I was just wondering if anyone had any good book titles for interpretations on runes, I have read the one that came with my runes, which is okay, but only 15 pages or so.

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Interpretations-wise, your best with the original northvegr.org/lore/runes/index.php]Rune Poems

If you're really new & not into dry reading, you might want to try something like Thorsson's amazon.com/Runecasters-Handbook-Well-Edred-Thorsson/dp/157863136X]"Runecaster's Handbook". There are plenty listed in the "sources" thread, however.

Hi Chooky,

Take a look at the post under the name of sources, the books and web sites stated there are very good.  Myself prefer books as you can tell where the information has come from in the bibliography and some web sites are not always accurate.

so check out that post and you will have your fill of books and web sites.

MG

I agree with Waelwulf on the original rune poems.  Unequivocably their meanings are beyond dispute.  Other books are modern efforts to unravel the past and some may be colored by agenda or affiliation.  While many cite Thorsson (original name Stephen Flowers) as an expert in the field, he has a checkered past IMHO as a founding member of the Church of Satan in the 1960s and I have a hard time reconciling a student of hate (i.e. Satanism) with the purer ideals of the Norse way.  In any case, stock with the rune poems that Waelwulf links to.  Some may find the rune poems to be terse (they are) and then the need for interpretation comes in.  My suggestion?  While I have some books on my bookshelf with the word rune in the title, my ability (such as it is) to work the runes is to know the people of ancient Germania, and that is done by reading books of that culture.  To know the people is to lay the foundation of working the runes.  IMHO (I am far too opinionated for my own good), I would recommend The Poetic Edda, the most important book of Norse philosophy and probably a book that puts you in the life of the 10th century Viking, such as the Sagas of Icelanders, which has as its first story, Egil's Saga, and Egil was one of history's great runemasters (sadly not much history on that subject).  Knowledge of the runes would come from knowledge of the people and working the runes slowly, building up a relationship (as it were) with them.  You can't just download a knowledge set of runic interpretation, it has to be acquired over time IMHO.  But if you want a good primer to get up to speed, I will recommend Melville's The Book of Runes.  Succinct, basic, a good intro to using the runes.  But I would recommend only as an intro and not in place of actual experience with the runes, and by no means instead of the rune poems, the Edda and the Sagas if you are serious about the subject.

Yes, I probably misspoke when I suggested Thorsson; I just know how most people are about reading something that isn't fluffy (guess I shouldn't use that to gauge things though, that's a mistake). Earl is absolutely correct though (from the posts that I've read, you should listen to what Earl has to say) . The original sources are, in my personal opinion, always far superior to anything else (to the point of completely negating most else).

As a side note though, the CoS doesn't exactly preach hate (depending entirely on how you define hate), but does preach the elevation of the material over the spiritual (which, for the most part, I disagree with (there is always a happy medium)). As another side note, I'm not at all affiliated with or condone affiliation with the Church of Satan (which is really more of a "f the establishment" than a "church") so try not to flame me for my "defense" (a term which I use incredibly loosely).

I suppose I sometimes recommend Dr. Flowers over others because he's one of the least "fluffy" of the lot (at least so far as I've been able to discern); that, & I live a stone's throw from him so feel some sort of strange kinship with him. Not altogether a bad guy, but his ego does have a tendency to (frequently) get in the way. Some of his stuff is "okay" if that's the right word, but there is some chaff in there as well (as evidenced by "The Nine Doors of Midgard" for starters (the list could go on of course)).

Melville's "The Book of Runes" eh? Never read it. I'll have to look into it if it's a good primer to recommend to beginners as I don't know many (or any) good ones. I was (very unfortunately) introduced to the runes many, years ago by the horrificly infamous Blum. I have to vomit now after saying that name, so I bid you adieu.