Books about the Druids?

[WarriorZhanna]

I know there isn't a lot of historical material about the Druids, or so I've heard, and that some books about this path are not always authentic/reliable and just New Age fiction..

Since I'm in England at the moment I'm thinking of buying a good book on this subject from a pagan perspective. Something about Druidism/Celtic Paganism. And I'd love something that has historical truth in it.

Any good recommendations?

[WarriorZhanna]

..anyone? :(

[skilly-nilly]

This site
http://www.paganachd.com/faq/
has a reading-list page
http://www.paganachd.com/faq/readinglist.html

This is one of their recommendations:
"Gods and Heroes of the Celts — Marie-Louise Sjoestedt

This is an excellent introduction to Celtic mythology in a variety of cultures. It’s short and clear, emphasizing the importance of not attempting to smoosh Celtic deities into Classical Mediterranean models. A wonderful overview."

It's not on the list, but I liked The Druids by Ronald Hutton.

There's also A Brief History of the Druids by Peter Berresford Ellis.


Enjoy!

[Cat]

The Celtic druid's Year, by John King. The first part is history, the rest is a discussion of the celtic calendar, which may be less relevant.

[DandelionDame]

I'd recommend perusing the reading list here:
http://www.whiteoakdruids.org/suggestedreadingwhiteoak.cfm

They're a group of Celtic Reconstructionist Druids and take accuracy and scholarship verrrrry seriously.

[Seren_]

Stuart Piggot's The Druids is a good read from what I've heard.

It's been ages since I read it, but it's still the one I'd recommend.

[odubhain]

I know there isn't a lot of historical material about the Druids, or so I've heard, and that some books about this path are not always authentic/reliable and just New Age fiction..

Since I'm in England at the moment I'm thinking of buying a good book on this subject from a pagan perspective. Something about Druidism/Celtic Paganism. And I'd love something that has historical truth in it.

Any good recommendations?

The books referenced at Wikipedia are good sources:

* Aldhouse-Green, Miranda J., Exploring the World of the Druids (London: Thames and Hudson, 1997)
* Ellis, Peter, B., "The Druids" (William B. Eerdmans, 1994)
* Fitzpatrick, A. P,. Who were the Druids? (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1997)
* Piggott, Stuart, The Druids (London: Thames and Hudson, 1975)

Three other books titled The Druids are by Celtic scholars:

Anne Ross
Nora Chadwick
Ronald Hutton

Additional books on the Druids that I've liked are by these authors:

Ward Rutherford - Celtic Lore: The History of the Druids and Their Timeless Traditions
Druids: Magicians of the West (Esoteric Themes & Perspectives)

Philip A. Freeman - The Philosopher and the Druids
War, Women, and Druids: Eyewitness Reports and Early Accounts of the Ancient Celts

There are also some very good neo-Druidic authors:

Isaac Bonewits
Skip Ellison
Philip Carr-Gomm
John Michael Greer
Nicholas Mann
Maya Sutton
Caitlin and John Matthews
Brendan Myers
Alexei Kondratiev

to name only a few.

Searles O'Dubhain

[odubhain]

Jean Markale wrote a book on the druids as well. It has been a while since I've read it, but I found it to be worth reading, though some of his ideas might be found a bit dated.

I usually buy and read Markale's books to get a different perspective (French) on Druids. He speculates more than some and accepts as a given ideas that are sometimes foreign to the givens that surround us here. These ideas make one think, but should be researched (like all ideas). I like books by Guyonarvc'h or Le Roux for much the same reasons (from fr.wikipedia):

Le Dialogue des deux Sages, Bibliothèque scientifique Payot, Paris, 1999, (ISBN 2-228-89214-9)

Les Druides, avec la coll. de Françoise Le Roux, Ouest-France Université, coll. « De mémoire d’homme : l’histoire », Rennes, 1986 (ISBN 2-85882-920-9).

Another author I very much like is Seán O'Duinn (who I consider to be a modern Druid despite his religious affiliations) who has written:

Forbhais Droma Dámhgháire : seanscéal ó Leabhar an Leasa Mhóir = The siege of Knocklong

The Rites of Brigid: Goddess & Saint

Where Three Streams Meet: Celtic Spirituality

Searles O'Dubhain