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 Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 7:55 pm
Speaking as someone who is quite new to wanting to collect some books for reading and studying, what are some books and/or authors that you would suggest for reading and why?
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Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 8:07 pm
Silvern Strings
Speaking as someone who is quite new to wanting to collect some books for reading and studying, what are some books and/or authors that you would suggest for reading and why?
On the subject of Paganism? It sort of depends what you're interested in. Ronald Hutton, generally.
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Sanguina Cruenta Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 8:11 pm
Sanguina Cruenta On the subject of Paganism? It sort of depends what you're interested in. Ronald Hutton, generally.
I'm not being particular.
I asked what are some suggested books and/or authors and why?
Ronald Hutton has a variety of books from what I can see.
Why do you like him? What makes him suggestable to someone else? What is your favorite book of his? Why do you like it, or just him, in particular?
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Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 8:24 pm
Silvern Strings Sanguina Cruenta On the subject of Paganism? It sort of depends what you're interested in. Ronald Hutton, generally.
I'm not being particular.
I asked what are some suggested books and/or authors and why?
Ronald Hutton has a variety of books from what I can see.
Why do you like him? What makes him suggestable to someone else? What is your favorite book of his? Why do you like it, or just him, in particular?
He's an academic. A leading academic on the history of (Neo-)Paganism. He's dry but quite funny. Generally academics >>>>> pop-Pagan authors, but academics tend to be very specific to one field or culture, and you don't get many who are interested in Neo-Paganism. Hutton's a peculiar duck. All his stuff is interesting. I don't know what to tell you for a wide variety. I mean we could be here for days listing various textbooks and so on. Without knowing more about what you're interested in I feel rather unable to continue. Like I could say "Small Gods" by Pratchett for its interesting theological ideas, but you sort of need to read more of the Discworld series so you know the world it's rooted in, so I'd have to just say "The Discworld Series" even though most of it is unrelated. There's so many different fields. It'd be helpful if you mentioned what particular religions, cultures, periods of history, areas of study etc have interested you so far.
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Sanguina Cruenta Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 8:33 pm
Sanguina Cruenta He's an academic. A leading academic on the history of (Neo-)Paganism. He's dry but quite funny. Generally academics >>>>> pop-Pagan authors, but academics tend to be very specific to one field or culture, and you don't get many who are interested in Neo-Paganism. Hutton's a peculiar duck. All his stuff is interesting. I don't know what to tell you for a wide variety. I mean we could be here for days listing various textbooks and so on. Without knowing more about what you're interested in I feel rather unable to continue. Like I could say "Small Gods" by Pratchett for its interesting theological ideas, but you sort of need to read more of the Discworld series so you know the world it's rooted in, so I'd have to just say "The Discworld Series" even though most of it is unrelated. There's so many different fields. It'd be helpful if you mentioned what particular religions, cultures, periods of history, areas of study etc have interested you so far.
I'm interested in making a historical basis for continuing to be honest.
My only training was from a woman from Scotland, I guess one could say her training was from mystery or whatever. Our Lady trained her when she was a teen and she taught us.
My blood is German, Irish, Italian, Russian, and Cherokee. I'm interested in texts about them, particularly their religious/magical practices.
I'm not one for ceremonial magic nor alters, candle magic, or anything involving mirrors. I'm most interested in shamanic books and herbal magic, gem/crystal magic, divination, alternative forms of communication.
That's to graze the surface I suppose. I'm mainly looking for an interesting read that's as free of pop-magic and bias as possible.
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Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 8:37 pm
The only book I currently have is The Magician's Tables: A Complete Book of Correspondences by Alan Richardson. I'm wanting to expand, but I'm very very very low on money and don't want to purchase without being very sure of what I'm buying.
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Sanguina Cruenta Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 9:02 pm
Silvern Strings An academic is good. I agree, they are far better than pop authors. Pop authors are actually what I want to stay away from and the reason I made this thread.
I'm interested in making a historical basis for continuing to be honest.
My only training was from a woman from Scotland, I guess one could say her training was from mystery or whatever. Our Lady trained her when she was a teen and she taught us.
My blood is German, Irish, Italian, Russian, and Cherokee. I'm interested in texts about them, particularly their religious/magical practices.
I'm not one for ceremonial magic nor alters, candle magic, or anything involving mirrors. I'm most interested in shamanic books and herbal magic, gem/crystal magic, divination, alternative forms of communication.
That's to graze the surface I suppose. I'm mainly looking for an interesting read that's as free of pop-magic and bias as possible.
