Booklist

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Booklist

Getting Started, and Getting On...

Posted: Jan/99
Updated: Jan/00

I can only recommend the books I've already read, so if you don't see something here, it just means I haven't got to it yet.

Glass Temple's Top Ten Must-Reads
In Rank Order
10. Barstow, Witchcraze
9. McCoy, Celtic Myth and Magick
8. Harrow, Wicca Covens
7. Kramer and Sprenger The Malleus Maleficarum
6. Conway, Maiden, Mother, Crone
5. Cabot, Power of the Witch
4. Cuhulain, The Law Enforcement Guide to Wicca
3. Buckland, The Complete Book of Witchcraft
2. Starhawk, The Spiral Dance
1. Adler, Drawing Down the Moon

Annotated List (In no Particular Order)

BEGINNING WICCA

Scott Cunningham "Guide for the Solitary Practitioner"An excellent beginner book with a little bit of everything. History, ritual, Sabbats, magick, and everything you need to get started.

Kerr Cuhulain "The Law Enforcement Guide to Wicca" Intended for Law Enforcement Officers, but excellent for putting things clearly in perspective. Focusses on dispelling myths, and a good source of info on Sabbats, symbols, and finding out 'what Wicca is'.

Silver RavenWolf "To Ride a Silver Broomstick" A practical and humourous look at modern Witchcraft. Everything you need including rituals, thought, and some basics.

Vivianne Crowley "Wicca: The Old Religion in the New Age" A good sourcebook, with lots of history, symbols, and some philosophy. Perhaps not a good book for the 'beginning' beginner.

Scott Cunningham "The Truth About Witchcraft"A very basic introduction to Wicca, meant for those who know almost nothing. Aimed at dispelling the common myths.

Moorey "The Goddess"An overview of Goddesses and surrounding myths. A beginner book which provides a good look at different cultural Goddesses, and their different archetypal forms.

Moorey and Moorey "Pagan Gods for Today's Man" An overview of some Gods and surrounding myths. The same idea as the above, with focus on the male archetypes.

Starhawk "The Spiral Dance"An excellent beginner book, with meditations, ritual, and personalviewpoints. A good read even if you already have a handle on thebasics.
GENERAL WICCAN

Buckland "Compete Book of Witchcraft" An excellent source of facts and information. Rituals, herbs, gems, names, numerology, astrology, sabbats, healing, history, etc. Also includes workbook and excercises. I found the rituals and sabbats very unhelpful, however.

Pepper, Wilcock, eds "The Witches Almanac"Useful facts and information. Includes Lunar/planetary calendar, and interesting 'tidbits'.

McCoy, "Celtic Myth and Magick"Filled with information on the Celtic Pantheon, art and culture. I originally bought it just for the info on pronounciation, but was very impressed with the rest of the book. Excellent for those who have a handle on Wicca as a whole, and want to start looking into Celtic Wicca.

Cabot, "Power of the Witch"I really enjoyed this book, and it's worth reading just for thesection on the Science on Witchcraft. Some fascinating ideason 'how Witchcraft works'.

Harrow, "Wicca Covens"If you are planning on starting or joining a Coven, definately readthis. It gives insight into the workings of a coven; some thingsthat work, and some things that don't. Also includes the viewpointsof other coven members.
GENERAL PAGAN

Adler "Drawing Down the Moon"I can't recommend this book enough. An scholarly overview of modern Paganism, Wicca, and Goddess Worshippers in the Western world. Includes a study on the differing traditions of Paganism, as well as surveys conducted in the Pagan community itself.

Starhawk "The Pagan Book of Living and Dying"A book which examines the cycle of death and the process of dying. Rituals for caring for the dying; grieving, funerals and wills.

Conway "Maiden, Mother, Crone"A good overview of the Goddess, different cultural views of her, and many of her different forms. Focusses on the concept of the Triple Goddess, but includes other groups as well. Includes ways of bringing the Goddess into daily life.

Nicholson & Rosen "Gaia's Hidden Life"Not actually a Pagan book, but well worth the read. Examines the idea of the Gaia Hypothesis, and reactions from both the scientific and non-scientific communities. Studies the idea of Nature as a living being, from most sides of the issue.

Thomson "Magical Hearth" Focusses on herbs, and their application in everyday life. Centers around the idea of the Hearth in the home. Also includes some information on gems.

Head, MacLea "Myth and Meaning"Not actually a Pagan book, but a textbook on ancient myths. Information on ancient Greek and Roman deities, their relationship with one another, and the myths surrounding them.

Herzberg "Myths and Their Meanings"Same as above.

Rolleston(e), "Celtic Myths and Legends"Focussing exclusively on the history and myths of the Celts, thisis an excellent book for those who want a more in-depth look.
HISTORICAL

Kramer & Sprenger "The Malleus Maleficarum"The book that may have started the Witchhunts. Examines Witchcraft as evil, satanic, highly sexual, and frankly defying the laws of physics. Every myth you can possibly think of is in here, from intercourse with demons and flying broomsticks to conspiracy to corrupt the world. Love to Hate this one.

Barstow "Witchcraze; a New History of the European Witchhunts"Examines the Witchhunts from a more feminist viewpoint. Attempts to study the Witchhunts in a serious and scholarly manner, without exaggeration of numbers and facts. A good historical overview.

Kors & Peters "Witchcraft in Europe, 1100-1700"A collection of essays and works over history on the topic of Witchcraft. Includes excerpts from the Malleus Maleficarum.

Cohn "Europe's Inner Demons; The Demonization of Christians in Medieval Christendom"A scholarly study of the Witchhunts, and their relationship to religion and a society in fear.

Klaits "Servants of Satan"Another scholarly study of the Witchhunts.

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