Reading List
The following books and articles are recommended to Aspiring Fosterlings. Those who wish to apply for Fosterage are encouraged to read these books as background, which will enhance their understanding. Further reading and other books will be recommended using the fostering course as appropriate.
Fostering involves personal, one-on-one tutoring in the traditions and practices of Tribe of the Oak. This may take at least a year to complete, followed by initiation into the Order. Each Fosterling is assigned to a Fosterer, who has previously completed the course and is an Initiate of the Tribe.
Followers, Dedicants and Initiates should have a Book of Write ready to record anything of particular importance. If a Follower wishes to become a Fosterling, the Book will later hold material from the fostering lessons. Blank journals with Celtic designs on the cover are recommended, as well as a special pen dedicated to this purpose.
Used copies of most of these books can be found on Amazon, Ebay, or Thrift Books. Some are also available for free on https://archive.org with registration and log-in. (see links below) Inter-library loan is another good source. Many of the books are available on loan from the Tribe’s lending library. Contact Ellen at ancientoak@mindspring.com
HISTORY
Barry Cunliffe, THE CELTIC WORLD - https://archive.org/details/celticworld0000cunl
Miranda Green, THE WORLD OF THE DRUIDS - https://archive.org/details/worldofdruids0000aldh
John Haywood, THE HISTORICAL ATLAS OF THE CELTIC WORLD
Fergus Kelly, A GUIDE TO EARLY IRISH LAW
Bruce Lincoln, DEATH, WAR AND SACRIFICE - https://www.academia.edu/5953566/1993_Bruc
Alwyn and Brinley Rees, CELTIC HERITAGE - https://archive.org/details/celticheritagean0000rees_g2l6
Marie Mary-Louise Sjoestedt, GODS AND HEROES OF THE ANCIENT CELTS - https://www.perlego.com/book/110191/celtic-gods-and-heroes-pdf
LITERATURE
Jeffrey Gantz - EARLY IRISH MYTHS AND SAGAS - https://archive.org/details/earlyirishmythss00jeff
Christian Guyonvarch - THE MAKING OF A DRUID: HIDDEN TEACHINGS FROM THE COLLOQUOY OF SAGES - https://archive.org/details/makingofdruidh00guyo
Muireann Ni’ Bhrolcha’in - AN INTRODUCTION TO EARLY IRISH LITERATURE - https://archive.org/details/introductiontoea0000nibh
MODERN AND HISTORICAL DRUIDS
Jean Markale - DRUIDS: CELTIC PRIESTS OF NATURE - https://archive.org/details/druids00jean
Ronald Hutton - THE DRUIDS - https://archive.org/details/druids0000hutt
Ellen Evert Hopman - A LEGACY OF DRUIDS
Kristoffer Hughes - THE BOOK OF DRUIDRY
AIDS TO CREATING RITUALS
Alexei Kondratiev, CELTIC RITUALS: AN AUTHENTIC GUIDE TO ANCIENT CELTIC SPIRITUALITY - https://archive.org/details/celticritualsgui0000kond
Alexander Carmichael, CARMINA GADELICA - https://archive.org/details/carminagadelicah30carm
Robert Barton, DANCE OF OAK & WREN: RITES OF DRAIOCHT
Morgan Daimler, BY LAND, SEA AND SKY
Ellen Evert Hopman, A DRUID’S HERBAL FOR THE SACRED EARTH YEAR
OGHAM
Danu Forest, CELTIC TREE MAGIC: OGHAM LORE & DRUID MYSTERIES https://www.amazon.com/Celtic-Tree-Magic-Ogham-Mysteries/dp/0738741019
Ellen Evert Hopman, A DRUID’S HERBAL OF SACRED TREE MEDICINE
Erynn Rowan Laurie - WEAVING WORD WISDOM - https://archive.org/details/ogamweavingwordw0000laur
ECOLOGY AND NATURE STUDIES
Diana Berresford-Kroeger TO SPEAK FOR THE TREES
Robin Wall Kimmerer BRAIDING SWEETGRASS
Suzanne Simard FINDING THE MOTHER TREE.
FICTION
Ellen Evert Hopman, trilogy of Druid novels:
PRIESTESS OF THE FOREST
THE DRUID ISLE
PRIESTESS OF THE FIRE TEMPLE
Philip Freeman - THE PHILOSOPHER AND THE DRUIDS - https://archive.org/details/philosopherd00free
Morgan Llywelyn - DRUIDS https://www.amazon.com/Druids-Morgan-Llywelyn
Supplemental Reading
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Nerys Patterson’s “Cattle Lords and Clansmen”,
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any of MacNeill’s material‐‐especially the “Silver Bough” volumes and the “Festival of Lughnasadh”,
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Gregorson’s “The Gaelic Otherworld”,
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Enright’s “Lady with a Mead Cup”,
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Brunaux’s “The Celtic Gauls”
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Cunliffe et al., “Celtic from the West”
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Matthews - The Celtic Spirit - Daily Meditations for the Turning Year