Book Recs.

Book Recommendations!

Since I've been talking openly on the internet about being a Witch for over a decade now, people always want to know what books I recommend on Witchy topics, whether it be magic, Paganism in general, Wicca specifically, or something else. I haven't read every book there is, and I don't have knowledge about every one of the MANY varying paths of Paganism and Witchcraft. But I do read a lot, and I'm always reading more, so every year I usually end up with a few more books I would recommend.

Some books marketed to our community are full of misinformation, and really don't teach much of anything, while others are amazing resources yet seem to go unnoticed in some circles. So while this is by no means a full list--there are some pretty big authors I don't even list here because I haven't personally read any of their work (yet)--this is my list of personal book recommendations. I started this list in a blog post in 2013, and I've been updating it over time as I read more. Perhaps it can be helpful for others. Enjoy!

**Note: In 2018/2019 I have started talking about books with the publication date noted, so we can more easily think about the context of the time in which the book was written and published.**


Authors whose books I have read many of...
    • Starhawk
      • The Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess (1979, updated with new notes in 1989 and 1999)
        - Specifically, I recommend the 20th anniversary edition with updated notes from over time! More about that below in the section about Reclaiming Tradition books.
      • Circle Round: Raising Children in Goddess Traditions (1998) - co-authored with Diane Baker and Anne Hill
      • The Twelve Wild Swans: A Journey to the Realm of Magic, Healing, and Action, co-authored with Hilary Valentine (2000)
        - "Advanced training" book, designed to resemble the format of a Witchcamp in book form. I've worked through, and lead small groups through, the work of this book multiple times now.
      • Dreaming the Dark: Magic, Sex, & Politics (1982)
      • The Fifth Sacred Thing (1993) and the prequel, Walking to Mercury (1997)
        - Fiction with Pagan/Reclaiming tradition principles.
      • The Pagan Book of Living and Dying (1997), co-authored with M. Macha Nightmare
        - Resources, rituals, and personal accounts of death, grief, the dying process.
      • The Earth Path: Grounding Your Spirit in the Rhythms of Nature (2004)
      • The Empowerment Manual: A Guide for Collaborative Groups (2011)
      • and the last two I haven't read yet which are Truth or Dare: Encounters with Power, Authority and Mystery (1988); and Webs of Power: Notes from the Global Uprising (2002)

    • Scott Cunningham
      • Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (1988)
        - More, personal notes about this below in my section about Wicca, specifically.
      • Living Wicca: A Further Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (1993)
      • Earth Power: Techniques of Natural Magic (1983)
      • Earth, Air, Fire & Water: More Techniques of Natural Magic (1991)
      • Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs (1985)
      • Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem, & Metal Magic (1987)
      • Magical Aromatherapy (1989)
      • The Complete Book of Incense, Oils & Brews (1986)
      • Spell Crafts: Creating Magical Objects (1993) with David Harrington
      • and many more. This list reflects the ones I have read, and own a copy of, but this by no means all of his work.

    • Raven Grimassi
      • Hereditary Witchcraft: Secrets of the Old Religion (1999)
      • Italian Witchcraft: The Old Religion of Southern Europe (1995, 2000, formerly Ways of the Strega 1994)
      • Encyclopedia of Wicca & Witchcraft (2000)
    Note from 2025: I've just started in the past couple of years finally getting into Grimassi's works. I grew up having the Encyclopedia listed above, and speed-read another of his titles at a library some years ago (Crafting Wiccan Traditions - I have it listed below in the section about Wicca), but I read the other two more recently, and have a stack of others bookmarked to read soon! I'm Italian, partly, and these books just weren't things I came across in the second-hand store, even though I knew his name and that he wrote about modern Italian practices. But now that I have access to apps and things, I'm finally reading some and focusing more on learning about this area. (I'm also teaching myself Italian, slowly, and have enjoyed learning some Witch-specific Italian vocabulary from these books!)

