Essential Reading for Modern Witches

I read a lot. I also have a fiendish desire to be surrounded by piles of books. I don’t consider it a problem, because how can there be a problem with wanting to know everything, and then more? At this point I have a pretty decent book collection, not including the books that I purchase and re-purchase because I keep giving them away to friends and fellow witches. As I was making this list, I kept thinking of more books and works that I feel are essential and necessary reads for a number of reasons, so this list will be the first of many. Some of the books that will make their way onto these lists have nothing to do with magic or witchcraft. These books have found me through Instagram posts, gifts from friends and loved ones, trips to secondhand stores and thrift shops, and necessary trips to bookstores when I sipped coffee after a therapy session or when I was having a particularly bad day. My hope is that this reading list will bring new favourites into your life, as well as help inform your craft in meaningful ways.

A Sacred Shift: A Book About Personal Practice (Marlee Grace)

A Sacred Shift is a charming, beautiful, gentle book. In 2015, Marlee Grace started recording her dancing on Instagram, connecting people through the hashtag #personalpractice. This book is an archive of this project, combining thoughts, poetry, quotes from Instagram comments, and song titles. Everything about this book resonated deeply, as do a lot of the things that Marlee Grace does. In a lot of ways, it’s a book about developing personal ritual and sacred practices, while connecting with individuals through the power of dance and movement.

This book is essential because it’s a tender journal, a book of beautiful words. It’s a reminder of the importance of connectedness, to ourselves and to the world.

This book is for the witch who wants to connect with themselves; the witch who wants to connect with others; the witch who dances; the witch who breathes poetry.

Witches, Sluts, Feminists: Conjuring the Sex Positive (Kristen J. Sollee)

I don’t say this lightly when I say that Kristen J. Sollee is one of my favourite authors, and a great inspiration. There are few authors where I pre-order every book they put out, and read the book in a matter of days. When I first read Witches, Sluts, Feminists it connected on a deep level. This book is modern feminism. Sollee discusses the relationship between witchcraft and feminism; she explores the importance of sex positivity; she connects the past to the present. Witches, Sluts, Feminists is poignant, and important.

This book is essential because it is a spell book, a manifesto for modern witches.

This book is for everyone; the witch, the slut, the feminist.

Gemstones and Color: For Better Health, Healing, Happiness (Marie Williams Cornelio, channeld through Marjorie Buckley Turcotte)

One of many books that I found scouring the shelves of a the new age section of a local used bookshop. For a lot of my magical books, I aim to find books that were published before the 1990s. Because of this, I find a lot of really bizarre gems, including this book (which is still one of my favourite books about crystal healing and colour magic). I like this book because it’s refreshingly unpretentious and uncomplicated. It encourages the reader to keep things simple, and to not add any unnecessary complexity to their practice. Gemstones and Color is to the point, straight-forward, and honest.

One of my favourite quotes from the book: “Do you think that the force that created this simple, beautiful universe, that gave us gems and crystals, would then deem it necessary for us to go through rituals in order to cleanse them? Just use water- which is the cleanser of the earth, the purifier. It doesn’t even matter if it’s tap, bottled, soft, hard or has chlorine in it. Whatever your water source, you feel exhilarated after a shower- why shouldn’t the stones?”

Mind, this quote isn’t entirely accurate (some crystals should not be put in water), but you get the point. It sums up the vibe of the book, and how encouraging it is.

This book is essential because it’s a wonderful introduction to crystal healing and color magic, and magical practices on a whole. It’s also a great book to have on hand if you’re interested in glamor magic.

This book is for the witch who wants to explore crystals and color; the colorful witch who loves to sparkle and shine.

Becoming Dangerous: Witchy Femmes, Queer Conjurers and Magical Rebels (Edited by Katie West and Jasmine Elliott)

I will say this about very few books: This book changed my life. I think I can say that about Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, and Becoming Dangerous. This book came to me when I was at a low point, feeling lost and incredibly separated from my craft and thoroughly unwitchy and unmagical. When I picked it up, the timing was exactly right. This isn’t to say that you have to be feeling lost or uncertain to glean valuable insight from this book. It’s a powerful read, featuring essays from several witchy individuals. The book does come with a content warning, because there are some difficult topics handled. Some of the essays are inspiring, some are sobering. All are beautiful and important.

This book is essential because it reminds the reader that magic and witchcraft are for anyone, and your practice is yours. Just as your life is yours, and you don’t need to succumb to the judgment or criticism of others in your day to day life, the same goes for magic and witchiness. This book reminds us that witchcraft is not gender specific, and that personal identity is a big part of your magic and spirituality.

This book is for the alternative witch; the witch who is tired of the system; the witch who wants to create; the witch who wants to be themselves.

HausMagick: Transform You Home with Witchcraft (Erica Feldman)

HausWitch is my favourite witch shop in Salem, MA (and very likely the whole world, honestly). It’s woman and queer owned and run, political, ethical, and the aesthetic is on point. In 2019, head witch in charge, Erica Feldman, wrote HausMagick, a book all about bringing magic and intention into your home. HausMagick is complete with recipes, crash courses on tarot and other magical practices, and exercises to bring harmony and balance to a space. Most of my magic incorporates my home in one way or another (like protection, warding, and making my home a comfortable and safe place), so this book was (and still is) up my alley.

This book is essential because we can get distracted by a lot of other things when it comes to spell work and magic, without first looking at the space we live in. Your home should be the safest place, and the most comfortable. If you can charm and enchant your home, you can bring more magic to the other aspects of your life.

This book is for the house witch, the cottage witch, the hedgewitch; the witch who wants to make their house a home.

Pop Magic! (Grant Morrison)

This essay was originally published in Book of Lies (edited by Disinformation), but you can find it easily all around the internet. It’s written by Grant Morrison, who’s most well known for their work in comic books. Grant Morrison has been practicing magic since they were a teen, always bringing a strong DIY and punk aspect to their magical practice. I was pretty sold on Grant Morrison as a magical inspiration when I heard that their book The Invisibles is a sigil, and they used to make their own oracle decks out of polaroid photos. I was turned onto the essay Pop Magic! from my husband, who’s a pretty big fan of Grant Morrison in general. It’s an excellent essay. If you have been looking for a crash course in magic (especially chaos magic) this essay is the best place to start. Morrison’s approach to magic, chaos magic, sigils, and all magical work in general is inspiring and invigorating. Pop Magic! cuts away a lot of unnecessary fat and approaches magic from the chaos magic school of thought, with the main message being ‘just make magic’ (the idea being that you can’t learn magic if you don’t just dive in and try).

This essay is essential because it’s the best introduction to magic anyone could read. There’s no need for initiation or ritual. Grant Morrision approaches magic from a very direct, and realworld kind of way.

This essay is for anyone interested in magic.

Need more books after reading this list? Part II will be coming soon.