Pagans: I'm interested in knowing what non-fluffy, academic based Pagan and Wiccan books you recommend?

Question

Please....only practioneers or pagan friendly people answer this question. Thanks!

I've already read Spirial Dance and Drawing Down the Moon. I'm looking for something more recent but older sources would be welcomed too.

lol..I'm ashamed to admit I have two Ravenwolf books...*Yikes!* ah well..we all have to start somewhere...

well...as far as what I want to accomplish, just a better, overall idea of where Paganism came from, so probably I'm more interested in a historical record. I've been practicing for over 20 years now and I feel I've progressed away from the more basic material. But any good books would be appreciated. You can learn from everything really, even the bad stuff!

Answer 1

If you're looking for strictly academic texts, there are a couple of recommendations here: http://lupabitch.wordpress.com/tag/academicjournalistic-approaches/

The rest of the site includes more book reviews by yours truly. I'm a stickler for good scholarship and will lower the score of a book if the author doesn't show their research. Also, a little bit of self-pimpage, I write for Immanion Press ( http://www.immanion-press.com ) --if you scroll down the sidebar on the link above, you'll get to a section called "Green Wolf books"--that includes information on all the nonfiction titles which, again, are generally well-researched but also backed up by solid practice.

Answer 2

Kind of a complex question...

If you truly want "non-fluffy, academic based" books on Paganism, you're probably going to have to delve into more path specific stuff, and then dig in your HISTORY section and NOT the Pagan section at your local bookstore. For example, a Hellenic Pagan might want to consider "Greek Religion" by Walter Burkert, "Ancient Mysteries: a Sourcebook" by Marven Meyer, etc.

As for decent Neo-Pagan books, there are plenty of decent selections out there, but they can be hard to find considering you really do have to navigate a sea of sh*t. While they're a bit older, I'd recommend the Farrars' books (Janet AND Stewart, that is; Janet's newer stuff with Gavin Bone tends to be a bit lacking). "The Witches Bible", "The Witches God", "The Witches Goddess" are all solid selections. Oberon Zell-Ravenheart writes great stuff. There are plenty others, but these should get you started.

jw

Answer 3

Non fluffy is kind of a point of view, the books i would recommend for all people pagan or not would be The Pagan Man by Issac Bonewits, it covers nearly every aspect with concepts that pagans are likely to embrace but by no means says that its a text to describe all pagans. For wiccans specifically i would probably recommend Wicca a guide for the solitary practitioner by scott cunningham, he seems to have a good grasp on things and is well respected in the wiccan community, he died awhile ago though. Even after i left wicca in favor of Asatru i still held many of the beliefs that were in wicca, and paganism in general that i read in those books since they helped alot. I cannot recommend much for Druidry i only have one book on it and thas Solitary Druidry by a archdruid whos friends with Issac Bonewits. For Asatru, and by the way grouping Asatru with paganism is extremely controversial, i would recommend Essential Asatru by Diana Paxton who is also a friend of Issac Bonewits and her book provides a good list of extra reading and gives enough info for you to decide whether you should continue on that path or not. For more on Asatru, check out the 2 volumes of Our Troth, the first is history and lore the second is about living it. One book i would recommend but say you need to read other books on wicca first since the author is under the interpretation that you have been well informed in Wicca already is the book Bucklands complete guide to witchcraft. Another book is The Everything Paganism Book.

Answer 4

Pagan Spirituality by Joyce and River Higginbotham is a nice, chewy book that will likely take you some time to get through and digest.

If you liked Spiral Dance, pick up The Earth Path, also by Starhawk.

I'm also loving The Circle Within by Dianne Sylvan, though I don't know that I'd consider her "academic based".

Answer 5

Scott Cunningham was the first book I ever read on it on recomendation of a Sumerian I know. He said it was a good place to start and I agree! I have spriral out since then, but I read a lot of essays and recomendations. And I never, ever, ever, ever, ever Read Silver Ravenwolf. *shiver

Mine was...crap...Solitary Practitioner I think? It's in the bedroom and that's too far to walk. Sorry. I've had a long day LOL

edit: LOL well if reading her books got you to better ones then we won't hold it against you ;)

Answer 6

Earth Power by Scott Cunningham
Embracing the Moon by Yasmine Galenorn

edit:
It's okay, I started on ravenwolf

Answer 7

Joseph Campbell
The hero with a Thousand Faces
The Masks of God
Historical Atlas of World Mythology
The Power of Myth
Myth and Mythmaking

All are very Good

Answer 8

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Answer 9

For history, I recommend "The Triumph of the Moon" by Ronald Hutton for a non-Wiccan professional historian's view of the rise of modern Pagan witchcraft.

And I second (third? fourth?) the Cunningham recommendations.

Answer 10

I like Wicca for one and Bucklands Complete Book of Witchcraft by Raymond Buckland and Wicca and Living Wicca by Scott Cunningham.

Also Wicca for men by A.J. Drew
BB