CATALOGS:

A majority of these books are published Llewellyn, the oldest, largest and most reliable provider of books and tapes on magick/wicca/paganism in the country; call 1-800-THE-MOON for a free catalog; visit their website at www.llewellyn.com; e-mail at lwlpc@llewellyn.com.

Another excellent catalog of jewelry, etc. is the Pyramid catalog:
1-800-333-4220.
Gorgeous astrological charts, fairy wands, candles, chalices...many trads represented...

Also, I recommend the Daily Planet; not pagan per se, but multicultural clothing -- robes, capes, dresses, etc. from all over the world. Their sister catalogs Seasons, Signals, and Wireless come with it -- again, free -- and all proceeds benefit public television and radio. 1-800-324-5950.

FICTION on the topic I recommend:

Scott Cunningham has left us quite a legacy. I have yet to meet a pagan who hasn't at least one much loved copy of his work. I found a book that is often overlooked and is still in print through Llwelyn Publishing, Scott Cunningham's Truth About Witchcraft. It is a book for teenagers, non-pagans, and those who have just begun to question "what is witchcraft". I have loaned my copy out so many times that the cover is gone and a few pages rest loosely in it's binding. When people ask for more information we have a tendancy to overwhelm them, his book speaks like a kind friend. And when you finish with that one there is a whole library of other workd to explore. And don't forget history books. There is a wealth of information to be gleamed between the pages of history books.
nemeton@bellatlantic.net

Amidst all the predictable postings recommending the standard US wiccan stuff (mostly Cunningham and Silver RavenWolf) it's good to see someone putting in a good word for Marian Green's book "A Witch Alone - Thirteen Moons to Master Natural Magic", and I agree with those comments. It, and another little pocket book of hers, "Elements of Natural Magic", are the two books I always recommend.

As Nibeth has said, it is completely down to earth and free of the mechanistic "buy this tarot pack", "burn this colour candle" and "recite this spellt" approach which characterises most of the US books I have seen, especially those produced by Llewellyn. I guess it's the difference between "doing" and "being".

In my experience, the majority of books published for the US wiccan market seem to be obsessed with learning "facts" but seem very short on turning "knowledge" into "understanding".

Perhaps I should point out (before I get flamed) that there is a tremendous difference between the UK and US pagan scenes and their approaches - so different that most US wiccans with whom I have had contact refuse to believe that those differences exist until they have made a fool of themselves at a pub moot or other gathering in the UK.

This is not an attempt to "knock" US paganism, but merely to point out that our national approaches are, as I say, VERY different. This is why most of the standard US wiccan books already recommended by other posters to this discussion are not very popular over here - nor, in some cases, are they taken very seriously. But the same is true of the Farrars as well.

Apart from the Marian Green books already mentioned, I personally think that the new pagan should invest in a pair of wellies (or similar), some waterproof clothing and a few pocket-sized field guides on trees, fungi and wild plants and just get out and spend time in the woods, on the shore, in the mountains etc learning to "see" again. And learn all they can about folklore and mythology as well.

Ultimately (IMHO) magick is never about what a person *knows*, it is about what they *understand* and whether they can apply that understanding to their words and deeds.

So bugger the candle colour - can you recognise an oak tree in winter?
WHITE DRAGON
Witchcraft, Magick and Earth Mysteries
for the Ancient Kingdom of Mercia and Beyond .... WWW

My person favorite so far is "Celtic Myth and Magick" by Edain McCoy. It has a listing of a lot of Gods and Goddess and a bit of their history, as well as recipes, songs, and basically a step by step for people new to all of this. I've found a wealth of knowledge in the book, and I am not even done with it yet! This book would definitely be the one I would like to have with me if I was stranded on a desert island.
fuguee@juno.com

How about "Wicca: The Old Religion in the New Millenium" by Vivianne Crowley? (No, no relation to Alestair.) Yeah, it's a bit of a stretch to get your brain around, but she is an excellent writer and lays it down in a clear way. In this surprisingly un-weighty tome, Crowley compares wicca to some basics of Jungian psychiatrics and offers an unbiased view of the religion with emphasis on personal choice. An excellent starter for those heavy into information and learning.
Moonchild

Like many Pagans I highly recommend Scott Cunningham and Starhawk; Silver RavenWolf is good, but she seems a little more tied up in the art and notas much in the faith of Wicca, and I come from a more spirituality-based trad. However, there is a new book out called _21st Century Wicca_ by Jennifer Hunter that blew me away. It contains no rituals or spells, but ways to create your own; it has just the right blend of no-nonsense and mysticism.
lisa.redhawk@mail.utexas.edu

My first book was True Magick by Amber K. It is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone who is just starting or just wants to know about knowledge. I would also recommend anything by Cunningham.

