Worthy reading list

[Firebird]

Merry meet all!
So often I have heard ...what is a good book to get me started? The list is tremendous, and depending on your particular tradition or way of thinking...the list is hugely varied.
This thread is for listing very worthy books,... please refrain from fluffy stuff and try to list serious books for the magical practitioner.
Please remember to list the name of the book...it's author, and publisher, if possible.

This list is from my churches BoS which is based in Celtic lore...
some of them are out of print, and some are hard to find and expensive,
but may be available from the library.

CELTIC READING LIST
The Chalice and the Blade, by Riane Eisler..Pub; Harper and Collins
The Crone, by Barbara Walker
Eight Sabbats for Witches, by Janet and Stewart Farrar
The White Goddess, by Robert Graves
The Western Way, Catlin and John Matthews
The Elements of Celtic Tradition, by Caitlin Matthews
Celtic Gods, Celtic Goddesses, by R.J. Stewart
Pagan Celtic Britain, by Anne Ross
Celtic Mythology, by Proinsias MacCana
Mabon and Mysteries of Britain, by Caitlin Matthews
Celtic Heritage, Alwyn and Brinley Rees
Legendary Britain, by John Matthews and R.J.Stewart
Celtic Realms, by Myles Dillon and Nora Chadwick
The Welsh Triad, by Rachel Bromwich (editor/translator)
The History of the Kings of Britain, by Geoffery of Monmouth
Aquarian Guide to British and Irish Mythology, by Caitlin and John Matthews
Book of Invasions, 12 century Irish (if anyone finds this one let me know)
The Mabinogion ...various publishers
The Witches Goddess, by Janet and Stewart Farrar
The Witches God, by Janet and Stewart Farrar
When God was a Woman, by Merlin Sone
The Woman's Encyclopaedia of Myths and Secrets, by Barbara Walker
Drawing Down the Moon, by Margot Adler
The Spiral Dance, by Starhawk
The Goddess Obscured, by Pamela Berger
Living Magical Arts and Advanced Magical Arts, by R.J. Stewart
Iron John, by Robert Bly
Practical Celtic Magic, By Murry Hope
Celtic Mythology, by Ward Rutherford
Craneskin Bag, by Robin Wiliamson, James Hutchenson
Celtic Bards, Celtic Druids, by R.J. Stewart

Read On Folks! Many Blessings, Firebird

[North Star]

Nice list

Margot Adler was one of my first and favorites.

Many great books there!

[Isis3Anubis]

he Witches Goddess, by Janet and Stewart Farrar
The Witches God, by Janet and Stewart Farrar are my goto favorites for god/dess references.
I am still trying to get through The White Goddess by Robert Graves. It's a PDF online if anyone is interested. Just google it.

[YanaKhan]

I think "Diagnostics of Karma" by S. N. Lazarev is a book worth reading. It's written from the Christian prospective, but actually there are some extremely good insights about Karma, reincarnation and the Cosmic laws there.

[loona wynd]

So here are my lists. I have a list for BTW, Modern solitary Wicca, Magic, and Traditional Witchcraft. I also have lists on shamanism, Germanic paganism and much more. I think these four topics will provide a good sample of reading materials. The books are not listed in any particular order. My personal favorites will be marked with an *

British Traditional Wicca reading list
This is focuses on the practices, theories, and history of traditional Wicca as created and revealed by Gerald Gardner. There is a mixture of lore, practices, and history in these books. While they may not necessarily be a how to, they do provide you with a lot of information about the culture of BTW covens and practices.

• Triumph of the Moon by Ronald Hutton

• *What Witches Do by Stewart Farrar

• *The witches Bible or 8 sabbats for witches and The witches way by Stewart Farrar and Janet Farrar

• Witchcraft Today by Gerald Gardner

• The Meaning of Witchcraft by Gerald Gardner

• *Witchcraft for Tomorrow by Doreen Valiente

• The Rebirth of Witchcraft by Doreen Valiente

• *Lid Off the Cauldron: A Wicca handbook by Patricia Crowther

• 5o years of Wicca by Frederic Lamond

• Wicca: The old religion in the new Millennium by Vivianne Crowley

Solitary Modern Wicca
This list here focuses on the traditions of modern Wicca which allow for solitary practice. There are many more books I have read over the years that I could include with this list. This list does however provide several different insights as to the way Wicca rituals work. That is why I have created this list-to give a large set of samples of books and practices.

