The Urd's Well Kindred Recommended Reading List.

The Kindred encourages active study of Heathenry and the following texts are those which the Kindred is currently using as study material. This is not an exhaustive list and will probably change over time as more material is considered. The study material has been chosen as appropriate for someone with no prior knowledge of Heathenry and has deliberately been kept basic. The aim is to introduce the newcomer to Heathenry and not put them off with unintelligible jargon.

The website Asatru-u

This website was put together to explain about Heathenry. It was not written by one person or group, but includes articles and information from various sources that the site-builders thought best explained each subject.

Vikings: Lords of the Seas - Yves Cohat

This is a basic but excellent book on Vikings history and culture. If you want to understand Heathenry it helps to understand some or all of the Heathen cultures of the past.

Gods and Myths of Northern Europe - H R Ellis Davidson

This is an academic book written by a respected scholar, but it is not too heavy or complex for the newbie.

Wights and Ancestors - Jenny Blain.

This small but specialised book covers one of the most important practices in modern Heathenry, the honouring of wights (nature spirits) and ancestors and attuning yourself to the landscape around you.

The Norse Myths - Kevin Crossley Holland

Ideally, you could go straight to primary sources such as the Eddas, in reality these are often hard to interpret if you have no background in Norse history and culture. This version is well respected and popular because it is accessible but doesn't dumb down. There are extensive notes to help you understand the less-familiar terms and concepts.

The Cassell Dictionary of Norse Mythology - Andy Orchard

This is a good reference and guide to the Gods and other characters and objects from the Norse tradition.

Customs and Folklore of the Black Country - by Jon Raven.

Local folklore and customs are important. They give clues as to what wights and traditions influenced our immediate ancestors and/or landscape. The Black Country was heavily settled by Germanic migrants and that can be heard in the dialect and seen in some of the customs and even the food.

N.B. This book is only really relevant to this study if you live in or around the Black Country. You should choose a book based on your own area to see what traditions and legends have a pagan basis

Aspects of Anglo-Saxon Magic - Bill Griffiths

This isn't a "how to" book but a look at the history of magic within an Anglo-Saxon context. It also covers Anglo-Saxon religion and beliefs. It is a scholarly book and I'd recommend reading this after the others.

All of the books we have recommended are currently in print and can be ordered through good bookshops. If you don't want to purchase you can order them through your local library using the Inter-Library Loan System (this usually costs about 75p). Most libraries provide internet access if you want to check out the web-resources.

Please note that the contents of these pages are Urd's Wells Kindred's views and do not reflect the views of all Heathens.
We respect that other groups will work with different views and focus on their beliefs.

We do however reserve the right to disagree with them.