The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft: The Complete A-Z for the Entire Magical World - Judika Illes 2005

Cunningham, Scott (June 27, 1956—March 28, 1993)
Witchcraft Hall of Fame

Scott Cunningham was a prolific writer who authored over 15 books, some considered magical classics. He was a key individual in facilitating solitary Wiccan practice. His book, Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (1988) was controversial as some Wiccans felt (and feel) that only coven initiations and group ritual were valid.

Cunningham moved to San Diego, California in early childhood where, at the age of 15, he became fascinated by witchcraft. One evening he watched the film Burn, Witch, Burn! on television (see CREATIVE ARTS: Films). The following day at school, Cunningham met a fellow student, Dorothy Jones, who told him that she had been initiated as a witch two years earlier. Her craft name was Morgan. Cunningham described her as a “Moon Priestess”: she was to become Cunningham’s magical teacher and would initiate him into her Wiccan tradition.

Cunningham was fascinated by herbs and became an authority on them. His book A Witch’s Herbal was rejected by many publishers before its publication in 1982 under the title Magical Herbalism. It quickly became a favorite and was followed by many others.

He contracted cryptococcal meningitis in 1990 from which he never fully recovered. There were many more books he wished to write; those that he did include: Earth Power (1983), Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (1985), The Truth About Witchcraft (1987), Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem and Metal Magic (1987), The Magic of Incense, Oils and Brews (1989), The Magic in Food (1991), Living Wicca (1993), Spell Crafts (1993), Hawaiian Religion and Magic (published posthumously, 1994)