BBC Radio - The Druids

I ran into an interesting podcast on BBC Radio 4: In Our Time, The Druids.

Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the Druids, the priests of ancient Europe. His guests include:

• Barry Cunliffe - Emeritus Professor of Archaeology at the University of Oxford
• Miranda Aldhouse-Green- Professor of Archaeology at Cardiff University
• Justin Champion - Professor of the History of Early Modern Ideas at Royal Holloway, University of London

Of particular interest is the "For Further Reading" listing associated with the podcast. It includes several standards but also a number of books that I am not familiar with. Certainly some of them will be added to my wish list.

• Miranda Aldhouse-Green, ‘Caesar's Druids: Archaeology of an Ancient Priesthood’ (Yale University Press, 2010)
• Justin Champion, ‘Republican Learning: John Toland and the Crisis of Christian Culture’ (Manchester, 2009)
• Barry Cunliffe, ‘Druids: A Very Short Introduction’ (Oxford University Press, 2010)
• Miranda J. Green, ‘Exploring the World of the Druids’ (Thames and Hudson, 1997)
• Michael Hunter, ‘John Aubrey and the Realm of Learning’ (Duckworth, 1975)
• Ronald Hutton, ‘Blood and Mistletoe: The History of the Druids in Britain’ (Yale University Press, 2009)
• Stuart Piggott, ‘Ancient Britons and the Antiquarian Imagination’ (Thames & Hudson, 1989)
• Sam Smiles, ‘The Image of Antiquity: Ancient Britain and the Romantic Imagination’ (Yale, 1994)

 Of course, I'd be interested in a review of any of the books, particularly those dated since 2009. If you would like to submit a review to either Henge Happenings or to Keltria Journal, please do so to submissions@keltria.org.

Tony's Recommended Reading

Every few years it is good to reconsider which books a person recommends. Certainly some books fall out of favor and other books become better sources for information.  Sometimes we go back to a book read long ago that really crystallized some concept. Finally, the ideas we think are important change somewhat as we, ourselves,  progress. 

My top three recommended books in each of the service areas are:

Druid’s Path:

* Pagans and the Law: Understand your Rights by Dana D. Eilers
* Neopagan Rites: A Guide to Creating Public Rituals that Work by Isaac Bonewits
The Henge of Keltria Book of Ritual by Pat Taylor & Tony Taylor

Bard's Path:

 * The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell 
The Making of a Druid: Hidden Teachings from The Colloquy of Two Sages by Christian J. Guyonvarc'h  [Review]
The Celtic Way of Seeing: Meditations on the Irish Spirit Wheel by Frank MacEowen [Review] 

Seer's Path:

* The Master Book of Herbalism by Paul Beyerl

Fire in the Head: Shamanism and the Celtic Spirit by Tom Cowan

Celtic Wisdom Sticks:  Ancient Ogam Symbols Offer Guidance for Today by Caitlin Matthews

Survey of Religions

* Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism by Isaac Bonewits

Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America by Margot Adler

Being a Pagan: Druids, Wiccans, and Witches Today by E. Hopman and L. Bond

* indicates a book new to my list.