Heathens, Pagans and Witches discussion

Over the last two years I've found myself listening to books and enjoying the experience. I have listened to both fiction, and non-fiction and considering the amount of time I have to listen to books (driving, housework, etc.) as opposed to reading, I have regularly sought out titles on my wishlist; however I have been thwarted in my efforts to procure most of my wishlist, consisting of more non-fiction than fiction. Even those fictional books I have long desired are unpublished in audio format. The pagan pickings are slim indeed.

Given the increase of books being published in ebook format, I would have thought there might be an increase in audio offerings. Not so.

Sometimes I wonder how blind pagans cope with finding materials when it seems so few pagan authors (of fiction and non-fiction) make their books available in audio format.

Do other members enjoy audio books?

I've enjoyed audio books in the past when I did a lot of driving. I agree, I whish there was more available in this formant. My father was blind towards the end of his life and the Canadian National Institute for the Blind's audio library was one of his great joys in life. Speaking as an author, I’d be happy to make my work available in this format but my publisher must agree, then you need studio time to get a quality recording, then you need a voice actor, or perhaps author with the skills, who is willing to take the time to read the entire book aloud. Then there are copying and distribution costs and piracy issues. I’d donate my books to the CNIB library, but if someone makes a profit by selling a recording of my book I want my cut. That’s just fair, I spent the eight months writing it and this is my job. So the issue is a little more complex than at first blush.

Wow. Just discovered an audio version of Traditional Witchcraft: A Cornish Book of Ways: Traditional Witchcraft: A Cornish Book of Ways (CD Audiobook)

Here's hoping it's the first of many more to follow.

I have been using audible, podcasts, and iTunes for this, and it has been difficult to find things I like. Most of the stuff available on audio books have been on the fluffier side, I suppose because it is more palatable to the general populace. So far all I've really found that was reasonably decent was Shamanic Visioning and Ask Your Guides, the latter of which I only listened to because a friend suggested it to me. There does appear to be a few different things on audible now, but I'd love any suggestions if anyone has found anything new.

Not sure what kind of books you are after, but there are some like

Druids: A Very Short Introduction;
Witchcraft: A Very Short Introduction;
Myth: A Very Short Introduction;
The Fall of the Pagans and the Origins of Medieval Christianity;
America Bewitched: The Story of Witchcraft After Salem; and
Aradia: Gospel of the Witches

These are just some that are available. I've read the first three in hard copy; but not the last three.

Just found Philip Carr-Gomm's DruidCraft on Downpour in audio format here.

Too much work on the computer lately has tired my eyes pretty badly, so I've been looking for audiobooks. Trouble is, I'm spending almost as much time on the computer trying to find suitable books...

Listening to The Magician by Somerset Maugham on Librivox, an odd little curiosity, very dated with a flavour of sinister farce or Penny Dreadful. The author based the magician of the title on Aleister Crowley, who he'd met, and the reader (most ambitiously) somehow manages to give an individual voice to each and every character. Crowley jumps from the reading pretty convincingly (for me, anyway), although the voices of the two women characters are less of a success, and the book a bit dull until he turns up.

Mr Crowley actually wrote a review of the book when it was published, and signed it Oliver Haddo, the name of his character in the book.

Nell wrote: "Listening to The Magician by Somerset Maugham on Librivox, an odd little curiosity, very dated with a flavour of sinister farce or Penny Dreadful. The author based the magician of the title on Alei..."

Read this ages ago and it's slowly working it's way pack to the top of a TBR pile of novels...
Didn't know about AC reviewing it...I assume he did it with tongue in cheek?

I guess so, although he did accuse SM of plagiarism, not so much about the portrayal of himself, but of stealing magickal stuff from Mircea Eliade and others. Whatever AC actually wrote in the review though, I'm sure he was delighted by being featured as the main character... :D

The review was in Vanity Fair - it might be fun to try to find it - it's only briefly mentioned on the Wiki page for the book.

Nell wrote: "Listening to The Magician by Somerset Maugham on Librivox, an odd little curiosity, very dated with a flavour of sinister farce or Penny Dreadful. The author based the magician of the title on Alei..."

Just finished this one, and feel that reading rather than listening might have have given me a different impression. I think perhaps that the dramatic style of the Librivox reading may have prompted my earlier comments...

I like listening. Just became a libravox volunteer. Haven't worked on a project yet. I get a kind of dyslexia at times. Non-fiction easier to read than fiction. I live with Traumatic Brain Injury since 2004. It effects my right brain skills as well as some executive functioning.

Have just found Gemma Gary's The Black Toad in audio format here.

I would love to find pagan audiobooks. Ancestral, I enjoy listening to audiobooks as much as you do.

I've enjoyed listening to the Narnia series as well as some creepy stuff by Lovecraft. I have a small collection in the back seat of my car and having some pagan stuff mixed in would be nice. I do enjoy diversity in things.

A few free audiobooks from Librivox...

The Lancashire Witches by Harrison Ainsworth

The Princess and the Goblin by George Macdonald

Sadhana by Rabindranath Tagore

Elizabethan Demonology by Thomas Alfred Spalding

The Mabinogion Anonymous

The Astral Plane by C.W. Leadbeater

The Kybalion by The Three Initiates

The Religion of Ancient Egypt by William Matthew Flinders Petrie

The Book of Lies by Aleister Crowley

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell by William Blake

The White People by Arthur Machen

The Hill of Dreams by Arthur Machen

The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen



I'll try and add others as I find them... :)