The following books feature direct links to Amazon.com. Most of Vingolf has personally purchased most of their Asatru libraries from Amazon, because some of the below referenced books are impossible to find anywhere else. Let us know if there are any other Asatru related books in print you think should be added to the list, and we’ll set them up.

Recommended Books

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Primary Mythological Sources

• The Poetic Edda, Larrington translation. The basis for the Norse Myths as we know them, the Poetic Edda is a MUST have for any Asatruar. –JM
• The Poetic Edda: The Mythological Poems, Bellows translation. The old standby. A lot of Asatruar use this edition. –JM
• The Poetic Edda: The Heroic Poems, Bellows translation.
• The Poetic Edda, volume 2 (Mythological Poems). Translated by Ursula Dronke. Includes translations of the Voluspa, Rigsthula, Volundarkvidha, Lokasenna and Skirnismal. Dronke has unparalleled footnotes and commentary, and lots of it too. Example: the translation of the Voluspa takes up about 10 pages. There are 130 pages of accompanying notes and commentary. And the original Old Norse is transcribed next to the English translation as well. The Cadillac of all translations. –JM
• The Prose Edda, by Snorri Sturluson. Translated by Jean Young. Written about 2 centuries after the Poetic Edda, but still contains some info not found in its predecessor. –JM
• The Prose Edda, by Snorri Sturluson. Translated by Jesse L. Byock
• Agricola and Germania, by Tacitus. Translated by Harold Mattingly. Contains valuable first century C.E. evidence of Vanic worship. –JM
• Agricola and Germany, by Tacitus. Translated by Anthony Birley.
• Saxo Grammaticus: The History of the Danes Books I-IX, by Saxo Grammaticus.

Sagas

• Sagas of the Icelanders. Now in paperback. An excellent and affordable 800+ page book that includes most of the Saga’s listed below, and a handful that you might not have heard of before (18 sagas/tales total). Includes maps, and appendixes on ships, farms, and social/political structure. Highly recommended. -JM
• Njal’s Saga. Penguin Edition. The greatest of all the Icelandic Sagas.
• Egil’s Saga. Penguin Edition. One of the better Sagas, centering around the warrior-poet and rune magician Egil Skallagrimson. Egil’s rune magic and construction of a nithing pole are especially interesting. –JM
• The Saga of the Jomsvikings, translated by Hollander. One of the earliest of the Sagas, centering on the doings of the Jomsvikings clan.
• The Saga of the Volsungs . The epic tale of Sigurd, Gudrun and Brunahild which inspired the Wagnerian Opera.
• Hrafnkel’s Saga . Penguin Edition.
• Eyrbyggja Saga . Penguin Edition.
• King Harald’s Saga. Penguin Edition.
• Laxdaela Saga. Penguin Edition.
• Orkneyinga Saga. Penguin Edition.
• Hrolf Kraki’s Saga . Penguin Edition.
• The Vinland Sagas, Penguin Edition.
• Heimskringla, the Lives of the Norse Kings. Written by Snorri Sturluson. Lots of very valuable information in this collection of histories, including accounts of oath-takings. –JM

Mythology and Anthropology

• Gods and Myths of Northern Europe, by Hilda Roderick Ellis Davidson. This book is a classic – probably her best. It surveys all of the myths, and has references to even the least known deities. This book has my highest recommendation. –JM
• Myth and Religion of the North, by Turville-Petre
• Dictionary of Northern Mythology, by Rudolf Simek
• Frey: God of the World, by Ann Groa Sheffield. Excellent book by a Heathen author. Goes into the information we have about Frey as he is presented in the lore. A must read!
• Freya, Lady, Vanadis: An Introduction to the Goddess, by Patricia M. Lafayllve
• The Poetic Edda: Essays on Old Norse Mythology, edited by Paul L. Acker and Carolyne Larrington. Several scholarly essays written about the Poetic Edda. I highly recommend it. — CF
  