~Raven Dark~

direct any and all replies to: xencia_xodust@hotmail.com

Nobody so far has said anything about the Mists of Avalon! I don't know if Marion Zimmer Bradley is a witch or not, but I do know that Mists is the book that really got me hardcore into Paganism. I LOVED that book. I derived my name from that book. Also, for manuals, I think Starhawk's the Spiral Dance is the greatest. Very inspirational.
Thanks,
Gwydion Oshunchild

I sometimes recommend that people read The Satanic Bible by Anton Szandor LaVey... not that I follow any of it. It's hilarious if you look at it objectively... and I like the looks on peoples' faces when I recommend it. A couple of people have actually listened more to me since I used this book to outline precisely what I DON'T believe, and why I could never follow Satan.
Peace to all.
-David Luke

Unless they are new to Wicca, they are already following their own path and have an idea of what they want to read. For someone new, I always reccomend; Earth, Air, Fire, & Water, by Scott Cunningham first. My second reccomendation is; Complete Book of Witchcraft, by Raymond Buckland, and third I reccomend Witchcraft From Within, also by Raymond Buckland (which gives them a sense of the history and direction of Wicca). After that, I think they should already know what direction they want to travel. May the Goddess be in your hearts forever.

Blessed be,
Vulcan

I always recomend anything by Scott Cunningham and the Silver Broomstick and Magick Cauldron books by Silver RavenWolf. To Ride A Silver Broomstick is one of the best introduction books that I have ever read. My copy is very well marked up and highlighted and may of the prayers, chants and spells in it have made their way into my personal Book of Shadows. I have about2 almost 3 dozen Craft realted books, but find the titles by these two to be my favorites. They have some of the best solitary teachings and give nothing but incouragement and hope to those that think this is an unatainable goal; that of being a witch. I also have highly recommendedt he home-study course in witchcraft that the company Shadows & Light offer. They are a fantastic supply comany on line where I get many of my ritual items.
Athena

I have always found any books, by Silver Ravenwolf, or Scott Cunningham to be of great content. If you ever come upon any of their books, read them!!
BB,
Allison

My favorite books, and the ones I always recommend if asked, are anything by Scott Cunningham. I love his open ways of expressing things, his "there is no one right way to do things" teaching (so I don't feel so awkward, being a beginner).
Morg

One book that I continually recommend to anyone interested in herbs is simply called: The Herb Book. It is written by John B. Lust, N.D., D.B.M., published by Bantam Books, Inc., ISBN 0-553-23827-2. The book contains a compendium of botanical medicine, guide to making and using herbal preparations, alphabetical listings of all herbs by both the English and the Latin botanical names, herbal formulas, seasoning with spices, herbal cosmetics, scents, dyes for cloth, a section on plants and astrology, and a section on the legends and lore of herbs. The only drawback that I can see would be that, for beginner herb-crafters, the line-drawings might not be enough for identifying herbs in the wild. But each herb listed also carries a detailed description in the text. This is the one book that I would want to have were I marooned on a desert island!
Blessed Be!
Bridey

What I tend to reccomend depends on the area and mindset from which the person is approaching the craft. Among my standards are Silver RavenWolf's To_Ride_A_Silver_Broomstick, Starhawk's The_Spiral_Dance, and, depending on the person's background with witchcraft, one or more of Scott Cunningham's books. I also tend to suggest one book in an area or tradition of the craft which interests them.
Ananda

Well, I have two, mainly, that I reccommend. Both By Scott Cunningham. "Wicca: A guide to the Solitary Practitioner" and "The Truth About Witchcraft Today". (Occasionally "Living Wicca" too, but those two, mostly.)