    My Grimassi TBR includes titles such as (in no particular order)
      • Old World Witchcraft: Ancient Ways for Modern Days (2011)
      • Communing with the Ancestors (2016)
      • What We Knew in the Night (2019)
      • Spirit of the Witch: Religion & Spirituality in Contemporary Witchcraft (2003)
    As you may notice, these are mostly later titles. Grimassi died in March 2019, and the latest book listed here, What We Knew in the Night, actually came out after his death, in September that year.


    I also recommend authors Ivo Dominguez, Jr., Laura Tempest Zakroff, and Patti Wigington, generally. I have read multiple things from each of them, including various online articles (I've also met them all). I may add specific titles of theirs in the future, but at this time just wanted to name them because they are not represented elsewhere here just yet (though I do link to some of Patti's articles on my FAQ page, around info for beginners).



    Paganism, general
    • PAGANISM: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions (2002) - Joyce and River Higginbotham
      - A look at those things that, from their research and experience, unite all Pagans. I read this in college and did a few videos about pieces of it. I've referenced their list of "Principles of Paganism" many times in workshops over the years.
    • The Everything Paganism Book (2004) - Selene Silverwind
      - Basics about major paths, useful for comparing one to another in a basic way.
    • The Way of the Horned God: A Young Man's Guide to Modern Paganism (2010) - Dancing Rabbit
      - Author is an online friend of mine, one of the original hosts of "The Pagan Perspective" collab channel -- watch my video about this book here.
    • Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America (1979) - Margot Adler
      - Historical research. A must-read for learning about the history of the modern movement, particularly in the so-called USA. A THICK book. Take your time with it.
    • The Triumph of the Moon (1999) - Ronald Hutton
      - Similar to the above, more focused on the history of the movement in Europe. Also a THICK book, with very small font.
    • Modern Pagans: An Investigation of Contemporary Pagan Practices (2001) - RE/SEARCH, interviews by V. Vale and John Sulak
      - All interviews! Absolutely love it, and learned so much.
    • The Pagan Book of Living and Dying (1997) - Starhawk & M. Macha Nightmare
      - Resources, rituals, and personal accounts of death, grief, the dying process.



    Wicca

    Note about Wicca vs. Witchcraft as terms, especially in older books - What is now called Wicca was originally just another form of Witchcraft. Practitioners were Witches, and it was considered a religion. As it gained popularity among new people, some didn't want to identify as a "Witch" which still had negative connotations in general society, and started calling themselves "Wiccans" instead. Practitioners who brought this form of Witchcraft into the spotlight -- like Gerald Gardner, Doreen Valiente, Monique Wilson, Raymond Buckland, and their covens -- did not call it Wicca or themselves Wiccans; it was and is simply a type of Witchcraft/the Craft. Eventually so many people were referring to Garderian-derived Witchcraft practices as "Wicca" that they determined it was too confusing, and had to start using "Wicca" as well so that people knew it was the same thing. I worked at Raymond Buckland's museum for three years. This is the history as it comes from Ray, himself.

    This is why early books on the subject, even those written by people we consider "Wiccans" today (such as those listed below), use the term Witchcraft and call the practitioners Witches. Wiccans are not the only type of Witches, of course! But they are Witches, and Wicca is a form of Witchcraft. When some of these books were written, "Wicca" was not a widely used term in the same way it's been used since. I hope this helps clarify things for some people as you continue your research!

