This Book Reveals Some Captivating Facts About the Moon

Ruth Finnegan, writing under the pen name of David Campbell Callender, has released ‘The moon, the watching witching moon: Our light and companion’, Paperback. This is Volume 2 of the CALLENDER NATURE series. All other books in the series have also been written in the name of Ruth’s grandfather. They include ‘Grass, Miracle from the Earth’ and ‘Birds, What Are They, First Look’, with more on the way.

“The ‘witching’ in the title alludes to the view that the moon is associated with lunacy (Luna = moon),” says the author while explaining the relevance of the book’s title. “It is often believed that people come out in a mad way, as werewolves etc., and animals behave oddly at the time of the full moon – that mysterious body. Its origin is mysterious too – there are lots of guesses, both good and bad, but nobody really knows.”

Ruth has had the moon as her friend right from her childhood days. The moon guided her through the streets and the rocks as there was no road or electricity in those days. The light of the moon was the saving grace for her and her family.

She has some fascinating things to share about the full moon. Under the full moon, all the little rabbits would come out of their burrows and play in the sand and the grass. The ants scuttled around, and even the birds, not just the night birds like the owls, but all other birds, would raise their heads from their nests and look out. The whole family and its previous generations knew about the phases of the moon.

Ruth was familiar with the beautiful crescent. She saw it as a line in the sky – enchanted, entrancing, and at first too slim to be visible. She also witnessed how the crescent grew magically night after night, increasing its visibility and inspiration. She discovered how half-moons transformed into full moons and what the transformation did to the tides. She learned too about the great spring and ebb waves and the moon’s connection to them by closely following the celestial changes.

She does not see the moon as a ‘he’ or a ‘she’. For her, the moon is neuter but living and with a capital letter. It is an object she reveres, and that’s why her book has some spelling inconsistencies – for her, it is the fluid ambiguity of the moon. She loves the ever-recycling moon with its incredible serenity, watching and entrancing people all the time.

‘The Moon, The Watching Witching Moon: Our Light and Companion’ was chosen as a Finalist in the non-fiction/culture category in the Readers Favorite Book Competition, 2021.

For more information, and to buy the book online, visit: David Cambell Callender