I think that I reccommend them mainly because they were MY first books. I found Wicca by accident, looking in the New Age section of my public library. I had always been drawn to earth magick, not really knowing what it was, and I found a book by Cunningham called "The Encyclopedia of Crystal, Gem and Metal Magic" and read it. I loved it, and wanted to read more by this author. I did a search for his books, and found the Solitary's Guide. Everything I'd always believed clicked in my head, and I was stunned. I've been studying and working since then, and I've been a witch for five years now.

*sigh* Long rant. But my choice of those books to reccommend needed an explanation (G).
Blessings,
Cassiopia

I personally always recommend Scott Cunningham's books. All of them, from what I've read have been very good. Wicca A Guide for the Solitary Practitioner and Wicca A Further Guide for the Solitary Practitioner are both excellent books. Even if you choose to find and join a coven, your solitary relationship with the gods and the Earth as a whole is very important.
My opinion. :)
BB
Andrea @-}-------
AKA: Ivy Fireheart

almost any book by Gerina Dunwich, her spell books don't just explain simply the proces and make it easier to understand they have all sorts of remedies and protection recipies. I also suggest The Scorcerers Crossing by Taisha Abelar. She is not an author, this book is a true account of her experience and is quite uplifting.
banand@ibm.net

One book I enjoyed very much and haven't seen on any pagan or witchcraft site is Marian Green - A Witch Alone HarperCollins, London, 1991 It's a step-by-step guide for a solitary witch. It's not about Wicca, more about traditional witchcraft, and has not much on rituals and no spells at all, but a lot of good stuff about learning the basics: Get in touch with nature, your inner self, the God and Goddess, meditation, divination, the wheel of the year, various myths... It is structured in 13 chapters, one for each moon of a year, each moon devoted to one aspect of learning. It is not a tell-all sort of book, but it serves as a guide for the seeker - you have to find the way for yourself. Well, you have to, anyway. I think it's a really wonderful book, and I just don't understand why nobody seems to mention it. The structure makes it easy to start. With other books, I felt overwhelmed by the stuff I had to master, but A Witch Alone is so much down-to-earth and well structured, giving suggestions and exercises for each chapter, I find it encouraging to go on.
Nibeth

For books, I've read a couple, now one very interesting that I found was 'To ride a silver broomstick' by SilverRaven Wolf. Now this book is great for people getting in the craft, as it offers you a vast orientation of pantheon, it doesn't only orient you in one direction, you can read about many of them!! and it will guide you through the the initiation, how to make your sacred space, how to bless your tools... and many things, the divination... in anycase there is all the base covert in that book!! I HIGHLY recommend it, but as always, before buying a book, I sudgest you look in the book a bit to see if you like it!!
Bless be
NightOwl

I found Starhawk's The Spiral Dance to be informative. Laurie Cabot's Power of the Witch is also good for beginners.
Goyra68@aol.com

I always recommend to others who want a basic understanding of Wicca the following books:

The books by RavenWolf and Cunningham are great introductory reading for the beginner. For those who like a little more meat I would recommend the Farrar's book. It's a very complete reading in my opinion.
ch42033@navix.net

I always recommend Scott Cunningham's books and Silver RavenWolf's books.
lasvegmom@yvv.com

My favorite author is Raymond Buckland.As a beginning solitary practioner his book"The Complete Book of Witchcaft" was all the info I need to begin, set up like a text with questions at the end of each chapter that helped me absorb the information better.I have both of his candle magick books and one on gypsy fortune telling all are excellant.I've also found Scott Cunninghams books on Solitary Wicca very easy to read and informative for beginners.
Blessed Be!
Ariel

Many of my friends have approached me asking how I can meditate after a long, hectic day. I recommend to them a book called Crystal Healing Secrets, by Brett Bravo. Brett is an excellent writer and explains in detail how the colors of different crystals and their properties can combine to help heal us both mentally and physically. In this book Brett also includes a 7 minute meditation for each stone to help you start working with it. It was through the knowledge in this book that I found crystals to help keep me calm and help me meditate. Now I can meditate anytime I need to and I feel great!
jennabluewind@hotmail.com

Although I like Scott Cunningham, for his is one of the first books I ever read on the occult, I love Silver RavenWolf. She is my favorite writer, and has some of the best books on the market. Her, Ride A Silver Broomstick, is a great read for beginners. Also, her To Stir A Magick Cauldron is a perfect book for the more experienced. She writes her books in an entertaining and humorous way that makes you want to read the whole book in one sitting!
Michael Schueller