    • Witchcraft Today - Gerald Gardner (1954)
    • Witchcraft for Tomorrow - Doreen Valiente (1978)
    • The Truth about Witchcraft Today - Scott Cunningham (1987)
    • Witchcraft from the Inside - Raymond Buckland (1971)
    • The Complete Book of Witchcraft - Raymond Buckland (1986)
      - Based on a correspondence course that Buckland ran for years, this book is in its second edition (2002) and 57th printing overall. Parts are outdated, but there is still a lot of useful basic info here, and I personally love the "reading comprehension" type questions and quizzes at the end of each lesson that can help you gauge whether you've retained what you just read. Not a style for everyone, but I enjoy this aspect of it!
      - I made a video about the Big Blue book in 2019.
    • Encyclopedia of Wicca and Witchcraft (2000) - Raven Grimassi
    • Wicca: A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (1988) - Scott Cunningham
      - One of my first books about Wiccan style Witchcraft, I first read this as a teen in the 2000s. I still find parts of this book very useful, while other parts I prefer to discuss with folks, and don't find helpful to just hand someone to learn and leave it at that (this is the case for me with a lot of these books). We know a lot more about various historical connections now than we did in the late 80s, and Scott died in the early 90s, so we never got any updated writing from his perspective as the community evolved over time.
    • Living Wicca: A Further Guide for the Solitary Practitioner (1993) - Scott Cunningham
      • Wicca Teachings: An Introduction and Practical Guide - Tony Bell
        - Covers many basic topics all in one place--I was pleasantly surprised by this book, having never heard of it before finding it on a shelf!
      • Crafting Wiccan Traditions: Creating a Foundation for Your Spiritual Beliefs and Practices (2008) - Raven Grimassi
        - Learning foundations of Traditional Wicca, and from that basis, moving toward creating your own traditions and practice.
      • Exploring Wicca: The Beliefs, Rites, and Rituals of the Wiccan Religion - Lady Sabrina
        -Traditional Wicca, includes mythology, history, and section on creating "coven bylaws" for lack of a better term.
    • Wicca for Beginners (2006) - Thea Sabin
    • Traditional Wicca: A Seeker's Guide (2018) - Thorn Mooney
      - This book was released in July 2018, and I finally uploaded a review video of it in September that year. Recommended for modern practitioners who are interested in Traditional, lineaged, initiatory Wicca and seeking a formal coven, specifically.
    • WICCA: History, Belief, and Community in Modern Pagan Witchcraft (2016) - Ethan Doyle White
      - An academic, scholarly, thoroughly researched look at the history of the specific types of Witchcraft that came to be known as "Wicca", including how it has continued to evolve into this most recent decade. Also, very helpful notes on what is considered a "modern religious movement" and the characteristics of what is considered "religion."



    Reclaiming Tradition of Witchcraft

    • Everything listed above under Authors > Starhawk. Starhawk was one of the founding members of Reclaiming. Specifically,
      • The Spiral Dance: The Rebirth of the Ancient Religion of the Great Goddess (1979, updated editions with new notes 1989 and 1999)
        - Please read the 20th Anniversary edition, and read the updated notes! The author added notes at the 10th and 20th anniversaries, all included in the 20th ann. edition from 1999, that illuminate some of the ways the tradition had already begun to change in the first two decades. This is the most recent edition, and we are more than two decades past that! Reclaiming is a living tradition, and things have continued to change with time.
      • The Twelve Wild Swans: A Journey to the Realm of Magic, Healing, and Action (2000)
    • Elements of Magic: Reclaiming Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Spirit (2018), edited by Jane Meredith and Fio Gede Parma, with contributions by more than 30 Reclaiming teachers worldwide.



