What I’m Reading in 2017

Welcome back to The Library, where I catalogue the books I read over the course of the year. This is Year Eight of this online journal.

The Water Street Book Club

01: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, screenplay by JK Rowling (Connor)
01: Gone, Baby, Gone by Dennis Lehane (Kim)
02: Somewhere in Time aka Bid Time Return by Richard Matheson (Bob)
03: The Lake House by Kate Morton (Kim)
04:The Hellfire Club by Peter Straub (Bob)
04: Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Weis & Hickman (Connor)
05:
06:
07:
08:
09:
10:
11:
12:

.:.

01: The Practical Psychic Self-Defense Handbook by Robert Bruce
02. Squaring the Circle (Revised) by Tim Moss
03: Magick in Theory and Practice by Aleister Crowley
04: Three Essays on Freedom by John Whiteside Parsons
05: The Secret Doctrine by H.P. Blavatsky
06: The Way of Tarot: The Spiritual Teacher in the Cards by Alejandro Jodorowsky and Marianne Costa
07: Futhark: A Handbook of Rune Magic by Edred Thorsson
08: The Lovecraft Code by Peter Levenda
09: “The Pool of the Black One” by Robert E. Howard
10: Hope for the Flowers by Trina Paulus
11: Norse Mythology  by Neil Gaiman
12: Conan the Rebel by Poul Anderson
13: Conan of Venarium by Harry Turtledove
14: Dungeons & Dragons: Vor Rukoth by Greg Bilsland
15: Conan: Jeweled Thrones of the Earth by Modiphius
16: Adventures in Middle-Earth: Loremaster’s Guide by Cubicle 7
17: Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars RPG Playtest by Modiphius
18: Conan the Thief by Modiphius
19: Conan Player’s Guide by Modiphius
20: The Invisibles by Grant Morrison
21: Forbidden Brides of the Faceless Slaves in the Secret House of the Night of Dread Desire by Neil Gaiman and Shane Oakley
22: Conan: The Throne of Aquilonia by Roy Thomas and Mike Hawthorne
23: The Weiser Book of Occult Detectives edited by Judika Illes
24. Wicca: Plain & Simple by Leanna Greenaway
25: Fairies, Pookas, and Changelings by Varla Ventura
26: The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer
27: Getting Higher by Julian Vayne
28:

What I’m Reading in 2016

Welcome back to The Library, where I catalogue the books I’ve read over the course of the year. This is year seven, and as in past years, I’m tracking things differently. For 2016, I am separating things by Fiction, Non-Fiction, Comics Comic Trades & Graphic Novels, Gaming, and, finally, by Book Club.

That’s right, I said (or, rather, typed) Book Club. It was my lovely wife’s idea for us to read the same book for the purpose of discussion. If anyone would like climb on board, we each choose a book, round robin style. First up, chosen by yours truly, is Lev Grossman’s The Magicians.

As to the general Library, if a title is highlighted in yellow it is a new (or recent) release (comics excluded). All books are added when they are cracked open, not finished. If I end up abandoning a book, it will be stricken as such: Book Title

The Water Street Book Club

01. The Magicians by Lev Grossman (Bob)
02. Ashley Bell by Dean Koontz (Kim)
03. The Witching Hour by Anne Rice (Bob)
04. Star Wars: The Force Awakens by Alan Dean Foster (Connor)
05. Winter’s Tale by Mark Helprin (Kim)
05. The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton (Kim)
06. The Dead Zone by Stephen King (Bob)
07. You’ve Been Warned by James Patterson & Howard Roughan (Kim)
07. Carolina Moon by Nora Roberts (Kim)
08. Stardust by Neil Gaiman (Bob)
08. The Ice Dragon by George RR Martin (Connor)
09. Ghost Story by Peter Straub (Bob)
10. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by JK Rowling & Friends (Connor)
11. The Distant Hours by Kate Morton (Kim)
12. The Lord of the Flies by William Golding (Connor)
13. Bag of Bones by Stephen King (Bob)
14. Mystic River by Dennis Lehane (Kim)
15. The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton (Connor)

