Blog Archives
Yuletide Shopping Guide – Books
Today is the last and final installment of my Yuletide Shopping Guide. I created the Yuletide Shopping Guide in part because Yule is one of my favorite times of year. The guide features items polytheists might enjoy seeing in their homes or under their tree this yuletide. All with the hope of spreading some holiday cheer in a difficult year by finding items that can help feed our devotions within our polytheistic traditions, but also to hopefully along the way lift up some of the artisans in our midst too.
So far I’ve included resources for crafters, makers, and DIYers: cookie cutters, crafting molds, fabric (Mesoamerican, Egyptian, Greek, Northern Europe), machine embroidery designs, cross-stitch and embroidery patterns, as well as knitting and crochet patterns. I’ve also highlighted some items on a Krampus theme. I’ve spotlighted items you can use to deck the halls & trim the tree.
Check out the Greco-Roman themed products relevant to devotees of Cultus Deorum and Hellenismos, the Egyptian themed products ( Part 1 & Part 2 ) relevant to devotees of Kemetism, Northern European themed products ( Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 & Part 5) relevant to Northern Tradition polytheists (Heathens, Asatruar, etc.), as well as some Miscellaneous ( Part 1 & Part 2 ) spotlights featuring artists and artisans who offered a range of product across pantheons, or whose work focused on a tradition that I didn’t have enough items to spotlight on its own. Peruse with care and you will find items related to deities from the Norse, Slavic, Celtic, Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Hindu, Polynesian, Mesoamerican, Minoan, Assyrian, Sumerian, Welsh, Asian, Native American/Inuit, and more!
Today I’ll be spotlighting books.
Affiliate Advertising Disclosure
I am an avid reader and quite the bibliophile. If I really wanted to do this section justice, I could be writing for over a year on suggested books. So I decided to approach this list primarily from the point of view of more recently published works I have either personally read and therefore recommend, or for texts that are on my to read list. I’ve also sprinkled in a few classics, and some books I felt kids could enjoy too so we can pass our traditions to the next generations.
Academic Reading
Unfortunately, I will warn you that some of the academic books are part of small academic print runs and can be prohibitively priced as a result.
- Triin Laidoner’s Ancestor Worship and the Elite in Late Iron Age Scandinavia: A Grave Matter
- Declan Taggart’s How Thor Lost His Thunder: The Changing Faces of an Old Norse God
- Anders Andren, John Lindow, Jens Peter Schjodt’s The Pre-Christian Religions of the North: History and Structures
- Maria Dahvana’s translation of Beowulf
- Barbette Stanley Spaeth’s The Roman Goddess Ceres
- Rudolf Simek’s Dictionary of Northern Mythology
Books for Polytheists
The Illustrated Havamal and Illustrated Voluspa takes the old Bellows translation of those eponymous texts but is released with illustrations by artist Sam Flegal. The Man Who Spoke Snakish is a fictional work with strong themes that should resonate with polytheists. The remaining texts were all written by polytheists for polytheists.
- The Illustrated Havamal (art by Sam Flegal)
- The Illustrated Voluspa (art by Sam Flegal)
- Andrus Kivirahk’s The Man Who Spoke Snakish (trans. Christopher Moseley)
- Dagulf Loptson’s Pagan Portals – Loki: Trickster and Transformer
- Susannah Ravenswing’s The Duergarbok: The Dwarves of the Northern Tradition
- Dan Coultas’ The Gods’ Own County: A Heathen Prayer Book
Mythology Books
Many of these texts are geared towards children and young adults, so content tends to be adapted for that audience.
- Chris Pinard’s Celtic Mythology for Kids: Tales of Selkies, Giants, and the Sea
- Mathias Nordvig’s Norse Mythology for Kids: Tales of Gods, Creatures, and Quests
- Morgan Moroney’s Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt: Egyptian Mythology for Kids
- Yung in Chae’s Goddess Power: A Kid’s Book of Greek and Roman Mythology
- Donna Jo Napoli’s Treasury of Greek Mythology: Classic Stories of Gods, Goddesses, Heroes & Monsters
- Donna Jo Napoli’s Treasury of Egyptian Mythology: Classic Stories of Gods, Goddesses, Monsters & Mortals
- Donna Jo Napoli’s Treasury of Norse Mythology: Stories of Intrigue, Trickery, Love and Revenge
- D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths
- D’Aulaires’ Book of Norse Myths
- Johan Egerkrans’ Norse Gods
- Morgan Daimler’s A New Dictionary of Fairies: A 21st Century Exploration of Celtic and Related Western European Fairies
- Caroline Hickey’s Classic Stories – Greek Myths
- Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Greek Myths: A Wonderful Book for Girls and Boys
- Geraldine McCaughrean’s Ancient Myths Collection 16 Books Box Set
Coloring Books
Coloring books for both kids and adults.
