Recommended reading list?

This week, I've gotten (literally) a dozen requests for "recommended book lists".  Of course, the recommended book list will change dramatically depending on what the Seeking is looking to explore. Modern Paganism? Witchcraft? Wicca? Occultism and magic?

Here is the basic list that I recommend when I'm not quite sure exactly what someone is seeking:

The "**" are the ones that I really like given the topic that they cover.

• Spiral Dance – Starhawk (Modern feminist witchcraft) **

• Magical Kaballah – Dion Fortune (occult/magic)
• Psychic Self-Defense – Dion Fortune (occult/magic) **

• The Rebirth of Witchcraft – Doreen Valiente (BTW Style) **
• Witchcraft for Tomorrow – Doreen Valiente (BTW Style) **
• Witchcraft Today – Gardner (BTW Style) **

• Adler, Margot. Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today (reference) **

• Farrar, Janet and Stewart.
o ___. Eight Sabbats for Witches (BTW/Alexandrian Style) **
o ___. The Witches' Way (BTW/Alexandrian Style) **
o ___. The Witches’ Goddess (reference)
o ___. The Witches’ God (reference)
o ___. Progressive Witchcraft, (Farrar, Janet & Bone, Gavin (post BTW/BTW derived/Pagan Mystery Witchcraft) **

• Lipp, Deborah
o ___. The Elements of Ritual: Air, Fire, Water & Earth in the Wiccan Circle
o ___. The Way of Four: Create Elemental Balance in Your Life (Wicca based elemental work) **
o ___. The Study of Witchcraft: A Guidebook to Advanced Wicca (I haven't read this yet but it's on my list!)

• Sorita d'Este
o ___. Towards the Wiccan Circle - A Practical Introduction to the Principles of Wicca (reference)
o ___. WICCA MAGICKAL BEGINNINGS - A Study of the Possible Origins of the Rituals and Practices Found in this Modern Tradition of Pagan Witchcraft and Magick (reference)

• Cunningham, Scott

o ___. Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (Modern "Eclectic Wicca") **
o ___. Living Wicca: A Further Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (Modern "Eclectic Wicca")
o ___. Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (Reference)

FICTION:
• High Magic’s Aid – Gardner (fiction)
• Lammas Night - Katherine Kurtz (fiction)

• Fortune, Dion (fiction)
o ___. The Goat-Foot God
o ___. Moon Magic
o ___. The Sea Priestess1996.
o ___. The Secrets of Doctor Taverner

You might have noticed that I did not list any "bad books".  Even though I feel that there are some pretty horrid books available, I tend to NOT tell people to not read them.  Why?  If they have a clue, it should be apparent quite quickly. :-)  Besides, what I don't like someone else may love and find meets their needs perfectly. Who am I to criticize their reading choices?

For the folks interested in specifically Traditional Italic-American Craft, here is the beginning reading list that I offer:

·         Books on Sicilian Craft

o   Martello, Leo

§  Witchcraft: The Old Religion by Leo Martello

§  Weird Ways of Witchcraft by Leo Martello

·         Books on Italian/American-Italian Craft

o   Grimassi, Raven

§  Italian Witchcraft by Raven Grimassi (Originally printed as “Ways of the Strega: Italian Witchcraft: Its Legends, Lore, & Spells”, reprinted with new title and supplemental material.)

§  The Book of Ways, V1 & v2 by Raven Grimassi

§  The Cimaruta: And Other Magical Charms From Old Italy by Raven Grimassi

§  The Book of the Holy Strega. Second Edition by Raven Grimassi

o   Jonathan Sousa

§  Classical Polytheism by Nemesis (Jonathan Sousa)

·         Italian Culture and Myth

o   Calvino, Italo

§  Italian Folktales

o   Leland, Charles

§  Aradia, Gospel of the Witches

§  Etruscan Roman Remains

·         Anything regarding the history and/or culture of Sicily or the Italic people

So, what are your favorite books that you would recommend?

Benedizioni,

---Vinnie