FICTION

01. Hawksmoor by Peter Ackroyd
02. Black Creek by Gregory Lamberson
03. The Coming of Conan by Robert E. Howard
04. Savage Season by Joe Lansdale
05. A Long December by Richard Chizmar
06. Stardust by Neil Gaiman
07. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
08. “The Half-Haunted” by Manly Wade Wellman
09. “People of the Black Circle” by Robert E. Howard
10. The Weiser Book of the Fantastic and Forgotten, edited by Judika Illes
11. The Girl on the Glider by Brian Keene
12. Angel Heart, screenplay by Alan Parker
13. Jerusalem by Alan Moore
14. The Secret History of Twin Peaks by Mark Frost

NON-FICTION

01. Psychic Self-Defense by Dion Fortune
02. Missing Connections: Challenging the Consensus, edited by J. Douglas Kenyon
03. Bloody Mary’s Guide to Hauntings, Horrors, and Dancing with the Dead
04. Communing with the Ancestors by Raven Grimassi
05. The Witches’ Almanac Coloring Book
06. Lost Powers edited by J. Douglas Kenyon
07. I Am Providence: The Life & Times of H.P. Lovecraft by S.T. Joshi
08. Chinese Alchemy by Jean Cooper
09.The Big Book of Practical Spells by Judika Illes
10. Dark Valley Destiny by L. Sprague de Camp
11. The Emerald Tablet: A Commentary on the Path of the True Adept by Martin Faulks
12. Unseen Forces, edited by J. Douglas Kenyon
13. Crystal Skulls by Judy Hall
14. The English Magic Tarot by Rex Van Ryn, Steve Dooley, & Andy Letcher
15. The Key of Solomon the King, translated by S.L. MacGregor Mathers, foreword by Joseph H. Peterson
16. Alan Moore’s Promethea: Countercultural Gnosis and the End of the World by WJ Hanegraaff
17. Studies in Occultism by H.P. Blavatsky
18. King Arthur and the Holy Grail by Richard Cavendish
19. Secret Knowledge: Exploring the Boundaries of the Possible, edited by J. Douglas Kenyon

GAMING

01. Dungeons & Dragons: Menzoberranzan: City of Intrigue by Brian R. James & Eric Menge
02. Dungeons & Dragons: Systems Reference Document & Open-Gaming License
03. A Song of Ice & Fire Roleplaying Game by Robert J. Schwalb
04. Robert E. Howard’s Conan Quick Start Rules by Modiphius
05. Dungeons & Dragons: Curse of Strahd by Wizards of the Coast
06. AD&D Module S1: Tomb of Horrors by Gary Gygax
07. A Guide to the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Setting, vol III
08. Glossography for the Guide to the World of Greyhawk
09. Adventures in Middle Earth: Player’s Guide by Cubicle 7
10. Robert E. Howard’s Conan Core Rule Book
11. Dungeons & Dragons: Halls of Undermountain by Shawn Merwin & Matt Sernett
12.. Dungeons & Dragons: Storm King’s Thunder by Wizards of the Coast

GRAPHIC NOVELS

01. Valkyrie, vol 1 “Cold As Death” by Sylvain Cordurié, Drazen Kovacevic, & Simon Champelovier
02. Valkyrie, vol 2 “The Tenth World” by Sylvain Cordurié, Drazen Kovacevic, & Simon Champelovier
03. Heathen, vol 1 by Natasha Alterici
04. Darkness, vol 1 “Ioen” by Christophe Bec & Ico
05. Conan, vol 8 “Black Colossus” by Tim Truman and Tomas Giorello
06. Marvel Masterworks: Dr. Strange, vol 1 by Stan Lee & Steve Ditko
07. Conan, vol 9 “Free Companions” by Tim Truman and Tomas Giorello
08. Conan: The Daughters of Midora by various
09. Conan: The Jewels of Gwahlur by P. Craig Russell
10. Harrow County Volume 1: Countless Haints by Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crooks
11. Harrow County Volume 2: Twice Told by Cullen Bunn and Tyler Crooks
12. Harrow County Volume 3: Snake Doctor by Cullen Bunn, Tyler Crooks, & more

What I’m reading in 2015

Welcome once more to The Library, where I maintain a list of all the books I read in a given year. This will be my sixth year of cataloging and in that time I’ve read just shy of 400 books, with my best year being 2011 when I read 95. My goal is simple — to average at least a book a week over the course of a year. 52 books. Sounds easy enough. In 2010, the first year I began this project, I read 59.

The style has changed nearly every year, and I suppose it will again, at least until I come up with one that strikes my fancy. It’s the books read that matter, but not in their number, but in their content. I believe you can tell a lot about a person based on what they read. Well, that’s certainly true for me.

