving tribute, generous (sometimes overly so) but never hagiographic, to one of the founders of the modern pagan community. Winner of three Golden Broomstick Awards: Best... More > Pagan History of the Year, Best Witch-Book Title of the Year, and Best Witch-Book Cover Design of the Year. Highly recommended.< Less
