Below is a list of books that have inspired us over the years.   We hope you enjoy them as much as we have!  You can order them through Amazon by clicking below (please note that we receive credit every time you access Amazon through our web page - so always access Amazon thru us!).

 
Index: 

Irish Interest
Scottish Interest
General Interest - Fiction
General Interest - Non-Fiction
Reference Books for Artists
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Yellow and Orange Knot from Rowan Fairgrove

 
Of Irish Interest

 
Author
Title
De Rosa, Peter
A terrific account of the Easter Rising of 1916 and the brave men and women of Ireland who made it happen.

 
Author
Title
Llywelyn, Morgan Finn MacCool
Lion of Ireland
Grania
Red Branch
The Horse Goddess
Morgan Llywelyn is the reigning queen of Irish historical fiction, and we recommend anything written by her.  There are others, but these are our favorites.  Finn MacCool, for obvious reasons; Lion of Ireland is a beautiful telling of the life of the ancient Irish High King, Brian Boru; Grania is the story of Grace OāMalley, Irelandās pirate queen who took on Elizabeth I - this is a must read for fans of all things Irish and for our pirate friends;  Red Branch is the story of Cuchulain, Irelandās "other" warrior;  The Horse Goddess is a continental legend rather than an Irish one - it was out of print for years and we are thrilled to see it available again!

 
Author
Title
Uris, Leon
Trinity
One of the greatest Irish epics of our time, written by a master novelist.  This story begins in post-famine Donegal, and travels through the North, graphically illustrating the troubled region in the early days of the modern struggle for independence.  Not for the faint hearted (there is an event in this book that will haunt you for years), this is another must-have in any bookshelf for lovers of Irish history.
 










 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MacManus, Seamus The Story of the Irish Race
A classic history book, we love this one above all others.  MacManus honors the true origins of the Irish people by including the stories of Irelandās ancient gods, goddesses and heroes along with the more accepted historical data.  A must have.  (Note: Amazon spells his name Seumas, donāt ask us why).
 
 
Cahill, Thomas How the Irish Saved Civilization
A celebration of Irelandās scribe culture, Cahill takes us through the Ireland of St. Patrick and the Book of Kells where monks laboriously preserved the history and culture of the ancient world.  Fascinating.
 
 
 
Hoagland, Kathleen 1000 Years of Irish Poetry
 A wonderful anthology illustrating the range of Irish poetry over a millennium.  (OK, in all fairness, this book is out of print.  But if you enter it in an Amazon book search, theyāll try to track it down for you.  Worth the effort if you love Irish poetry.)
 
Caldecott, Moyra  Women in Celtic Myth 
"Tales of extraordinary women from the ancient Celtic tradition."  This includes chapters on some of our lesser-known favorites, like Macha, Arianrod, Findabair and Morrigu.  Traditional faves like Rhiannon and Maeve are also included.  Great stuff.
 
Toulson, Shirley  The Celtic Year
"A celebration of Celtic Christian Saints, Sites and Festivals."    This book takes you month by month through the seasons of the Celtic year and includes information on holy sites.  It shows the fascinating blend of Irish paganism with Christianity.  Our only complaint - she refers to "Lammas" when the Celts would have called it "Lughnasa."
 
Gallagher, Thomas  Paddyās Lament
No Irish library is complete without books on the Irish Holocaust, also known as the Great Famine.    Gallagherās book makes no bones about the fact that the famine was a planned genocide.  The killing of one-quarter of a nationās population is a subject that deserves careful scrutiny.  We hope you will read this or the following book:
 
Hayden, Tom , et al  Irish Hunger
Senator Hayden collected stories of the famine from leading Irish writers as a commemoration effort.  Excellent essays are included by the likes of Jimmy Breslin, Tim Pat Coogan, Seamus Heaney, Patrick Kavanaugh, Gabriel Byrne and others.  And speaking of Gabriel Byrne....
 
Byrne, Gabriel Pictures in My Head
This is a wonderful autobiographical account of Byrneās Dublin childhood and his unexpected journey to Hollywood.  Hilarious reading.  Weāve read it more than once.
 
Beresford, David Ten Men Dead
The definitive account of the 1981 Hunger Strikes, for years it wasnāt available in America.  A must read for anyone who wants to understand the true nature of the modern struggle for independence, and the ten men who sacrificed their lives on hunger strike for the cause of Irish freedom and human rights.
 
