The Book of Dreams was an unfinished typewritten manuscript by Mark Goddard. He had wanted it to be published, and gave it to his friend, Art Quester, who gave a copy to me after Mark was tragically killed in a car accident in 1988. It is now available as a hardback.
Continue readingReviews
Books I read in May
In Satnav We Trust, by Jack Barrow
An enjoyable romp through the historic counties of England, with mad speedboat drivers, curmudgeonly campsite owners, wibbly wifi connections, a serendipitous Satnav with a mind of its own, and ruminations upon rationalism as a possible enemy of the search for meaning.
Having followed the saga of this journey via Facebook updates at the time, it was fun to read the whole thing. If it were my journey, I think I’d have done a bit more research into places of interest before I started, but there’s something to be said for serendipity. And stopping off to see friends along the way.
Open-minded rationalists, skeptical mystics, and ramblers on a shoestring budget will enjoy this book. And doubtless many others too.
Gods of Jade and Shadow, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Absolutely gripping account of what happens when Casiopeia Tun, the poor relation of the Leyva family, opens a mysterious box in her grandfather’s room. It brings to life the world of the Popol Vuh and the gods of jade and shadow, the mysterious landscape of the Yucatan peninsula, and 1920s Mexico. If you like Neil Gaiman, Ekaterina Sedia, Seanan McGuire, or Katherine Arden, you’ll love this book.
Books I read in March
I’m trying to read more books this month as January and February have been a slow start. Currently reading The Meaning of Witchcraft by Gerald Gardner, which led me down an interesting rabbit hole about spiritualism and witchcraft.
Continue readingBooks I read in January
I’ve set myself the goal of 52 books this year, but I don’t know if I am going to read as many as that. Not that it matters, because this is about the joy of reading, not the quantity. And I’m very happy to have started the year with The Old Ways by Robert Macfarlane, as it’s a really beautiful book.
Continue readingQueer Pagan Books List 2021
An update on my 2020 post, my 2018 post and my 2015 post. Please add your recommendations in the comments.
I have organized the list by author and added topic tags; if you prefer a list by topic, have a look at my 2018 post. This year I have added twenty new books to the list (some are classics that were not on the list before, but most are recently published books).
And I made a YouTube video about some of the Queer Pagan books in my collection.
Books I read in 2020
I planned to read more witchy books this year and I have done that. I also read a lot of SF, which I enjoy.
Books I read in September
Philip Heselton’s new book on the New Forest Coven; a book on folkloric witchcraft; and an epistolary novel about people who love books.
Continue readingBooks I read in July
The absolutely outstanding Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender, about a trans teenager in New York. A book on Tolkien’s Oxford. Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild. And the brilliant anthology Queer Magic.
Books I read in June
Two books by Doreen Valiente, a history of antifascism, a collection of SF shorts by N K Jemisin, and some light porn involving Morris dancing.
Books I read in May
Alternate timeline with magic; discovery of 3000 year old giant robot parts on Earth. Other alien robots arrive and very bad things start happening.