This year, we’ll keep the style simple and to the point: title by author/format/year of publication

So, what book gets the distinction of being the first read in 2015? Let’s find out together, shall we?

01. Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence /kindle/2011
02. Bad Twin by “Gary Troup” (Laurence Shames)/hardcover/2006
03. John Dee’s Five Books of Mystery, edited by Joseph Peterson /trade/2008
04. Demon Street USA by David Roundtree & Robbie Lunt /trade/2014
05. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins /kindle/2015
06. Trigger Warning by Neil Gaiman /kindle/2015
07. The Final Transmission by Brian F.H. Clement /trade/2013
08. Shadowland by Peter Straub /hardcover/1980
09. The Divine Spark, edited by Graham Hancock /trade/2015
10. The Essential Guide to Possession, Depossession, & Divine Relationships by Diana L. Paxson /trade/2015
11. Paradigm Busters, edited by J. Douglas Kenyon /trade/2015
12. The Traveler’s Guide to the Astral Plane by Steve Richards /trade/2015
13. The Evidence for Phantom Hitch-Hikers by Michael Goss /trade/2015
14. Johnny Saturn: Intelligent Redesign by Scott & Benita Story /pdf/2015
15. In Search of Vikings, edited by Stephen Harding, David Griffiths, Elizabeth Royles /pdf/2015
16. Tortured Souls (Jake Helman 4) by Gregory Lamberson /trade/2012
17. Storm Demon (Jake Helman 5) by Gregory Lamberson /trade/2013
18. Human Monsters (Jake Helman 6) by Gregory Lamberson /trade/2015
19. Toward the Light by Amy Major /trade/2015
20. Conan, screenplay by Oliver Stone /pdf/1978
21. Gothic Cathedrals by Karen Ralls /trade/2015
22. Books: A Memoir by Larry McMurtry /trade/2008
23. I am Haunted: Living Life Through the Dead by Zak Bagans & Kelly Crigger /kindle/2015
24. Brood of the Witch-Queen by Sax Rohmer /kindle/1918
25. “Sorcery from Thule” by Manly Wade Wellman /pdf/1944
26. Liber L. Vel Bogus : the Real Confession of Aleister Crowley by Richard T. Cole /trade/2015
27. The Witch’s Guide to Wands by Gypsey Elaine Teague /trade/2015
28. Lammas Night by Katherine Kurtz /mmpb/1983
29. The Magical Battle of Britain by Dion Fortune & Gareth Knight /trade/1993
30. Dead Boy Detectives: vol 1 “Schoolboy Terrors” by Toby Litt & Mark Buckingham /trade/2014
31. The Ritual by Adam Nevill /kindle/2012
32. The Wide Carnivorous Sky and Other Monstrous Geographies by John Langan /kindle/2013
33. The Last Templar by Michael Jecks /kindle/2009
34. Conan by Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague DeCamp, & Lin Carter /kindle/1968
35. Medieval Swordsmanship by John Clements /pdf/1998
36. H.P. Lovecraft & the Black Magickal Tradition by John L. Steadman /trade/2015
37. Star Wars: Aftermath by Chuck Wendig /kindle/2015
38. The Haunted House Diaries by William J. Hall /trade/2015
39. The Afterlife Healing Circle by Candace L. Tsalmadge & Jana L. Simons /trade/2015
40. Celtic Mythology by Ward Rutherford /trade/2015
41. Alchemy: The Great Work by Cherry Gilchrist /trade/2015
42. The Complete Book of Aquarian Magic by Marian Green /trade/2015
43. The Tantric Alchemist by Peter Levenda /hardcover/2015
44. Forgotten Origins edited by J. Douglas Kenyon /trade/2015
45. A Dark Matter by Peter Straub /hardcover/2010
46. Incredible Adventures by Algernon Blackwood /kindle/1914
47. Levitation by Steve Richards /trade/2015
48. Witches’ Almanac Issue 35 (Spring 2016-2017) /trade/2015
49. The Dragon Done It edited by Mike Resnick & Eric Flint /kindle/2008
50. The Royal Occultist Halloween Special by Joshua Reynolds /pdf/2015
51. The Horror Stories of Robert E. Howard /trade/2008
52. The Bazaar of Bad Dreams by Stephen King /kindle/2015
53. Numero Zero by Umberto Eco /kindle/2015
54. The Grownup by Gillian Flynn /kindle/2015
55. The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell /kindle/2005
56. Magicians of the Gods by Graham Hancock /hardcover/2015
57. The Hollow Crown by Dan Jones /kindle/2014
58. Bloodstone by Karl Edward Wagner /kindle/1975
59. Light and Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page by Brad Tolinski /kindle/2012

Stories That Stayed With Me

Listing ones favorite books is an arduous task akin to murdering your own children, if you had a score or more of them. Depending on mood or season or time of day, the list can ebb and flow with a fey-like whimsey. There is, as I’m sure you’re more than aware, a meme circulating that seeks to circumnavigate this horror.

