Runes: A Beginner's Guide

by Kristyna Arcarti

This book shows how the ancient runic alphabet of the Celts and Vikings, when inscribed in bone, wood, or stone, can be used to enlighten all areas of one's life.

Genres: Nonfiction, Divination, Occult

105 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1995

Reviews

[Anie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm interested in writing systems, and I figured at some point -- why not read about the superstitions attached to them? I've read academic works on runes and their significance in Viking culture; why not see what's up with the spiritual part?

Well, probably don't begin here. This is solely about divination, and I get the sense that the author doesn't know much about runes, or about Germanic religions, at all - this read much more like someone who does tarot picking up a bag of rune lots, looking at a list of keys for the the runes, and going from there. There's a ton more to the place of runes in the Germanic religions; go for a book that's really focused on the history and archaeology instead. If all you want is a simplistic divination book, there are still better resources out there.

[Suzanne Thackston · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is more of a 2.5, but the ending annoyed me enough to bump downward. It's not an altogether bad little book, it just doesn't give good info that can't be obtained more cleanly elsewhere, and it's got a lot of wackiness to wade through to find it. I can't for the life of me figure out why the author associates runes with the Zodiac and tarot cards. There are some commonalities across divination systems, but they don't slot neatly with each other (or why would even need more than one?) and you have to stretch to the point of ridiculousness to make some of the associations she makes. 'Runic Kabbala' is frustratingly absurd. Just because Yggdrasil and the Tree of Life are both ... um....trees.....does not mean that there is anything resembling a Runic Kabbala. Ever. Another howler is 'To the Vikings, the blank rune was more than ever Odin's rune, as he was the god who dictated man's fate.' Okay. But Wyrd didn't exist in Viking times, so, sorry, but no. The book winds up with 'A Note of Caution' that first tells the reader that if they don't know everything there is to know before they attempt to use the runes, devastation will ensue, and gives a simplistic 'Nordic saga' to illustrate the point. So, here's the information to use this divinatory and spiritual growth system, but don't use it until you know everything about it, even though you can't learn anything about it until you use it. And I just can't with 'Some people will not feel happy with the runes; some will.'
Okay, I've talked myself into feeling this is really a 1.5.
There are so many better rune books out there. This one's going into the donate pile.

[Zee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't like how this book approached runes from such an untraditional way? Like, instead of just talking about runes, it linked them with astrological houses and tarot meanings and planets, none of which ACTUALLY relate to the runes (I'm 90% sure). I also disliked how every single card that had a reverse meaning had the same reverse meaning, and half of the runes have the same general meaning (good things will happen!) according to this book. My favorite was when there was a rune where all the poems talk about "illness in women," which I assume refers to menstruation, but the author's interpretation is that the rune is about Thor and aggressiveness with no explanation whatsoever of how those relate? By the time I got to the end of the book, I wasn't even surprised to hear the author spouting off about runic kabbala and suggesting the runes be read like tarot cards. It's full of hooey.

[Kendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book and Stones, from Lynne

[airy xie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Menyenangkan untuk dibaca. Kalimatnya mudah dipahami. Hanya saja kenapa bagian bind-runes sangat sedikit? Padahal bagian itu yang paling ingin dipelajari...

[Ilana Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another one of my first rune books, this is a great, slim volume with straightforward and basic information. Perfect for a novice, or anyone in need of a "refresher course."

[Quinn Collard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am just beginning to learn the runes, and this book was pretty helpful.