If I had to pick just 1 book to read about the Norse Gods, which should I choose?

Question

Or 1 book about the Celtic?

There are alot of books, and I just want to know if there is any particular one I should get first or does it even matter.

Answer 1

My vote is the Poetic Edda for Norse, I have no idea for Celtic. Wreath or Storm can help you with that one

edit: Prose Edda (Younger Edda) is a "condensed version" but its very Christianized as Snorri was a monk. Still up there on the reading list, but personally I prefer the Elder Edda.

Answer 2

The Poetic Edda... There's also a book out that gives the stories in a more modern form called Norse Myths by Kevin Holland.

Celtic Myths and Legends by Peter Berresford Ellis

There are many others for the Celts and I'm sure you'll end up with a huge list for them lol =)

Answer 3

The Norse Myths by Kevin Crossley Holland is a great place to start, it has copius notes in regards to each of the stories. It makes a great book for begginners and vets alike.

Once you tackle that email me and I'll give you some other good ones.

Answer 4

In both instances I'd recommend a primary text, if you don't read the primary languages, a good translation.

But if you were limiting yourself to one text, which epic you picked wouldn't matter....

Edit1:Markale has a decent collection of Celtic Epics, but there are far more Eddas than fill one book...I mean, I'd go with Snorri Sturluson's The Prose Edda because *I* read that first, but there are problems with it.
Edit2:Actually, Markale and Sturluson's respective collections probably aren't a bad first stop, just bear in mind they aren't perfect. :)
Good luck.

Answer 5

I would get a translation of the "Younger Edda" by Snorri Sturlson

Its a kind of ancient "compressed notes" version of many of the tales