Rather than commit to a list of favorites, it asks for the chronicler to draft an inventory of those books that “stayed with you”. Rather than simply dash this off, it occurred to me that this could be rather telling.

Peeling back the years, what books had the most impact? Which of the multipudes of stories shaped the mind that rattles about in the Sanctum Cranium Calvariam Sanctorum?

“Would you like to play?”, the meme asks.

Why, yes… Yes, I would.

In the order, I think, of which I read them:

The Secret Hide-Out by John Peterson

The House on the Cliff by Franklin W. Dixon (Leslie McFarlane)

The Children of Odin by Padraic Colum

The Devil Rides Out by Dennis Wheatley

Unseen Forces by Manly Palmer Hall

The Hobbit /  Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

“A Witch Shall Be Born” by Robert E. Howard

“The Dunwich Horror” by H.P. Lovecraft

The Stand by Stephen King

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

Necronomicon by Simon

The Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson & Robert Shea

Magick in Theory and Practice by Aleister Crowley

Psychic Self-Defence by Dion Fortune

Lammas Night by Katherine Kurtz

“Sticks” by Karl Edward Wagner

The Witching Hour by Anne Rice

Foucault’s Pendulum by Umberto Eco

Finnegan’s Wake by James Joyce

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

Love is the Law by Nick Mamatas

I will readily admit that this is an imperfect list. For one thing, it is constructed from memory and that can be a right nasty business. There are things, perhaps forgotten, which still could have left an indelible imprint on my psyche, and others that may have just slipped my mind only to come crashing back later, instigating a bout of self-loathing, hair-pulling (doubtful, as I have little), and the rending of clothing.

Already, before I’ve even dared hit the publish button, things like Rowling’s Harry Potter and Hammett’s Maltese Falcon spring to mind.

Surely they belong on the list?

And they do. As do so many others. In fact, I’m now questioning this whole meme.

Why, I didn’t even mention my first reading of Manly Wade Wellman, for pity’s sake… and there is ne’er a comic mentioned. Bloody hell, I’ve buggered the whole wretched listy.

Is it not more honest to admit that nearly each and every book, for good or bad, has shaped us in some way?

We read, therefore we is.

There is the truth of it, methinks, and therein lies the rub.

Books. It’s what’s for dinner.

Feed your head.

2014

Welcome to The Library, where I log a running tally of the books I’ve read over the course of the year. I began keeping track on this website in 2010 when I read a total of 59 books. In 2011 I read 95. In 2012, the number was 78. And in 2013? 62. My goal each year is to read at least 52 books. One a week. Time now to dust off a fresh page and get to work on the 2014 collection.

