Merlin Stone Remembered is a compilation of Merlin Stone’s previously published and unpublished pieces, alongside contributions from her partner Leonard Schneir and other scholarly insight from Dr. David B. Axelrod, Dr. Carol F. Thomas, and Gloria Orenstein.
Merlin Stone is most revered for her ground-breaking book, When God Was a Woman. Through this instrumental work, Stone delves deep into the worship of matriarchal deities that predates modern patriarchal religion, and investigates why and how male-centric systems reacted against the worship of women. In the 1970s and ‘80s, through the popularity of When God Was a Woman, Goddess religion was resurrected. Stone brought forth a compelling, evidence-driven unraveling of patriarchal religion. The ripple effects from Merlin’s scholarly work are well-noted and discussed in Merlin Stone Remembered, nevertheless I was unexpectedly moved by something else.
Despite the fame and recognition that Merlin Stone received for her great scholarly contributions, what I came to feel throughout Merlin Stone Remembered was the imprint of Merlin within its pages. Interviews with friends and colleagues are included in the book and give readers a sense of who Merlin was. Readers peer into Stone’s mannerisms, attitudes, and inner workings through the inclusion of her partner Leonard “Lenny” Schneir’s memoir within the first third of the book, which conjures a more personal side of Merlin. Lenny’s memoir shows the multidimensional love they had, as teacher, as partner, as supporter. With this kind of impression of Merlin Stone, I am convinced readers venture into the rest of the scholarly work with care, compassion, and affection. They are more open to taking in its riches, or seeing them in new ways if familiar with Stone’s work from before.
Merlin Stone changed the life of each individual she and her work came into contact with. Whether one reads the notes from colleagues in the field who share the utmost respect for her, letters from inspired supporters, or anecdotes from her loved ones, the compilation of works in Merlin Stone Remembered paints a picture of love, respect, and admiration for Stone—the mother, partner, scholar, sculptor, poet writer and more.
By the end of the book, it is undoubtedly clear that Stone lived a life that was true to herself. Even more so, readers can see the great sense of respect and admiration that Stone’s loved ones had for her. I have great respect for Stone who advanced thinking through her scholarship. Indeed, she validated, created, and progressed thinking to honor and support women, our intuition, and our past. Stone incorporated elements of intersectional feminism into her scholarly work by documenting the worship of Goddess across different cultures and races, and noting the symbolism in lightness and darkness, and its impact. Her essay 3,000 Years of Racism might as well have been written within the last few years as it is pertinent to understanding oppression and violence today in 2016. With a doubt, Stone’s work is timeless.
This book, a compilation of “artifacts,” will impact readers inspiring them not only to follow their life’s passion, but to do so in a way that positively affects the course of others’ lives and the planet.