ASATRU READING LIST
 By Mary Leibach and Bill Schulz

 Orientation:
 This is a list of books of interest in current Asatru,a form of Norse
Paganism.  It is divided into five sections.

 A)  Primary sources.
 B)  Books concerning the modern revival.
 C)  Books of peripheral or collateral interest.
 D)  Additional Old Norse and German material of possible interest in English
     translation.
 E)  Some fictional material.
 F)  Material actually in Old Norse, or material used for the study of old
     Norse texts.

  The list is confined to material either obtainable easily in America
or material which can (with a certain amount of difficulty and delay) be
imported. Enough information is included to make ordering reasonably
easy.  Prices are approximate.  Dates are unreliable, as they vary with
printings.  Except in section E, all material is in English.  WARNING:
This list is oriented towards the Ring of Troth Asatru organization,
which has some influence on the way things are listed, and on the
comments.

 SECTION A)  Primary Sources.

 1)  THE POETIC EDDA translated by Lee M. Hollander,
 Univ. of Texas Press, l988, ISBN 0-292-76499-5, $13

( The main collection of eddic lays, originally in Old Norse.  Most
composed around 10th century.)

 2)  THE PROSE EDDA OF SNORRI STURLUSON translated by Jean I. Young
 University of Calif. Press, 1954, ISBN 0-520-01232-1, $8

(One of the greatest works of Norse literature/mythology.)

 3)  THE SAGA OF THE VOLSUNGS, translated by Jesse L. Byock.
 University of Calif. Press, 1990, ISBN 0-520-06904-8, $9

(Story of Siegfried (Sigurd in this book) and the dragon and the ring
etc. An important source for the Wagner operas.)

 4)   THE NORSE MYTHS, Kevin Crossley-Holland, Pantheon Books,
 New York USA, 1980, ISBN: 0-394-74846-8, $7.95

 (Excellent retelling of myths, with some good cultural background, even
 what they ate!)

SECTION B)  Books concerning the modern revival.

 1)  Dumezil, Georges GODS OF THE ANCIENT NORTHMEN, edited by Einar Haugen,
 University of Calif. Press, 1973,    ISBN 0-520-03507-0, $10

 (Definitive work of Norse mythology by one of the most influential
academic specialists in mythology of our time.  Author founded school of
Structural Mythology.  Translated from French by Einar Haugen and his
old Norse class.)

 2)  Thorsson, Edred  A BOOK OF TROTH,
  Llewellyn pub. St. Paul, Minn, 55164-0383, 1989, ISBN 0-87542-777-4, $10

  (Theology, Liturgy, Lore, and organization of the Ring of Troth. Only
  book out detailing rituals of Asatru!  Must have!)

  ***BEGIN THORSSON RUNE TRILOGY***

 3) Thorsson, Edred  FUTHARK
  Samuel Weiser Inc. York Beach Maine, 03910, 1984, ISBN 0-87728-548-9, $9

  (Basic material on Runes, using the 24 Rune tradition. Best book on
 Rune magic)

 4)  Thorsson, Edred  RUNELORE
 Samuel Weiser Inc. York Beach Maine, 03910, ISBN 0-87728-667-1, $11

 (More advanced Rune work in the 24 Rune tradition. Good historical
information, descriptions of runes, cosmology, etc.)

 5)  Thorsson, Edred AT THE WELL OF WYRD
 Samuel Weiser Inc.    York Beach Maine, 03910, ISBN 0-87728-678-7, $8

 (Forecasting the future using Runes, 24 Rune tradition. The BEST book
on runic divination, including instructions on making your own runes,
with ritual.)

 ***END THORSSON RUNE TRILOGY***

 6)  Ring of Troth Journal, IDUNNA, (published 4 times/year)
 by the Ring of Troth, PO Box 18812, Austin TX 78760, $12/year (membership in
 ROT is $24)

 (Everything from scholarly articles to mead recipes and songs. Best
neo-pagan journal we've seen!)