01. Kraken by China Miéville (Del Rey HC, 2010)
02. To Perfect this Feast: A Performance Commentary on the Gnostic Mass (Revised 3rd Edition) by James & Nancy Wasserman (Sekmet Books, 2013)
03. Dark Echo by F.G. Cottam (Thomas Dunne, 2010)
04. The Best of H.P. Lovecraft, Introduction by Robert Bloch (Del Rey, 1982)
05. The Overlook by Michael Connelly (Vision, 2008)
06. The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe (Voice, 2009)
07. Wonderbook: The Illustrated Guide to Creating Imaginative Fiction by Jeff VanderMeer (Harry N. Abrams, 2013)
08. Medieval Mysteries by Karen Ralls, PhD (Ibis, 2014)
09. Planetary Aspects by Tracy Marks (Ibis, 2014)
10. Defensive Occultism: A Handbook to Occult Investigation and Supernatural Protection by Robert Francis P. Rubin (Central Books, 2012)
11. Death in Ecstasy by Ngaio Marsh (Penguin, 1983)
12. A History of the Vikings (Revised Edition) by Gwyn Jones (Oxford University Press, 1984)
13. lost boy lost girl by Peter Straub (Random House, 2003)
14. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (DAW, 2008)
15. The Whitechapel Demon by Joshua Reynolds (Embry Press, 2013)
16. Children of a Living Universe by Paul von Ward (Hampton Roads, 2014)
17. The Imago Sequence and Other Stories by Laird Barron (Night Shade Books, 2009)
18. Prepper’s Long-Term Survival Guide by Jim Cobb (Ulysses, 2014)
19. A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin (Bantam, 2011 TPB)
20. The Theban Oracle by Greg Jenkins, PhD (Weiser Books, 2014)
21. The Hunt for Three by Yvette Melendez (Self-Published / Kindle, 2013)
22. A Clash of Kings by George RR Martin (Bantam, 2000)
23. The Frenzy Wolves by Gregory Lamberson (Medallion ARC, 2014)
24. Whispers from the Abyss, edited by Kat Rocha (01Publishing, 2013)
25. Brimstone by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (Warner, 2004)
26. The Coming of Conan by Robert E. Howard (Del Rey, 2003)
27. Unconventional Flying Objects by Paul R. Hill (Hampton Roads, 2014)
28. Aleister Crowley: Magick, Rock and Roll, and the Wickedest Man in the World by Gary Lachman (Tarcher, 2014)
29. The Voodoo Doll Spellbook by Denise Alvarado (Weiser, 2014)
30. Pathfinder (vol1) Dark Waters Rising GN by Jim Zub & Andrew Huerta (Dynamite, 2013)
31. Cemetery Girl by David Bell (New American Library, 2011)
32. The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta (St.Martin’s Press, 2011)
33. Vampyres of Hollywood by Adrienne Barbeau & Michael Scott (Thomas Dunne, 2008)
34. Wolverine by Chris Claremont & Frank Miller (Marvel, 1985)
35. Beyond Belief by Helen Smith (Thomas & Mercer, 2014)
36. Grimoire of the Thorn-Blooded Witch by Raven Grimassi (Weiser Books, 2014)
37. Brother Lono by Brian Azzarello & Eduardo Risso (DC/Vertigo, 2014)
38. Myths & Legends: King Arthur by Daniel Mersey (Osprey, 2013)
39. Hitmen: Four Tales of Magick, Monsters, and Murder by Greg Mitchell (Genre Experience, 2014)
40. Afterlife With Archie (vol 1): Escape From Riverdale by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa & Francesco Francavilla (Archie Comics, 2014)
41. The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren by Gerald Daniel Brittle (Graymalkin, 2013)
42. The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett (1929, kindle edition)
43. Detective Stories by Robert E. Howard (kindle compilation)
44. Dark Places by Gillian Flynn (Broadway/Random House, 2009)
45. The New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract by Marv Wolfman & George Perez (DC Comics, 1988)
46. Myths & Legends: Wizards: From Merlin to Faust by David McIntee & Mark Stacey (Osprey, 2014)
47. Myths & Legends: Sinbad the Sailor by Phil Masters (Osprey, 2014)
48. Galveston by Nic Pizzolatto (2010, Simon and Schuster Kindle Edition)
49. Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (2006, Random House Kindle Edition)
50. A Stir of Echoes by Richard Matheson (1958, MacMillan Kindle Edition)
51. Hellraiser (vol 1) by Clive Barker, Christopher Monfette, & Leonardo Manco (BOOM!, 2011)
52. The Hedge Knight by George R.R. Martin (Kindle)
53. The Sworn Sword by George R.R. Martin (Kindle)
54. The Mystery Knight by George R.R. Martin (Kindle)
55. “Sticks” by Karl Edward Wagner (Google Books)
56. Case Histories by Kate Atkinson (2007, Little, Brown, & Co/Hachette Kindle Edition)
57. The Hollow Crown: The Wars of the Roses and the Rise of the Tudors by Dan Jones (2014, Faber & Faber Kindle Edition)
58. The Last of the Albatwitches by Brian Keene (Deadite Press, 2014)
59. Reflections: An Oral History of Twin Peaks by Brad Dukes (Short/Tall Press, 2014)
60. Doctor Strange: Into Shamballa by JM DeMatteis & Dan Green (Marvel, 1986)
61. The Angel & the Abyss by J.D. Gunther (Ibis, 2014)
62. The Hitler Legacy by Peter Levenda (Ibis, 2014)
63. Shadowland by Peter Straub (Coward McCann, 1980)
64. The Weiser Book of Horror and the Occult, edited by Lon Milo DuQuette (Weiser Books, 2014)
65. Revival by Stephen King (Scribner, 2014)
66. The Royal Occultist: Haunted Holidays by Josh Reynolds (Kindle, 2014)
67. The Nickronomicon by Nick Mamatas (Innsmouth Free Press Kindle, 2014)
68. The World of Ice & Fire by Martin, Garcia, & Antonsson (Bantom Kindle, 2014)
69. Season of the Witch: How the Occult Saved Rock and Roll by Peter Bebergal (Tarcher, 2014)
70. Swords and Devilry by Fritz Lieber (Ace, 1973)
71. The Ice Dragon by George RR Martin & Luis Royo (Tor, 2014)
72. Hellblazer: Original Sins by Jamie Delano, John Ridgway, & Alfredo Alcala  (DC/Vertigo, 1997)
73. Planets for Pagans: Sacred Sites, Ancient Lore, and Magical Stargazing by Renna Shesso (Weiser Books, 2014)
74. Jimmy Page by Jimmy Page (Genesis Publications, 2014)
75. Dungeons & Dragons: Player’s Handbook (Wizards of the Coast, 2014)
76. Dungeons & Dragons: Monster Manual (Wizards of the Coast, 2014)
77. Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Master’s Guide (Wizards of the Coast, 2014)
78. Lost Encyclopedia by Tara Bennett and Paul Terry (DK, 2010)
79. Finding Lost: The Unofficial Guide by Nikki Stafford (ECW Press, 2006)
80. The Spirit Box by JH Glaze (Mostcool Media, 2011)
81. Inferno by Dan Brown (Random House, 2013)
82. In the Court of the Yellow King, edited by Glynn Owen Barrass (Celaeno Press, 2014)
83. The World’s Most Haunted House: The True Story of The Bridgeport Poltergeist on Lindley Street by William J. Hall (New Page Books, 2014)
84. Songs for the Witch Woman by John W. Parsons and Marjorie Cameron (Fulgur, 2014)
85. The Slow Regard of Silent Things by Patrick Rothfuss (DAW, 2014)
86. Swords of the North by Robert E. Howard (REH Foundation Press, 2014)

