sentences:  Gerald Gardner, the "father of Wicca", first introduced the Book of Shadows to people that he had initiated into the craft through his Bricket Wood coven in the 1950s.He claimed that it was a personal cookbook of spells that have worked for the owner; they could copy from his own book and add or remove material as they saw fit.He said that the practice of Witches keeping such a book was ancient, and was practised by the Witch-cult throughout history.