Recommended Reading
The following list has been compiled by members of Heathens of Yorkshire as a guide for those looking to expand their knowledge of Heathenry through reading. The number of books out there can be quite daunting, especially when you are first starting out on your Heathen journey, and it can be hard to know which ones are worth your time and money, and which are not. These books have proven to be helpful to different member of our group in their studies. Whilst this list is by no means exhaustive, we hope it will help you to focus your reading and expand your knowledge.
Getting Started
These books are recommended as a starting point for those who are just starting out in Heathenry, as they provide a good baseline of knowledge on lore and practices:
Ellis Davidson, HR, Gods and Myths of Northern Europe
Havamal (Many different translations are available, 3 of the most popular translations are available in one book produced by AUK)
Lafayllve, Patricia, A Practical Heathen's Guide to Asatru
Wodening, Eric, We Are Our Deeds
Gundarsson, Kveldulf, Our Troth (Volumes 1 & 2)
Thorpe, Benjamin, Northern Mythology
Gaiman, Neil, Norse Mythology
Egerkrans, Johan, Norse Gods
Heathen Children's Books
These books are great for explaining Heathenry to children
Coultas, Dan, Walking with the Gods - A Heathen Activity Book
Primary Sources
The following provide some of the key primary sources from which a large amount of our knowledge of the beliefs and practices of the ancient Heathens are taken:
Sturluson, Snorri, The Prose Edda
The poetic Edda
Penguin Classics, The Sagas of the Icelanders
The Rune Poem
Runes
The following books provide a good starting point for those who wish to begin to understand the mysteries of the Runes:
Mountfort, Paul Rhys, Nordic Runes
Pollington, Stephen, Rudiments of Rune Law
King, Bernard, The Runes
Wights and Ancestors
These books provide a good starting point for those wishing to further understand the roles of Wights and Ancestors in Heathenry:
Blain, Jenny, Wights and Ancestors
Gundarsson, Kveldulf, Elves, Wights and Trolls
Edgar, John G, Danes, Saxons and Normans; or, Stories of Our Ancestors
Anglo-Saxon Heathenry
These books focus on the Anglo-Saxon approach to Heathenry:
Wodening, Swain, Hammer of the Gods
Herbert, Kathleen, Lost Gods of England
Magic
Magic is not an essential part of Heathenry, and there are many Heathen's who do not incorporate it into their practices at all. However, is you are interested in Magic, the following books provide a good starting point:
Pennick, Nigel, Pagan Magic of the Northern Tradition
Albertsson, Alaric, Saxon Sourcery and Magic
Pollington, Stephen, Leechcraft
Griffiths, Bill, Aspects of Anglo-Saxon Magic
Prayer
The following book contains prayers for the Gods, Wights and ancestors which can be incorporated into blots:
Coultas, Dan, et al, The Gods’ Own County
Coultas, Dan (ed.) The AUK Book of Blots
Butler-Ehle, Hester, Hearth and Field
Wider Paganism
The following books are not strictly Heathen, but are applicable in a wider pagan context:
Hutton, Ronald, Pagan Britain
Rankine, David & D'Este, Sorita, The Isles of the Many Gods
Augustus, Flavius Claudius Julianus, Julian the Apostate Against the Galilaeans
Jennings, Pete, Pagan Paths
Carr-Gorm, Phillip, Heygate, Richard, The Book of English Magic
Coultas, Dan (ed) The Pagan Federation Anthology of Pagan Poetry
Viking and Saxon History
The following books provide a historical insight into the word that our Heathen ancestors inhabited:
Parker, Philip, The Northmen's Fury: A History of the Viking World
Oliver, Neil, Vikings
Williams, Thomas, Viking Britain
Magnusson, Magnus, The Vikings
Adams, Max, The King in the North
Fiction influenced by Heathenry
The following are fictional books that are not directly Heathenry resources, but are stories that are influenced by Heathenry and include Heathen themes, which you my find enjoyable as part of your wider reading:
Cornwell, Bernard, The Last Kingdom Series
Bates, Brian, The Way of Wyrd
Tolkien, JRR, The Lord of the Rings
Riordan, Rick, The Magnus Chase Series
Kristian, Giles, The Rise of Sigurd Series
Other Books
The following books do not fit into any of the above categories, but are useful in understanding specific areas of Heathenry:
Pollington, Stephen, The Meadhall
Blain, Jenny, Understanding Wyrd
Creedle, William, The Otter's Ransom: Moral Accompaniments To Legal Codes in Icelandic Sagas
Books that are not recommended
Whilst it is not normal to include a section of books to avoid, unfortunately there are titles out there which may appear to be useful to aspiring Heathens, but do no teach the inclusive Heathenry practised by Heathens of Yorkshire, and we would therefore recommend avoiding them. For this reasons we would recommend avoiding any books by Stephen McNallen, or anything published or written by the Asatru Folk Assembly.