2013

I started keeping an online record of the books I read back in 2010. That year I only managed to tackle 59 books. In 2011, it was 95, and last year I read a mere 76. Let’s see how 2013 develops.

***

01. Neonomicon by Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows
02. Greyhawk: Against the Giants by Ru Emerson
03: Forgotten Realms: Darkwalker on Moonshae by Douglas Niles
04. Red Nails by Robert E. Howard, 1977 Berkley/Putnam collection edited by Karl Wagner
05. Grimoires: A History of Magic Books by Owen Davies
06. The People of the Black Circle by Robert E. Howard, 1977 Berkley/Putnam collection edited by Karl Wagner
07. Pathfinder Roleplaying Game: GameMastery Guide by Paizo Publishing
08. Red Sky by Nate Southard
09. Steampunk Magic by Gypsey Elaine Teague
10. Make Magic of Your Life by T. Thorn Coyle
11. Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
12. The Best of the Equinox Volume 2: Dramatic Ritual by Aleister Crowley
13. The Devil You Know by Mike Carey
14. 46 by S.M. Thatcher
15. Monster Files by Nick Redfern
16. Horns by Joe Hill
17. UFOs ETs and Alien Abductions: A Scientist Looks at the Evidence by Don Donderi, PhD
18. Snakewand by Kenneth Grant
19. War of the Gods by Poul Anderson
20. The Qabalah Workbook for Magicians: A Guide to the Sephiroth by Anita Kraft
21. Holes for Faces by Ramsey Campbell
22. Ancient Treasures: The Discovery of Lost Hoards, Sunken Ships, Buried Vaults, and Other Long-Forgotten Artifacts by Brian Haughton
23. Aleister Crowley: Wandering the Waste by Martin Hayes & RH Stewart
24. The Last Secret of the Temple by Paul Sussman
25. The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
26. Joyland by Stephen King
27. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
28. Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed
29. Among the Mermaids compiled by Varla Ventura
30. Elric of Melniboné by Michael Moorcock
31. Swords Against Death by Fritz Leiber
32. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
33. We Are the Children of the Stars by Otto O. Binder & Max H. Flindt
34. Hell House by Richard Matheson
35. Death Poems by Thomas Ligotti
36. The Bloody Crown of Conan by Robert E. Howard
37. The Dark Lord: H.P. Lovecraft, Kenneth Grant, and the Typhonian Tradition in Magic by Peter Levenda
38. Love is the Law by Nick Mamatas
39. Mage’s Blood by David Hair
40. Dark Talisman by Steven M. Booth
41. Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King
42. Things Slip Through by Kevin Lucia
43. Use Enough Gun: Legends of the Monster Hunter III, edited by Miles Boothe
44. When the Dragon Wore the Crown by Don Cerow
45. Imhotep the African: Architect of the Cosmos by Robert Bauval & Thomas Brophy PhD
46. The Witches’ Almanac: Mystic Earth (Issue 33 / Spring 2014-2015)
47. Sympathy for the Devil by Justin Gustainis
48. Play with Fire & Midnight at the Oasis by Justin Gustainis
49. Do It Yourself Akashic Wisdom: Access the Library of your Soul by Jacki Smith and Patty Shaw
50. Banshees Werewolves Vampires and Other Creatures of the Night by Varla Ventura
51. Invisibility: Mastering the Art of Vanishing by Steve Richards
52. Horns of Honor: Regaining the Spirit of the Pagan Horned God by Frederick Thomas Elworthy
53. The Best of the Equinox Volume 3: Sex Magick by Aleister Crowley
54. Devils, Death, & Dark Wonders by Randy Chandler
55. The New View Over Atlantis by John Mitchell
56. Savannah Ghosts by David H. Rousseau
57. King Khan by Harry Connolly
58. Khan of Mars by Stephen Blackmore
59. Remnants of the Gods by Erich von Daniken
60. H.P. Lovecraft in the Merrimack Valley by David Goudsward
61. The Magicians by Lev Grossman
62. The Wolves of Midwinter by Anne Rice