 7)  Flowers, Stephen E.  THE GALDRABOK, AN ICELANDIC GRIMOIRE
 Samuel Weiser Inc., York Beach Maine, 03910, ISBN 0-87728-685-X, $9

 (Translation of an authentic book of magic from Iceland. A translation
 of an authentic medieval Icelandic grimoire, and misc. spells. The
 history and translator's notes sections contain much valuable
 information.)

 SECTION C) Books of peripheral or collateral interest.

 *** GERMAN RUNE MATERIAL, some with OCCULT Orientation ***

 1) Thorsson, Edred  RUNE MIGHT
 Llewellyn pub.    St. Paul Minn, 55164-0383, 1989, ISBN 0-87542-778-2, $8

 (The German (Armanen) 18 Rune tradition of Guido von List.)

 2)  von List, Guido  THE SECRET OF THE RUNES, translated by Stephen E.Flowers,
 Destiny Books, One Park Street, Rochester, Vermont 05767, ISBN 0-89281-207-9,
 $10

 (Seminal book in the German (Armanen) 18 Rune tradition.)

 3)  RUNE MAGIC, Donald Tyson
 Llewellyn Publications, 1988 PO Box 64838 St. Paul, MN 55164-0383, ISBN
0-87542-826-6    $9.95

(Complete junk!  Unless, of course, you like treating Gods as slaves,
drinking ashes, and smearing your blood around.)

 *** GERMAN ECLECTIC MATERIAL (ORIENTAL & MASONIC OR TEMPLAR RELATED) ***

 1)  Flowers, S. Edred  FIRE AND ICE
 Llewellyn pub. St. Paul Minn, 55164-0383, 1989, ISBN 0-87542-776-6, $10

 (Information on German secret societies.  The information is possibly
 not current.)

  *** WICCA RELATED MATERIAL ***

 1)  Aswynn, Freya  LEAVES OF YGGDRASSIL
 Llewellyn pub. St. Paul Minn, 55164-0383, 1989, ISBN 0-87542-024-9, $13

 (Runes, Gods, Magic, Feminine Mysteries, Folklore : heavily influenced
by Wicca and Crowley and augmented by Ms. Aswynn's inner revelations.)

 2)  Pennick, Nigel  PRACTICAL MAGIC IN THE NORTHERN TRADITION
 Aquarian Press, (Address:) Thorsons Publishing Group, Wellingborough,
Northamptonshire, NN8 2RQ, England, 1989, ISBN 0-85030-757-0, $12.95 (UK
7.99 pounds)

 (Northern European folk magic, Much interesting material, but some
doubt has been expressed about the reliability of some of the details in
this book.)

 3)  Ed Fitch, THE RITES OF ODIN
 Llewellyn Publications, PO Box 64383 St. Paul MN 55164-0383, 1990, ISBN:
 0-887542-224-1, $12.95

 ( Bad mythology, Wiccan oriented rituals, some nice ideas, descriptions
on how to make banners, drinking horns, etc. Illustrated by Robin Wood.)

 ***THEOSOPHICAL RELATED MATERIAL***

 1)  Elsa-Brita Titchenell, THE MASKS OF ODIN
 Theosophical University Press, Post Office Bin C, Pasadena CA 91109, 1985,
 ISBN 0-911500-73-1, $9.00

 (Except for a few translated eddic lays (slanted), this is a bunch of
 junk. Unless you're a theosophist.)

 SECTION D) Old Norse and German Material in English Translation.
 This section is designed to give a general cultural background for Asatru.

 1)  NJAL'S SAGA, translated by Magnus Magnusson & Hermann Palsson
 Penguin Books, ISBN 0-14-044103-4, $5

 (Probably the best source of information on Norse pagan society
 operating at full efficiency.)

 2)  EGIL'S SAGA, translated by Hermann Palsson & Paul Edwards,
 Penguin Books, ISBN 0-14-044321-5, $5

 (Adventures of a semilikable scoundrel in Pagan Norway and Iceland.)