    Crystals

    • Everyone always recommends this one: The Crystal Bible (2003) - Judy Hall
      - There are 3 or more volumes of this now, and they contain way more varieties of crystals than you ever need to know, let alone use. I don't know if I actually recommend them, I'm moreso putting it here because people looking for crystal info are very likely to come across it, many shops sell it. You can probably find them in local libraries or second hand easily at this point, though.
    • The Crystal Zodiac (2006) - Judy Hall (crystals + astrology)
      - I find this one way more fun, as it combines learning a bit about your Sun and Moon signs, with what crystals can support the energies of those signs.
    • Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem, & Metal Magic (1987) - Scott Cunningham
    • The Magic of Crystals, Colour, and Chakra (2006) - editors: Lilly, Lilly, Martin, de Winter, and Hale
      - I don't personally work with chakras much anymore, due to the culturally specific origins, but it is useful to know that most of the color-based associations with crystals are based on the western interpretation of the colors of the chakras as a rainbow, which is NOT the colors associated with them traditionally in Hindu practice. The rainbow order is a western creation. I do find it helpful to work with crystals by color magic and personal associations with colors, but this doesn't connect to the Hindu chakra system.
      - Also helpful to note, if you are going to talk about chakras, it is pronounced with a "ch" sound, not with a "sh" sound. "Shak-ruh" is not a word in Sanskrit, where the sounds are very important to their meaning. It is "chahk-ruh". I did not know this for many years, myself. Indian teachers of Yoga and similar practices are wanting people to know this information, so you'll see it more often talked about on social media.
    I also generally recommend finding crystals second-hand, where possible, because some crystals are mined using practices that are detrimental to the environment. Some crystals are mined in less harmful ways, but sometimes it is difficult to get that information. As someone who has worked in metaphysical shops, I often only knew that our supplier got them locally... but not who they got them from. You can also use any stone, rock, or pebble that you find out in your environment in a magical context.



    Tarot, cartomancy
    • The Tarot: History, Symbolism, and Divination (2005) - Robert M. Place
      - Considered a Tarot expert, Place explains the historical origins and development of the Tarot form, as well as the "mystical," mythological views. There is also a section interpreting the symbolism in the art of the Rider-Waite-Smith deck. I learned A TON from this book, and I feel it grants a deeper appreciation for the history and layers of meaning in Tarot as a form of divination.
    • Tarot for Your Self: A Workbook for Personal Transformation (1984) - Mary K. Greer
      - There is a second edition of this, but I think what I read is the original, from a local library. I love a lot of the things in this book about using Tarot and numerology together, to find a "card of the year" and your "life / soul's purpose" cards. I love it so much, I offer readings specifically based on that type of exercise! My circle and I reference things from this book often.
    • Seventy-Eight Degrees of Wisdom: A Book of Tarot (1980) - Rachel Pollack
      - I love Rachel Pollack's work, and this is one of those "Tarot classics" that I had heard recommended for years, and took a long time to finally get around to reading, myself.



    List of 27 must-read books on paganism, from Huffington Post.
    This was a reader-submitted list of books, made in 2012. I haven't read them all and can't vouch for them. I rather thought it could be helpful just to see what a wider variety of Pagans are recommending, to know more of what's out there.
    - The list of books is supposed to be in a slideshow embedded in the article. I'm checking over these links in 2025, and the link works, but I can no longer see and interact with the slideshow. I'm leaving it here for now in case that's just me? If I determine that it just no longer works, I'll remove this and try to find a better one to share!
    Fiction with Pagan Themes
    • The Fifth Sacred Thing (1993), prequel Walking to Mercury (1997), and sequel City of Refuge (2015) by Starhawk
      - I've read the first two, not yet the third.



    ~


    As mentioned at the beginning of this page, I update this list as I read more books that I would recommend! I have certainly read other books that I do not recommend, so I don't list them here. But there are many other great books that I simply haven't read yet, either, and therefore I can't speak to them. That doesn't mean they aren't good! It just means I don't personally know yet. If I read it someday and I recommend it, it'll get added here.

    Beyond this list for my own, personal recommendations, my best recommendation for seekers is to find other Witches/Pagans whose beliefs or practice are similar to your own, or what you'd like to learn, and ask them for their recommendations.

    I also personally recommend checking out your local public library system! Some areas have way more than others in the way of Pagan/Witchy material, but I think it's always worth a look, so you can read some things without having to invest money in buying the books before you read them. Also check second-hand books stores and other thrift stores--you never know what you might find!


    Blessings for your journey~
    -C-

    Last updated February 2025
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