2012 Reading List

A new year begets a new reading list. I will tag each title appropriately ranging from Highly Recommended to Avoid At All Costs. Your mileage, of course, may vary depending on your particular tastes in literary fare.

01. Gathered Dust and Others by W.H. Pugmire — Highly Recommended

02. Ash: Return of the Beast by Gary Val Tenuta — Worth a Look

03. Jimmy Page: Magus, Musician, Man by George Case — Recommended

04. An Illustrated Guide to the Lost Symbol, edited by John Weber — Worth a Look

05. Carnage Road by Greg Lamberson — Highly Recommended

06. Halloween, edited by Paula Guran — Highly Recommended

07. The Unexpected (DC Comics/Vertigo) — Avoid At All Costs

08. The Mighty Thor – Ragnarok by Roy Thomas and John Buscema — Recommended

09. Casting Sacred Space by Ivo Dominguez Jr — Highly Recommended

10. Is There A Demon In You? by Keene, SanGiovanni, Southard, & White — Highly Recommended

11. Torn by Lee Thomas — Recommended

12. The Doll: The Lost Stories of Daphne Du Maurier — Worth a Look

13. Spectre by Robert Weverka — Highly Recommended

14. Theurgia or The Egyptian Mysteries by Iamblichus — Highly Recommended

15. The Way of the Oracle by Diana L. Paxson — Recommended

16. The Wolf Gift by Anne Rice — Worth a Look

17. Baltimore: The Plague Ships by Mignola, Golden, & Stenbeck — Recommended

18. Supernatural Noir, edited by Ellen Datlow — Recommended

19. 11/22/63 by Stephen King — Highly Recommended

20. The Haunted Mansion Project: Year One – presented by Rain Graves, edited by E.S. Magill — Recommended

21. Vampyre Magick by Father Sebastiaan — Avoid At All Costs

22. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger — Recommended

23. Darth Paper Strikes Back by Tom Angleberger — Recommended

24. Mystery Teachings from the Living Earth: An Introduction to Spiritual Ecology by John Michael Greer — Highly Recommended

