Esoteric Reading List

Here is a list of spiritually orientated books that I found particularly insightful. Including the books in this list does not mean that I endorse all of the statements and teachings in the books, nor does it mean an endorsement of the authors per se. The list is meant to be beginner friendly; all of the books presented below can be read without extensive previous knowledge. The books below are presented in no particular order. The list will be updated should I find more books that fit the list. I will compose a socio-political reading list later on.

Above all else, I must throw my humility aside and recommend Dauntless and Demigod Mentality – not only because they are my own books but also because they will give you a good foundation to stand on.

Mircea Eliade‘s great classic The Myth of the Eternal Return. This book is great for understanding the mythical worldview of the archaic (or Traditional) man. Read my review of it here.

The Germanization of Early Medieval Christianity is a great book for understanding the spiritually of the Middle Ages – what one could call a period of Syncretic Paganism and Christianity. Read my review of it here.

The Northern Dawn by Stephen E. Flowers is similar to The Germanization of Early Medieval Christianity but is less academic in its style. Read my review of it here.

The Culture of the Teutons by Vilhelm Grønbech provides great insights into the worldview of the Germanic peoples – the Scandinavians of the Viking Age in particular. I discuss this book (volume 1 & 2) in Podcast Episode 45. Viking Worldview.

Temple of the Cosmos by Jeremy Naydler is an excellent book on Egyptian religion and worldview. Understanding Egyptian religion is good for understanding religion overall. Read my review of it here.

In Nietzsche‘s Coming God, Abir Taha does great work in presenting Nietzsche‘s spiritual views. Nietzsche‘s books are quite dense and not always easy reads; Taha distils her insights and presents them in a concise fashion. Read my review of it here.

Calling Us Home by Chris Lüttichau is a good book for those interested in animism and shamanism. Read my review of it here.

The One-eyed God by Kris Kershaw is an excellent academic book about the religious attitudes of the Aryans (Indo-Europeans). It is quite hard to come by (hopefully a re-print of it will come out). Read my review of it here.

The legendary Julius Evola wrote many books. His socio-political commentary is (in my humble opinion) not very interesting. His esoterico-magical and esoterico-historical writings, on the other hand, are highly interesting and insightful. Metaphysics of Power and Metaphysics of War are two good starting points. For those who would like to go further, Revolt Against the Modern World (review), Men Among the Ruins (review), The Mystery of the Grail (review), and Introduction to Magic (review 1, review 2) are good follow-ups.

Meditations on the Peaks by Julius Evola is a concise compilation of essays. This book could, just as The Mystery of the Grail, serve as an Evolian starting point. Read my review of it here.

The Serpent Symbol in Tradition by Charles William Dailey contains a wealth of spiritual knowledge. The book also introduces the thoughts of great scholars of Tradition such as Mircea Eliade and René Guénon. Read my review of it here.

Icelandic Magic by Stephen E. Flowers was one of the first esoteric books I read. It is a concise read and presents the Icelandic magical tradition. Read my review of it here.

Yukio Mishima’s great classic Sun and Steel. It is a beautiful book, especially relevant for those who pray in the Temple of Iron. Read my review of it here.

The Pagan Book of Days by Nigel Pennick contains a list of Pagan holy days throughout the year. It is a good resource for those who would like to include more ceremonies and celebrations in their lives. I made a video about the book which can be seen here.

The Mysteries of Mithras by Payam Nabarz is a great introduction to Mithras and Mithra (i.e. the Roman God Mithras and the Iranian God Mithra). Read my review of it here.

The Lightning and the Sun by Savitri Devi is an interesting book that gives a spiritual dimension to history. I elaborate at length about her book in Podcast Episode 44. The Lightning and the Sun.