• The Lost Beliefs of Northern Europe, by Hilda Roderick Ellis Davidson. Another great book, this contains a lot of archeological and anthropological evidence.
• Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe: Early Scandinavian and Celtic Religions, by Hilda Roderick Ellis Davidson. Another great book, this contains a lot of archeological and anthropological evidence.
• Scandinavian Folk Belief and Legend, edited by Kvideland and Sehmsdorf. A collection of hundreds and hundreds of folktales, legends and stories of the Huldefolk, spirits and all kinds of wights. –JM
• Medieval Iceland : Society, Sagas, and Power, by Jesse Byock (writer of the now out of print Feud in the Icelandic Saga).
• Viking Age Iceland, by Jesse Byock.
• Nordic Folklore by Reimund Kvideland, Henning K. Sehmsdorf (Editor). More of the same.
• Nordic Religions in the Viking Age, by Thomas Dubois. Newly published in late 1999. The book focuses on the interaction between different Northern cultures (Viking, Saami, Finnish), and includes a full chapters on Seidhr, Death & the Afterlife, Health & Healing the coming of the cross.
• Aspects of Anglo-Saxon Magic, by Bill Griffiths. Contains a survey of how the Anglo-Saxons regarded magic, and includes a wealth of original sources (Merseberg charms, rune poems, etc). Special Order from Amazon.

Women’s Studies

• The Role of the Northern Goddess, by Hilda Davidson. Hands down the finest book ever written regarding the Asynjur, collecting practically everything that is known about the Norse Goddesses. –JM
• Cold Counsel : The Women of Old Norse Literature and Myth, by Anderson and Swenson.
• Women in Old Norse Society, by Jenny Jochens. A superbly documented look back into the lives of Scandinavian women. –JM
• Old Norse Images of Women by Jenny Jochens. This book can be regarded as a companion to the author’s Women in Old Norse Society. This book uses the presentation of women in Eddic poetry and some other Icelandic narratives to shed light on women and their roles.
• Women in the Viking Age, by Judith Jesch.

Runes and Magic

• Nine Worlds of Seid-Magic: Ecstasy and Neo-Shamanism in North European Paganism, by Jenny Blain.
• Runecaster’s Handbook: The Well of Wyrd, Edred Thorsson.
• Runelore : A Handbook of Esoteric Runology, Edred Thorsson.
• Futhark, a Handbook of Rune Magic, Edred Thorsson.
• At the Well of Wyrd : A Handbook of Runic Divination, by Edred Thorsson.

Children’s Books

• Vikings (History Dudes), by Laura Buller. Adorable book, done in a comic like style about the Vikings, the Gods, and the Culture.
• Beowulf Coloring Book, from Dover Press.
• Norse Gods and Goddesses Coloring Book, from Dover Press.
• Story of the Vikings Coloring Book, from Dover Press
• The Giant King, Reading level: ages 9-12. By Rosalind Kerven
• Norse Mythology A to Z : A Young Reader’s Companion, reading level: young adult. by Kathleen N. Daly.
• The Norse Myths, by Kevin Crossley Holland. An entertaining, accurate and easy to read retelling of some of the primary myths found in Poetic Edda. Great for younger readers, or adults just being introduced to the Norse myths. –JM
• Nordic Gods and Heroes by Padraic Colum, illustrations by Willy Pogany. This book is aimed at children and takes considerable liberties. But it is readable and has good illustrations.

Vikings

• Chronicles of the Vikings by R.I. Page.
• Viking Art of War, by Paddy Griffith.
• The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Vikings, by John Haywood.
• Cultural Atlas of the Viking World, by Campbell.

Language

• A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, by Geir T. Zoega
• A Grammar of the Icelandic or Old Norse Tongue, by Rask and Webbe.
• Icelandic-English/English-Icelandic Dictionary, by Arnold Taylor.
• A Concise Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, by Hall and Merrit.

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See also Groa’s List of Recommended Heathen Reading, put together by our friend Ann Groa Sheffield in Medoburg Kindred, Pennsylvania.