25. Nevermore by William Hjortsberg — Highly Recommended

26. Ratline: Soviet Spies, Nazi Priests, and the Disappearance of Adolf Hitler by Peter Levenda — Recommended

27. City Infernal by Edward Lee — Worth a Look

28. The Forbidden Book by Joscelyn Godwin and Guido Mina di Sospiro — Worth a Look

29. The Book of Enoch the Prophet, edited by RH Charles — Highly Recommended

30. The Hermetic Link: From Secret Tradition to Modern Thought by Jacob Slavenburg — Recommended

31. Spiritual Cleansing by Draja Mickaharic — Recommended

32. Night of the Wendigo by William Meikle — Recommended

33. Sherlock Holmes: Revenant by William Meikle — Recommended

34. Thursday Thistle by August V. Fahren — Worth a Look

35. In the Center of the Fire: A Memoir of the Occult (1966-1989) by James Wasserman — Highly Recommended

36. The Third Gate by Lincoln Child — Worth a Look

37. Lammas Night by Katherine Kurtz — Highly Recommended

38. Time Loops and Space Twists by Fred Alan Wolf — Recommended

39. Pythagoras: His Life and Teachings by Thomas Stanley — Recommended

40. The UFO Hunter’s Guide by Bret Lueder — Worth A Look (but just barely)

41. Body Rides by Richard Laymon — Worth A Look

42. You Are STILL Being Lied To, edited by Russ Kick — Recommended

43. The Witches’ Almanac – Issue 32 (Spring 2013-Spring 2014) “Wisdom of the Moon” — Recommended

44. Down by Nate Southard — Recommended

45. The Red Book (Liber Novus) by C.G. Jung — Highly Recommended

46. The Witches’ Almanac Issue 32 Wisdom of the Moon — Recommended

47. Goblinproofing One’s Chicken Coop by Reginald Barkley — Highly Recommended

48. Criminal Macabre: The Iron Spirit by Steve Niles and Scott Morse — Recommended

49. Halloween Classics edited by Tom Pomplun — Recommended

50. The Golden Spiders by Rex Stout — Highly Recommended

51. Dueling Minds edited by Brian James Freeman — Recommended

52. The Hardy Boys, Vol. 55 – The Witchmaster’s Key by Franklin W. Dixon — Recommended

53. Jason Brice: The Written by Jovanovic and Alcante — Highly Recommended

54. The Black School by J.N. Williamson — Worth a Look

55. Frankenstein: Agent of S.H.A.D.E. Vol 1: War of the Monsters by Jeff Lemire and Alberto Ponticelli — Recommended

56. Impossible Realities: The Science Behind Energy Healing, Telepathy, Reincarnation, Precognition, and Other Black Swan Phenomena by Maureen Caudill — Worth a Look

57. Mrs. B’s Guide to Household Witchery: Everyday Magic, Spells, and Recipes by Kris Bradley — Recommended

58. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: Vol One (Graphic Novel) by Denise Mina, Andrea Mutti,  & Leonardo Manco — Highly Recommended

59. More Than Midnight by Brian James Freeman — Worth a Look

60. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson — Recommended

61. Ghosts #1 (Comic Anthology) from Vertigo — Highly Recommended

62. The Candle and the Crossroads: A Book of Appalachian Conjure and Southern Root Work by Orion Foxwood — Recommended

63. The Secret Doctrine of the Rosicrucians by Magus Incognito (William Walker Atkinson) — Recommended

64. The Best of the Equinox, Vol. 1: Enochian Magick by Aleister Crowley (as selected by Lon Milo DuQuette) — Highly Recommended

65. Entombed by Brian Keene — Recommended

66. The House on the Point by Benjamin Hoff — Worth a Look

67. Dark Entries by Ian Rankin & Werther Dell’edera — Recommended

68. The Hardy Boys, Vol. 8 — The Mystery of Cabin Island by Franklin W. Dixon — Recommended

69. Three Philosophical Dialogues: On Truth, On Freedom of Choice, On the Fall of the Devil by Anselm — Highly Recommended

70. ALU: An Advanced Guide to Operative Runology by Edred Thorsson — Highly Recommended

71. 999: New Stories of Horror and Suspense, edited by Al Sarrantonio — Recommended

72. Tortured Spirits (The Jake Helman Files, Vol. 4) by Gregory Lamberson — Recommended

73. The Angel and the Sorcerer: The Remarkable Story of the Occult Origins of Mormonism and the Rise of Mormons in American Politics by Peter Levenda — Recommended

74. Songlines of the Soul by Veronica Goodchild — Worth a Look

75. Crystals – Jewels – Stones – Magic & Science by Isidore Kozminsky / Crystals and the New Age by Stuart Weinberg — Recommended

76. Prepper’s Home Defense by Jim Cobb — Recommended

77. Creeping Stones by Cullen Bunn — Recommended

78. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien — Highly Recommended