Heathen Reading List
This list will get added to. If you believe a book should be on this list, that is not already, please get in touch at
Books by Asatru UK (also listed within the categories below)
General
Asatru UK Travel Collection
Introductory books
General
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Ásatrú for Beginners by Mathias Nordvig (Rockridge Press 2020)
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The Gods’ Own County: A Heathen Prayer Book by Dan Coultas (Heathens of Yorkshire 2019)
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The Norse Myths by Kevin Crossley Holland (Penguin Books 1980)
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Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman (Bloomsbury 2017)
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The Hávamál: The Sayings of the High One by Asatru UK (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform 2019)
Runes
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Runes: An Introduction by R.W.V. Elliot, 2nd Edition (Manchester University Press, 1989)
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Rune Primer by Sweyn Plowright (Lulu. Com, 2013)
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Rudiments of Runelore by Stephen Pollington (Anglo-Saxon Books 2008)
Fiction
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Nutcase by Tony Williams (Salt Publishing, 2017)
(comic book update of Grettis saga, set on a Council Estate)
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Viking – Odin’s Child (and sequels) by Tim Severin
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The Way of Wyrd by Brian Bates (Book Club Associates 1983)
Intermediate
Overview of Mythology
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Dictionary of Northern Mythology by Rudolf Simek (D.S. Brewer, New edition 2008)
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Norse Mythology: A Guide to Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs by John Lindow (Oxford University Press, U.S.A. 2002)
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The Anglo-Saxon World: An Anthology Kevin Crossley-Holland (Oxford University Press 2009)
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Nordic Religion in the Viking Age by Thomas Dubois (University of Pennsylvania Press 1999)
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The Viking World by S Brink and N Price (Routledge 2011)
General “Viking Age” History
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The Vikings by Magnus Magnusson (Bodley Head/BBC 1980) – accompanied a TV series, it was also updated by the author
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Viking - Hammer of the North by Magnus Magnusson (Orbis 1976)
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The Hammer and the Cross by Robert Ferguson (Penguin Books 2010)
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A Brief History of the Vikings by Jonathan Clements (Robinson Books 2009)
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A History of the Vikings by Gwyn Jones (Book Club Associates 1973)
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Vikings a History by Neil Oliver (Weidenfield and Nicolson 2012)
Runes
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Runes, Magic and Religion: A Sourcebook by John MacKinnell and Rudolf Simek, with Klaus Düwel (2004)
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Runic Amulets and Magic Objects by Mindy MacLeod and Bernard Mees (Boydell Press, 2006)
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Runes: A Handbook by Michael P. Barnes (Boydell Press, 2012)
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Runes and Runic Inscriptions by Terje Spurklund (Boydell Press 2009)
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An Introduction to English Runes by R.I. Page (Boydell Press 2006)
Sagas (there are many editions and translations these are just examples)
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Edda by Snorri Sturluson, translated by Anthony Faulkes (Everyman, 1987)
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The Prose Edda, transl. by Carolyne Larrington (Oxford University Press, 1996)
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Beowulf (many translations available but the one by Seamus Heaney is well regarded)
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Laxdaela Saga transl. M. Magnusson & H. Palsson (Penguin Classics 1969)
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Njal’s Saga transl. M. Magnusson & H. Palsson (Penguin Classics 1960)
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Grettir's Saga transl. Jesse Byock (Oxford University Press, 2009)
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Egil’s Saga transl. H. Palsson (Penguin Books 1967)
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The Vinland Sagas transl. M. Magnusson & H. Palsson (Penguin Books 1965)
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Hrafnkels Saga & other stories transl. H. Palsson (Penguin Books 1971)
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Erbyggja Saga transl. by H Palsson & P Edwards (Penguin Books 1972)
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Orkneyinga Saga transl. by H Palsson & P Edwards (Penguin Books 1978)
(the only saga set entirely in the British Isles)
Advanced
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Viking Friendship - The Social Bond in Iceland and Norway, c. 900-1300 By J V Sigurdsson (Cornell University Press 2017)
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Tracing Old Norse Cosmology by Anders Andrén (Nordic Academic Press 2014)
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The Viking Way by Neil S. Price (Oxbow Books 2009)
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Myth and Religion of the North: The Religion of Ancient Scandinavia by E.O.G. Turville-Petre (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1964)
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Gods and Myths of Northern Europe by H.R. Ellis Davidson (Penguin, 1964)
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Scandinavian Mythology by H.R. Ellis Davidson (Paul Hamlyn, 1969)
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Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe: Early Scandinavian and Celtic Religions by H.R. Ellis Davidson (Manchester University Press, 1988)
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The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe by H.R. Ellis Davidson (Routledge, 1993)
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The Lost Gods of England by Brian Branston (Book Club 1974)
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Myths of the Pagan North: The Gods of the Norsemen by Christopher Abram (Hambledon Continuum, 2011)
Other Resources
Audiobooks
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Norse Mythology - Neil Gaiman – Unabridged ISBN 0062663631, ISBN 1489452443 ISBN 0062834487
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Norse Mythology - Neil Gaiman – BBC dramatized version, ISBN 1787534618
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Children of Odin - Padraic Colum (Mp3 CD) ISBN 1775424340
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Poems of the Elder Edda - Patricia Terry ISBN 139781940650043, Audible and iTunes
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Poetic Edda - Jackson Crawford ISBN 198259750X
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Saga of the Volsungs & Ragnar Lothbrok - Jackson Crawford, ISBN 1982604689
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The Great Courses: Vikings – a series of lectures by Kenneth W. Harl, and aimed at a broad audience (Audible)
Books on related topics
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Westward to Vinland - the discovery of the Norse settlement in Newfoundland by Helge Ingstad (Jonathan Cape 1969)
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A Heathen Guide to Cooking, Baking and Brewing by Craig and Emma Brooks (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform 2017)
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Another Guide to Heathen Cooking, Baking and Brewing by Craig and Emma Brooks (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform 2017)
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Scandinavian Legends and Folktales retold by Gwyn Jones original publication 1956 (Oxford University Press 1995)
Adult fiction set in the Viking Age
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The Whale Road (and sequels) by Robert Low
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The Last Kingdom (and sequels) by Bernard Cornwell
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Blood Feud by Rosemary Sutcliffe (Quercus 2018)
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God of Vengeance (and sequels) by Giles Kristian
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Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton (Arrow 1997)
Others
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Days in Midgard: A Thousand Years On by Steven T. Abell (Outskirts Press 2008)
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Last Places by Lawrence Millman (Andre Deutsch 1990)
Online resources
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The Road to Hel by H.R. Ellis - A Study of the Conception of the Dead in Old Norse Literature -
http://www.germanicmythology.com/scholarship/road_to_hel.pdf
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Viking Society for Northern Research (VSNR)
http://vsnrweb-publications.org.uk/
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The Icelandic Saga Database -
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Icelandic Saga Map -