Sands, Bobby Bobby Sands - Writings from Prison
Bobby Sands  M.P., was the first hunger striker to die in 1981 - over a million people attended his funeral.  During his prison life, he wrote diaries and poetry with smuggled ballpoint pen cartridges on squares of toilet paper.  This edition, with an introduction by Nobel Peace Prize winner Sean MacBride (as well as Gerry Adams), contains his collected writings.  Bobbyās poetry continues to inspire us; the poem "The Woman Cried" contains one of the most beautiful lines of Irish poetry ever written:  "Upon the ghosts of Celtic bones a nationās blood was poured."  This is a tribute to the human spirit, regardless of your ethnic or political background.  A most important book.
 
 
Adams, Gerry Falls Memories - A Belfast Life 
      Free Ireland - Toward a Lasting Peace
These books provide fascinating insight into the mind of one of the worldās most controversial political figures.  In Falls Memories, Adams describes the Belfast of his youth;  in Free Ireland, Adams explains the tenets of the modern republican movement in Ireland, and includes his draft of an agreement for lasting peace.  His writing style is engaging, warm and very readable.
 
Rosenkrantz and Satran Beyond Shannon and Sean
An enlightened guide to naming your Irish baby!   OK, so you may not love Dymphna, Concepta and Dervogilla, but there are some great ones in here.

Yellow and Orange Knot from Rowan Fairgrove

Of  Scottish Interest
 
MacKay, James  William Wallace - Brave Heart 
This is one of the few books about Wallace available, and certainly the best.  MacKay spent many years researching the true story of Scotlandās - and the worldās- great hero.  If you loved the film Braveheart, you need to read this.  Our own song "Wallace" is about this extraordinary man who continues to inspire us (see our lyrics on attached page).
 
George, Margaret Mary, Queen of Scotland and the Isles
An extremely readable fictionalized account of Scotlandās most famous queen.
 
Gabaldon, Diana Outlander 
      Dragonfly in Amber 
 Voyager 
      The Drums of Autumn 
This is a series, so you need to read these books in the order listed above.  A wonderful and popular colection that begins when an English woman visits a stone circle in Scotland and falls through a time warp.  Her adventures as she lands in pre-Culloden Scotland are alternately fun and harrowing.  Ms. Gabaldon has done extraordinary research, and really makes the Scottish highland culture - as well as their struggle for independence - come alive.  We love these books and anxiously await the next in the series.
 
Cadogan Guides Scotland
 The Cadogan travel guide to Scotland is an indispensable book if you are planning a trip.  Aside from the great practical details, this is one of the best books for providing mythology, history and legends related to Scotlandās awesome sites.

Yellow and Orange Knot from Rowan Fairgrove

Of General Interest - Fiction
 
Smith, Wilbur River God 
      The Seventh Scroll 
Smithās novels about life in ancient Egypt are some of the most compelling reading weāve come across in years.  These are also a series, so read River God first.  NOT for the squeamish, Smith writes about brutal times in a brutal way, but the storytelling is so magnificent itās worth the trip.  The twist endings are a treat.  See if you can spot where we were inspired by River God when we wrote one of the lines in Sherdhanaās Hand...
 
Zimmer-Bradley, Marion The Mists of Avalon
What can we say that hasnāt already been said about this classic book?  Except that maybe we donāt always agree with Queen Marionās version of the Arthurian legends.  But we do always admire the beauty of her writing and her ability to capture magic on a page.   Until Kathleen finishes her own book about Avalon, this will have to do!
 
Dean, Pamela Tam Lin
This is from the great "Fairy Tale Series" where authors were challenged to take fairy tales and legends and give them a modern twist.  Pamela Dean chooses the 16th century Scottish "Ballad of Tam Lin" for her inspiration.  If you know the old Fairport Convention version of the song, youāll love this book.  (Even if you donāt know the song, itās a pretty magical read).
 
Greenberg, Martin (editor) Zodiac Fantastic
A very creative collection of short stories by noted sci-fi and fantasy writers.  Each story centers around an astrological sign or theme.  This is very fun reading.  Greenberg has also edited a sister book called Tarot Fantastic, but we havenāt read it yet.  Stay tuned.

Yellow and Orange Knot from Rowan Fairgrove

Of General Interest - Non-Fiction
 
Curott, Phyllis Book of Shadows
Written by our dear friend Phyllis, an ivy-league lawyer who also happens to be a Wiccan High Priestess.  This is a wonderful book about her own journey of re-discovery and how understanding the power of the Goddess changed her life.
 