• Power of the witch by Laurie Cabot

• *Elements of Witchcraft Natural magick for Teens by Ellen Dugan

• Essential Wicca by Paul Tuitean and Estelle Daniels

• Witchcraft An Alternative Path by Ann Moura

• The Wiccan Path (US title) or Hedge Witch (UK title) by Rae Beth

• *The Wiccan Way (Us Title) or Hedge Witch's Way (UK title) by Rae Beth

• *Wicca a Guide for the Solitary practitioner by Scott Cunningham

• Wicca for one by Raymond Buckland

• Buckland's complete book of witchcraft by Raymond Buckalnd

• *Full magick Contact by Kerr Cuhulain

Magic Studies and skills
This list here is all about magical philosophy, skills, theory, and practice. The idea here is that sometime people have difficulty finding books that focus basically only on the magical practices of witchcraft. Most of the magic books on witchcraft I have found out there are tied directly in with the Wiccan religion and their philosophies. Here are some books I have found that are useful for learning magic.

• *Practical Solitary Magic by Nancy Watson

• Practical Magic for Beginners by Brandy Williams

• *Green Magic by Ann Moura

• *True Magick a beginners guide by Amber K

• *The Witch and Wizard Training Guide by Sirona Knight

• Everyday Magic by Dorothy Morrison

• *Earth Power by Scott Cunningham

• *Earth, Air, Fire, & Water more techniques of natural magic by Scott Cunningham

Traditional Witchcraft
This list here is about traditional witchcraft. This is the form religious witchcraft took before Gerald Gardner created Wicca. This path works with underworld beings and spirits. There is a deep connection to the ancestors and to the land. This is also a duotheistic or a God and Goddess based path.

• *A Grimoire for Modern Cunningfolk by Peter Paddon

• Mastering Witchcraft by Paul Huson

• *Hedge Rider by Eric De Vries

• *Craft of the wild witch by Poppy Palin

• Sorgitzak Old forest craft by Veronica Cummer

• *The Forge of Tubal Cain by Ann Finn

• *The Witching Way of the Hollow Hill by Robin Artisson

• Balkan Traditional Witchcraft by Radomir Ristic translated by Michael C. Carter, Jr.

If you'd like to see my lists on Shamanism, Germanic Paganism, Greek Paganism, Egyptian Paganism, and Classic Occult texts I can post those later.

[Nightwatcher]

@loona wynd: I'd love to see your list on Greek Paganism!

[Siona]

loona wynd isn't a member here anymore, but I can share my list for that...

General Greek Paganism
Primary sources, various translations can often be found online.
Theogony and Works and Days, Hesiod
The Illiad, The Odyeesy, and the Homeric Hymns, Homer
The Orphic Hymns, Orpheus
The Delphic Maxims

Additional Sources
Greek Religion, Walter Burkert
Greek Folk Religion, Martin P. Nilsson
Portrait of a Priestess: Women and Ritual in Ancient Greece, Joan Breton Connelly
Kharis: Hellenic Polytheism Explored, Sarah Kate Istra Winter
The Greek Way of Life (and) The Greek Way of Death, Robert Garland
Festivals of the Athenians, H. W. Parke
Restless Dead, Sarah Iles Johnston
Ancient Greek Divination, Sarah Iles Johnston
Arcana Mundi: Magic and the Occult in the Greek and Roman Worlds, Georg Luck
Magika Hiera: Ancient Greek Magic and Religion, Christoper A. Faraone
Miasma: Pollution and Purification in Early Greek Religion, Robert B. Parker
Greek Virginity, Giulia Sissa (Including this because several goddesses are considered virgin goddesses, but virginity had a different context in ancient Greece than it does for many today.)

Specific Greek Deities
Hekate Soteira: A Study of Hekate's Roles in the Chaldean Oracles, Sarah Iles Johnston
Bearing Torches: A Devotional Anthology for Hekate, Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Hekate Liminal Rites, Sorita D'Este
Artemis: Virgin Goddess of the Sun & Moon, Sorita D'Este
Dancing in Moonlight: Understanding Artemis Through Celebration, Thista Minai
Unbound: A Devotional Anthology for Artemis, Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Cult of Aphrodite: Rites and Festivals of the Golden One, Laurelei Black
Queen of the Sacred Way: A Devotional Anthology in Honor of Persephone, Bibliotheca Alexandrina
The Eleusinian Mysteries & Rites, Dudley Wright
(Bibliotheca Alexandrina also has several other devotional anthologies for other deities, including several other Greek deities, but I have not read them myself yet, so I won't include them specifically here, but you can see their offerings on Amazon.)

[Nightwatcher]

Thank you VERY much Siona!!! I'm going to try and get 'Dancing in Moonlight: Understanding Artemis Through Celebration' right away~ To the book store!

[azriel]

More books to add to my pile!

For the Celtic book list, I have read various books by Ann Moura, and they are not only a view into this path but she provides a foundation on which beginners can begin their research on. Especially her Green Witchcraft trilogy.

Azriel
^-^~

[Negoni]

I would recommend
"spells for teenage witches"
And
"spells for the witch in you"
Both of which are by marina baker however,these two are pagan and are white magic spells but it also includes the sabbats and how to celebrate them.

[SpiritTalker]

Bumping to save

[RhiannonRain]

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