- John Green’s Greek Gods and Goddesses Coloring Book
- Jeff Menges’ Norse Gods and Goddesses Coloring Book
- Selina Fenech’s Goddess and Mythology Coloring Book
- Jade Summer’s Greek Mythology Coloring Book
- Jim Barrow’s Greek Mythology Coloring Book for Adults
- Johan Egerkrans’ Sketches from Norse Gods Coloring Book
My Books
In case you missed it since last December I have released 9 books. A Modern Guide to Heathenry is a significantly revised and expanded book built on the foundation of Exploring the Northern Tradition with over 70,000 words of additional, new content. Sigyn: Our Lady of the Staying Power is a re-release after a change in publishers. The other books are all new releases.
- A Modern Guide to Heathenry
- Walking the Rainbow Bridge: A Collection of Heathen Poetry
- Heart on Fire: A Novena for Loki
- Sigyn: Our Lady of the Staying Power
- Of Bow, Lyre, and Prophetic Fire: Nine Days of Prayer to the God Apollo
- The Ecstasy and the Fury: 9 Nights with Odin – A Novena
- In Love’s Winged Harbor: A Novena for Anteros
- Seven for Sekhmet: A Pocket Book of Prayer
- Seeking Valhalla: A Pocket Book of Heathen Prayers
Walking the Worlds
After several years and 12 volumes, Walking the Worlds, a peer-reviewed journal of polytheism and spiritwork has concluded its run. In commemoration, here are the links to each release of the journal in case you missed any.
- Volume 1
- Volume 2
- Volume 3
- Volume 4
- Volume 5
- Volume 6
- Volume 7
- Volume 8
- Volume 9
- Volume 10
- Volume 11
- Volume 12
What books are on your to read list? What books would you recommend? Share your thoughts in the comments.
New Book Release: My Novena Book to Anteros is Now Available
Affiliate Advertising Disclosure
I have paid my debt to this God. The small novena book I promised Him is now available. Like my other novena books, it is pocket-sized and offers nine days of prayer to Aphrodite’s son, Anteros, the God of requited love. It’s now available here. Thank you, Wynn, for coming up with the title. ^_^
Sneak Peek
Coming very, very soon….
a little novena book for a very special God…
stay tuned.
(cover art by Grace Palmer)
Submission for Anteros’ Agon
A Gift from Anteros
by Sparrow
One of the most beautiful things in this mortal world,
Is the love exchanged between two souls.
To care truly and deeply for another,
And to know that your beloved cares truly and deeply for you.
With this type of love,
Hardships will be endured,
Mountains will be moved,
And the stormy sea will become calm.
Oh, great and beautiful Anteros!
For this type of love we thank you.
It is a rare and precious gift You have given humanity.
It is brighter than the sun,
More lovely than the moon,
And stronger than the steel in Hephaestus’ forge.
May we humbly sing praises to You,
Sweet son of beautiful Aphrodite and fierce Ares,
Beloved brother of winged Eros.
May we never take for granted the priceless gift you have given us,
Io Anteros!
Submission to the Agon for Anteros
For Anteros
by Agathokles Martinios
Hail Anteros, the Great God,
Counterpart to Your brother,
Beloved Eros, Who seizes all,
And spreads passion and desire.
I pray to You this day.
Why is it, O Lord, that You shun me?
So often has Eros seized me,
Filling my heart with burning passion
For another, yet you eschew me!
I pray to You this day.
While Your brother seizes me, as my
Desire burns, you shy away from me,
And you leave my passion
Unrequited and unfulfilled.
I pray to You this day.
Yet still, I pray to You and hail You,
Bearing offerings of incense and tea,
Praising your name and pouring libations,
That You would yet come and seize me.
Thus I conclude my prayer.
Submission to Agon for Anteros
To Anteros
By Amanda Artemisia Forrester
O Anteros, You are sung to far less often than Your golden brother,
But You are no less great than He Who the Romans called Cupid.
Ever-youthful, butterfly-winged, You are truly a chieftain amongst the Erotes.
Your blessing is what all men strive for
For the first stirring of love to become stronger and be returned.
Have pity on us mere mortals, whose lives are short and filled with hardships
Bless us with the joy of love returned,
Fill our lives with sweet laughter and the flush of skin, heady with pleasure when we join with our beloved,
So we have no need of Your darker side,
That of love avenged.
Second Submission to the Agon for Anteros
Prayer for Anteros
by Jamie B.
Holy Anteros, to you do we raise our voices.
Sacred Youth, Love’s labor and labor returned,
You lighten our load,
Brighten our hearts,
Flavor our lives with the savor of longing.
Let your Holy Presence shine bright
That we may never wander from our path.
Let your power and mystery
Make us shudder in awe.
Most blessed Anteros,
May you and your companion erotes
Fill our lives with joy and delight.
Hear us.
Gangleri's Grove 