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bradtheimpaler
Metal newbie

Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2008 5:13 pm
Posts: 104
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 10:57 pm 
 

I'm on the lookout for any literature on Asatru other than the Eddas. Something published from modern asatru organizations is perfectly acceptable too. I am just looking for something more than a pamphlet. Also I would like all the information you have regarding any Asatru organizations in the southern MI, northern OH area. Thanks.

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firescarredmartyr
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Thu May 01, 2003 12:29 am
Posts: 21
PostPosted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 1:47 am 
 

For a complete, everything you need to know guide, I'd recommend Our Troth (Volume's 1 & 2) put together by Kveldulf Gundarsson. Take what he says regarding the sexuality and transvestite tendencies of the Gods with a grain of salt; he himself is sexually "confused" to put it mildly and tries to superimpose certain things onto the Lore which aren't really there.

That being said however, they are mostly extremely well researched and reasonably comprehensive books, and the bibliography thereof can give you a lot of insight in what other books you might be interested in.

As far as primary literature goes, the Havamal, the Sagas (particularly the Sagas of the Icelanders), Beowulf, as well as non-heathen commentators such as Saxo Grammaticus, Caesar and Tacitus can all provide useful insights into different aspects of the folkway.

http://www.northvegr.org/lore/pdf.php has some helpful documents in .PDF format as well.

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AurvandiL
Metalhead

Joined: Wed Jun 14, 2006 8:22 am
Posts: 559
PostPosted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 4:39 pm 
 

Oh, and the Eddas aren't Asatru.

Snorre Sturluson was a notorious christian. And if you have read the Prose Edda, you can see it quite clearly.

If you refers to Norse litterature, I recommend the Saga Volsunga (evn though I find it to be full of doubtful moral advices).

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Svartalf
Metal newbie

Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2007 10:22 am
Posts: 97
Location: New Zealand
PostPosted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 5:08 pm 
 

AurvandiL wrote:
Oh, and the Eddas aren't Asatru.

Snorre Sturluson was a notorious christian. And if you have read the Prose Edda, you can see it quite clearly.

If you refers to Norse litterature, I recommend the Saga Volsunga (evn though I find it to be full of doubtful moral advices).


Yeah, the Sagas (many of the best of which are collected in The Sagas of Icelanders), though also dating from the Christian era, tell tales of the end of the Pagan era.

I would recommend The Norse Myths by Kevin Crossley-Holland as a good book for anyone unfamiliar with the myths.

I guess I would sort of balk at thinking of anything published by a modern neo-pagan organization as anything other than wild speculation or outright falsehood. The documented primary sources on actual pre-Christian Norse religious practices would fill no more than a pamphlet, as contemporary educated men who came in contact with the worshippers of the Old Gods were all Christian clergy, and had no interest in accurately portraying what the Pagans did, only in eradicating it as quickly as possible. You will find almost no useful information on the old Norse religion outside the (probably themselves distorted) survivals in Icelandic literature.

You can thank the Catholics for that.

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erik_the_red
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2006 12:14 am
Posts: 15
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 7:09 pm 
 

i second the norse myths suggestion by Kevin Crossley-Holland. very good read, easily understandable and informative.

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Burzukur
Metal newbie

Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 11:13 am
Posts: 88
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 11:23 pm 
 

Seamus Heaney's version of Beowulf is awesome. One page is in old english, and the page that follows it is the direct translation. It gives you a perfectly clear idea of how they spoke back then. Besides that, I keep hearing good things about the "Our Troth" books (though this is the first time I heard the author was gay).
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bradtheimpaler
Metal newbie

Joined: Sun Feb 03, 2008 5:13 pm
Posts: 104
Location: United States of America
PostPosted: Sat Mar 15, 2008 12:57 pm 
 

Thanks alot, the Our Troth books definitely sound like something I need to look into.

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Demon_Painter
Mallcore Kid

Joined: Mon Feb 11, 2008 10:47 pm
Posts: 1
Location: Australia
PostPosted: Sun Mar 16, 2008 8:37 pm 
 

'You will find almost no useful information on the old Norse religion outside the (probably themselves distorted) survivals in Icelandic literature.'

Agreed.

Cheers Catholics!

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