 3)  LAXDAELA SAGA, translated by Magnus Magnusson & Hermann Palsson
 Penguin Books, ISBN 0-14-044218-9, $54)

 EYRBYGGJA SAGA, translated by Hermann Palsson & Paul Edwards,
 Penguin Books, ISBN 0-14-044530-7, $65)

 THE SAGA OF THE JOMSVIKINGS, translated by Lee M. Hollander
 Univ. of Texas Press, ISBN 0-292-77623-3, $7

 (Saga of a warrior society living on an island in the Baltic, to which
 no women were admitted.)

 6)  Heimskringla by Snorri Sturluson,
 There are several editions in BOOKS IN PRINT, but I have not seen them and
hesitate to recommend any. I seem to recall having seen a Dover reprint, but
cannot confirm this in BOOKS IN PRINT.

 (This is a marginal item, as it treats mostly of Christian times, but
it does have a lot of useful information in it for the dedicated.)

 7)  THE NIBELUNGENLIED, translated by A. T. Hatto
 Penguin Books, ISBN 0-14-044137-9, $5

 SECTION E) Some Fiction.

 1)  Tom Holt, WHO'S AFRAID OF BEOWULF?
 St. Martin's Press, 175 Fifth Ave. New York, NY 10010, 1988, ISBN
0-312-02669-2, $16
 [Try to get a used copy of the Book Club edition]

 ( A hilarious book.  Take a break from the serious stuff and have some
 fun with an archaeologist who digs up more than she expected.)

 2)  Cabell, James Branch, the silver stallion
 Ballentine Books, New York, 1979, ISBN 0-345-28072-5, $4

 (One very funny Norse oriented short story in this collection.)

 3) Anderson, Poul,  HROLF KRAKI'S SAGA
 Ballentine Books, New York, 1990, ISBN 345-23562-2, $4

 (Retelling of Old Norse saga existing only in fragments in the
 original. Poul has several other Norse oriented books.)

 SECTION F) Old Norse texts and dictionaries.

 1)  EDDA, DER LIEDER DER CODEX REGIUS,  vol I, TEXT
 Carl Winter Universitaetsbuchhandlung, Heidelburg. paperbd ISBN
 3-533-03080-6,  78 Marks=$50    hardbd  ISBN 3-533-03081-4, 100 Marks=$70

 (This is in German, but since there is almost nothing here but Old
Norse text, it hardly matters.)

 2)  EDDA, DER LIEDER DER CODEX REGIUS,  vol II, GLOSSAR
 Carl Winter Universitaetsbuchhandlung, Heidelburg. paperbd ISBN 3-533-00559-3,
50 Marks=$35    hardbd  ISBN 3-533-00560-7,  65 Marks=$45

 (This is the dictionary which translates every word found in the Edda
 (with commentary) into *** GERMAN ***)

 3)  Edda Snorra Sturlusonar,
  Old Norse Text with LATIN    translation,

  (You only want this if your rich. No doubt cheaper editions exist in
Iceland, but I could not find them in BOOKS IN PRINT(English or German
editions) and I did so want to complete this list.)

 *** Items 1 to 3 may be comfortably ordered from Schoenhof's Foreign Book
 Company, 76A Mt. Auburn Street Cambridge, MASS 02138, Tel 617-547-8855
 (Do not believe the time frame they give you. It will take about twice as
 long.)

  4)  Valfels, Sigrid  OLD ICELANDIC, AN INTRODUCTORY COURSE
  Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-811172-X, $23

 (This is an EXCELLENT introduction to Old Norse, with quite modern
 approach to the linguistic aspects.  It would be especially comfortable
 to those with a computer orientation, since it explains grammatical
 rules more or less like a computer manual.)

 5)  Zoega, Geir T.  A CONCISE DICTIONARY OF OLD ICELANDIC
 Oxford University Press, 1910.     ISBN 0-19-863108-1, $59

 (Convenient and simple OLD ICELANDIC -> ENGLISH dictionary with
grammatical appendix.  Suitable for most texts but a little inadequate
for the Poetic Edda)