Ford, Arielle Hot Chocolate for the Mystical Soul
Our good friend Arielle has compiled a wonderful anthology of stories that will appeal to the mystic in everyone.  This is great fun to read and we highly recommend it!  Weāre anxiously awaiting her next book.
 
Goodman, Linda Sun Signs 
      Love Signs
 Star Signs 
      Relationship Signs 
 Gooberz 
      Venus Trines at Midnight 
Linda Goodman was the mother of the metaphysical publishing movement and the recognized goddess of astrology.  We believe firmly that all of her books should be required reading.  Star Signs is not an astrology book - it is one of the greatest books ever written about the secrets of the Universe.   Gooberz and Venus Trines contain Lindaās mystical poetry.
 
Chopra, Deepak Ageless Body, Timeless Mind 
      Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
Chopra has a ton of books available, but these are two of our favorites.  Ageless/Timeless provides an amazing approach to staying young and healthy at any age;  Seven Laws is a lot of impact in a little book.  That part about detaching is harder than it looks...
 
Hill, Napoleon Think and Grow Rich
We know, it doesnāt sound like a spiritual book.  But trust us on this one.  This is one of the only two self-help books that youāll ever need.  If youāve never read it and have the urge to completely transform your life, this is your chance !  If we could hand this one out on street corners, we would.
 
Shinn, Florence Scovel The Game of Life and How to Play It 
Shinn was a pioneer in self-help and spirituality, writing this book in the early part of this century.  Here is the second of the only two self-help books youāll ever need.  Itās one we refer to over and over again.  Do yourself a favor.
 
Baigent, Lincoln and Lee Holy Blood, Holy Grail
      The Messianic Legacy
Again, read them in order.  If you want to decode our song, "Et En Arcadia Ego", these books will help you to begin to understand the great mystery of Rennes Le Chateau.  Written by three BBC researchers, these books have been the source of massive controversy, as has the book below:
 
Gardner, Laurence Bloodline of the Holy Grail
A difficult book to describe, and NOT for Christian fundamentalists.  Gardener re-writes Christian history based on fascinating research.  We like it because it proves what weāve known all along:  Mary Magdalene was a priestess and an apostle.  Love it or hate it, agree or disagree, youāll talk about this book for years afterwards.
 
 
Ross, Julia The Diet Cure
More than eighty million Americans are regular dieters and eight million of them suffer from some sort of eating disorder. Just as many eat normally but still gain weight. Finally, there is a plan to end yo-yo dieting and binge eating. Based on ten years of proven clinical results, The Diet Cure shatters the myths to reveal the real causes of overeating and weight gain. In this individualized program that begins with an 8-Step Quick Symptom Questionnaire, you'll discover your unique underlying biochemical imbalances--hormonal irregularities, blood sugar swings, food allergy/addictions, unrecognized thyroid dysfunction, and a deficiency of "good" fats. And you will learn how to eliminate them with your own targeted nutrition strategies.
 
 

Yellow and Orange Knot from Rowan Fairgrove

Reference Books for Artists

Some words of inspiration for all of our artist friends:
 
Passman, Donald S. All You Need to Know About The Music Business 
This book is a must-have for all musicians, even if youāve read the other books and think you know it all.  Passman takes you through the scary stuff and makes you feel like you might live through it.  Forewarned is forearmed!
 
Trottier, David  The Screenwriterās Bible 
Admit it, you have a screenplay in you.  This book will get you from "fade in" to "fade to black" almost effortlessly.  (It worked for Kathleen!)  Itās also a textbook used in the UCLA screenwriting classes.
 
Vogler, Christopher  The Writerās Journey
Speaking of textbooks, Voglerās has become a staple for screenwriters and fiction authors.  Chris uses Joseph Campbellās mythic philosophies to help us understand what makes for great storytelling.  This book is fun to read, even if you arenāt a writer, as he analyzes films like "Star Wars" and "The Wizard of Oz."
 
Levin, Donna  Get That Novel Written
The best of the fiction writerās guides, published by Writerās Digest.  Levin is as funny as she is instructional.

Please feel free to share your own reviews with us on any of these books - or to suggest additions to our lists.  E-mail us with any questions you may have about books listed here.

Yellow and Orange Knot from Rowan Fairgrove