Tap into the age-old, secret power of runes to create a better and more enriching life. Generally associated with the ancient Northern Europeans, runes are magical symbols that convey the story of creation, life, destruction, and rebirth, and how these forces constantly affect our many levels of being. Runes connect with your body, mind, and spirit, as well as the environment, and are ideal for use in psychological integration, spiritual growth, healing, and magic. Learn the history of runes and the meanings and associations of each symbol. Then discover a wide variety of ways runes can help you find answers to personal questions, increase self-awareness, relieve stress, gain a sense of personal empowerment, and clear out blockages in your life. As you work with these mystical tools you’ll find within them the power to transform yourself.

What are the Runes, and are they actually good for magic? In The Runes: A Grounding in Northern Magic author, illustrator and artist James Flowerdew brings together a lifetime of learning and experiences with the Runes. Complete with a unique set of illustrations, The Runes is a great beginner's guide to this writing system, which was also and can still be used for magical purposes. Full of direct references to genuine ancient texts - as well as ripping yarns, poignant anecdotes and a good dose of humour - this book attempts to demonstrate not just the surface of Rune magic, but the underlying principles and culture that inform them alongside some general magical practice. The Runes are much more than a historical alphabet. They are a key to the wisdom of the ancient peoples who used them in language, life and magic, with these surviving writings not only clarifying these uses, but providing at least the bones of what you need to use them yourself today. A mixture of elegant and coarse, gentle and gritty, sombre and witty, the Runes are not to everyone's taste - but they echo a very real and relatable cosmology. A world view that doesn't hide the warts, but that finds plenty worth loving at the same time. Step into the world of the Runes on steady feet, and start a spiritual journey from which you may never wish to turn back.

This book examines translations of Icelandic sagas and the Victorian and Edwardian children's literature they inspired, some of which are canonical while others are forgotten. It covers authors like William Morris, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Thomas Gray, Walter Scott, H. Rider Haggard, W.H. Auden, John Greenleef Whittier and more. In lavish volumes and modest schoolbooks, British and American writers claimed Nordic heritage and explored Nordic traditions. The sagas offered a rich and wide-ranging source for these authors: Volsunga saga's Sigurd the dragon slayer; King Olaf's saga of opposing Nordic Gods and Christianity; Frithiof's model of headstrong youth beset with unfair opposition and lost love. Grettir and Njal tell of men who accepted fate and met conflict and enemies unflinchingly; Aslaug, Gudrida, Hallberga and Hervar exerted remarkable influence; and Eric the Red and Leif the Lucky provided Americans with a Nordic heritage of discovery.

THE DEFINITIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE RETELLING OF NORSE MYTHOLOGY 'Burning ice, biting flame; that is how life began' The extraordinary Scandinavian myth cycle is one of the most enduring, exciting, dramatic and compelling of the world's great stories. The Penguin Book of the Norse Myths compellingly retells these stories for the modern reader, taking us from the creation of the world through the building of Asgard's Wall to the end in Ragnarok. You'll discover how Thor got his hammer and how Odin lost his eye, the terrible price of binding the wolf Fenrir and why Loki the Trickster can never be trusted. The Norse myths are as thrilling to read as they are of vast cultural and historical importance. In this gripping book, discover the passion, cruelty and heroism of these unforgettable stories. 'An excellent introduction to Norse Mythology' Amazon Review 'Extremely well written, highly engaging and entertaining' Amazon Review 'Viking myths and legends written in a humorous and enlightening way' Amazon Review

The first collection of plays by one of France's most prominent playwrights Overboard: "Combines Shakespearian tragedy, Aristophanic farce and a Chekhovian drama of lives consumed and memories that fade." Le Progrès, Situation Vacant: "The play builds to a climax which powerfully captures a mind under siege, bombarded by a cacophony of voices and tormented by guilt." (Independent); Dissident, Goes Without Saying and Nina, That's Something Else: "These two plays bring to a summit the art of suggestions...Two fables in which prosaic everyday life is captured, at times fraught with pathos, often compassionate." (L'Humanité ); A Smile on the End of the Line: "A six-part invention which interweaves half a dozen plot lines to bring life and speed into the manufacturing sector." (Daily Telegraph)

Here are thirty-two classic myths that bring the Viking world vividly to life. The mythic legacy of the Scandinavians includes a cycle of stories filled with magnificent images from pre-Christian Europe. Gods, humans, and monstrous beasts engage in prodigious drinking bouts, contests of strength, greedy schemes for gold, and lusty encounters. The Norse pantheon includes Odin, the wisest and most fearsome of the gods; Thor, the thundering powerhouse; and the exquisite, magic-wielding Freyja. Their loves, wars, and adventures take us through worlds both mortal and divine, culminating in a blazing doomsday for gods and humans alike. These stories bear witness to the courage, passion, and boundless spirit that were hallmarks of the Norse world. Part of the Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library From the Trade Paperback edition.