When it comes to shamanism, are you talking about, like, spirit-work and otherworld travel? (Rather than specifically the traditions of the Shaman of Siberia.) If so, I liked Hillary S. Webb's "Exploring Shamanism", which I found both interesting from an information standpoint and quite inspiring. She has a focus on the Americas but overall tries to keep it general. You may also want to look into Hedgewitchcraft, which is traditional witchcraft (no ceremonialism) with a focus on otherworld work. On this subject I recommend "Hedge Rider" by Eric de Vries. He spends a lot of time, unfortunately, trying to convince one that Hel is the goddess of hedgewitches, which is very vexing, but the rest of the book is quite good. You might also look into "To Fly By Night" which has a series of essays and is edited by Veronica Cummer. (However I'd recommend avoiding anything by Robin Artisson, who is more interested in listening to himself talk than in saying anything of value, and who is a ceremonialist.) When it comes to Cherokee stuff, I suspect you'd be best off going to the source, and making contact with a teacher from that tribe. German: You might want to look into Heathenry. There are German Continental-specific books, but I have heard that they have a bit of racism to them, so I've avoided them myself. There's a book called "Hammer and the Cross" by Robert Ferguson about the Germanic conversions that you might find interesting; I'm not very far into it, but much of it has been about ritual and burial so far. Of course the lore - I like the translations of the Poetic Edda by Bellows and Hollander, but there are many, and I hear there is a recent translation that is very good. The Prose Edda and the Sagas are important too, and Tacitus's "Germania" and Ibn Fadlan's stuff. "Essential Asatru" by Diana L Paxson and "True Hearth" by James Allen Chisholm will start you off in Heathenry, they're shorter "entry-level" type stuff. Paxson's pop-paganism but will give you more of a feel for it than most academic stuff. Then "Our Troth" vol I and II, Gundarsson's "Elves, Wights and Trolls", and pretty much anything by H. E. Davidson. Irish: Not really my field, but avoid Conway and Edain McCoy. There's also this, which has been recommended to me. Italian: Depends if you want to go Roman or not. If so, there's a plethora of primary texts (and you may want to learn Latin. Just because.). If you're more interested in later Italian stuff, there's "Aradia: Gospel of the Witches", which you may find some value in. Grimassi paints his stuff as Italian but I've mostly heard bad things about his work. Russian I can't really help with. Ibn Fadlan spent time with the Rus, for whatever that's worth. There are Slavic recon groups. Sacred Texts doesn't have much but it may be a place to start from. Who is/was your lady? Just curious. smile
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Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 9:24 pm
Sanguina Cruenta When it comes to shamanism, are you talking about, like, spirit-work and otherworld travel? (Rather than specifically the traditions of the Shaman of Siberia.) If so, I liked Hillary S. Webb's "Exploring Shamanism", which I found both interesting from an information standpoint and quite inspiring. She has a focus on the Americas but overall tries to keep it general.
But alright. I'll see about it.
/rolls around
I'm beginning to get sleepy, but this is an excellent start.
EDIT - I'm liking what I've found of Germanic Paganism. :'3
Sanguina Cruenta Who is/was your lady? Just curious. smile
At one point, she had explained names having power and something about names causing fights and arguments. Thusly she and her consort had no names as did we not.
So our Lady, our Lord, and a general name of pagan.
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Posted: Sat Nov 24, 2012 7:49 pm
Went to the library today!
Found "The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles: Their Nature and Legacy" by Ronald Hutton there.
"Scandinavian Folk Belief and Legend" edited by Reimund Kvideland, Henning K. Sehmsdorf
"Scandinavian Folk & Fairy Tales" edited by Claire Booss.
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Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 11:47 am
Silvern Strings
Speaking as someone who is quite new to wanting to collect some books for reading and studying, what are some books and/or authors that you would suggest for reading and why?
Are you looking more for witchcraft or Pagan?
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Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 3:56 pm
Loona Wynd Silvern Strings
Speaking as someone who is quite new to wanting to collect some books for reading and studying, what are some books and/or authors that you would suggest for reading and why?
Are you looking more for witchcraft or Pagan?
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Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 11:30 am
Silvern Strings Loona Wynd Silvern Strings
Speaking as someone who is quite new to wanting to collect some books for reading and studying, what are some books and/or authors that you would suggest for reading and why?
Are you looking more for witchcraft or Pagan? I do agree with Sang's Hutton idea. For some general witchcraft I would suggest: What witches Do & A witches Bible by Stewart and Janet Farrar
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