Runes for Beginners: A Guide to Reading Runes in Divination, Rune Magic, and the Meaning of the Elder Futhark Runes by Lisa Chamberlain

Runes for Beginners: A Guide to Reading Runes in Divination, Rune Magic, and the Meaning of the Elder Futhark Runes Reviews

• 
  Plateresca

  This little booklet is exactly what it announces to be: a basic guide for the very beginners. I cannot but feel one needs to go much more in-depth, but at the same time, one has to start somewhere, and the prices of Lisa Chamberlain's books are more than accessible, especially for Kindle editions.
  My main concern about books by this authour is that I doubt if she really exists: unlike some other authors who write on the same subjects, nothing is known about Lisa Chamberlain except that she has produced books for beginners on practically every magick-related subject there might be. I suspect the publisher hires various writers for each project, or else why would they keep this prolific author so much in the shade? Which makes me kind of question the trustworthiness of this material; at the same time, there's nothing to suggest that it is not well-researched.
  I was hoping for a more profound 'Recommended Reading' list, but again, one has to start somewhere, so, thank you to the author(s) for providing this information.
  All in all, not the best-written book I've ever read ('the warm days of autumn days' is one example of an irritating editorial slip), but nevertheless, a useful starting point, so, if you know nothing about the runes, by the end of the book you'll a) know something, b) have an idea where to go next to deepen your knowledge.
• 
  Erika

  I JUST HAVE TO SAY
  If you're looking into runes, this book is a great place to start.
  
  MY RATING ★★★★★
  
  RATING EXPLAINED
  5 - AMAZING! I will read it again and I definitely recommend it. This book was full of information.
  
  REVIEW
  It has taken me a while to finish this book despite constantly using it as a reference. I didn't want to mark this as finished until I'd read the work from cover to cover and not just to look up a specific symbol.
  
  The intro has a nice easy to understand break down of history on Runes and the magics involved with them. The rest of the book breaks down in detail what each rune is by showing the symbol, pronunciation, translation, and a 1-2 page explanation of their individual meanings.
  
  This book is a magnificent place to start and a great reference to use if you're getting into rune readings or want a little information on the Elder Futhark.
  
  After using this for 10 months- I'm off to find something on the intermediate level.
• 
  A.M.G. ☮Hippie/Fantasia☮

  Rating: 4.6 / 5
  
  In terms of what this book advertises, it certainly delivers, and for someone who’s looking to start studying runes in a very easy way to begin with and without too much information all at once to scare you off, I can highly recommend this.
  
  However, be advised that 100% you’ll need to buy another book to really get in touch with the deeper meanings of the runes, as everything have is very brief and general, whether it’s the history of the runes or the meanings of each individual rune. Also, in terms of casting and how to use the runes, what’s written isn’t even worth mentioning.
  
  However, I bought it for simplicity and so I can’t complain. Great for a beginner beginner’s guide.
• 
  Madalynn M.

  Very solid book for beginners, I felt (as a beginner) that all the topics were covered well and that I came away with the right kind of questions about Runes rather than a lot of gaps in the knowledge.
• 
  Claudia

  This was interesting. There's a lot about the history and the different runic traditions which helps you understand where the hocus pocus elements are coming from.
• 
  Linda Dolven

  So Interesting
  
  This is a great introduction to runes. I wish it was longer or that she would write a follow-up book. I’ve read another intro to runes book, and it was very different. Both were good and informative. So I guess that shows us how much information there is to write about runes, all of which is considered introductory. I really like how much detail she went into explaining the interpretations of the runes. I do wish that after presenting the runes she gave a few case scenarios as examples. I felt that just when I felt we had some understanding of the runes, the book ended. I wanted more :-)
• 
  Beth

  I’ve recently read a couple of books on Norse mythology and shamanism so I wanted to read up a bit more on the mysterious runes. This book is a great introduction for anyone wanting to learn about rune history (as much as can be known) and the system’s influence on modern neo-paganism. The author also includes a lengthy interpretation of each individual rune, which I found really interesting. So interesting that the next time you see me, I might be carrying a little cloth bag of wood chips around! 😊
• 
  Doug Saunders

  This book was an excellent introduction to runes. I have had pyschic insight for as long I I can remember but I'm also very logical and grounded. Runes are a good fit for me because of this and the book describes the history and meanings and and offers resources for further learning at the end of the book! Highly recommend if you are interested in learning about how to use runes, and want to learn the culture behind them also.
• 
  Zoe

  Very helpful
  
  I particularly liked this book on runes because it didn’t focus on the story behind the runes, not to say that isn’t bad! I found this book to be more resourceful in describing the runes and their reverse meanings. I’ll be definitely hanging onto this book for a while while I do my rune readings.
• 
  Ian

  Good introduction to the runes.
• 
  Charlotte

  As someone new to runes, this book was exactly what I was looking for - mainly the meanings of each rune in the Elder Futhark. Each rune was talked through in a way that gives enough information so that you understand, but not so much that you become clouded with someone else's interpretation. There are examples of how each rune would be interpreted in a reading, and the reverse meanings for several contexts are also given. There's also a brief history on runic alphabets which was interesting, and gave just enough insight for me to learn something new and provide context, but not become bored. After all, I came into this book wanting to know about the meanings, not the history. I do wish that there were more examples of runic spreads, as I feel like the focus was more on using runes for magic and talismans, and I know there are more spreads out there. Overall though, a solid little introduction to runes that I'm pleased I read.
• 
  John Nelson

  A great place for beginners to start with
  
  To be honest, I wish I had started with this book before picking up ones by Dr. Flowers. While this book is a bit more simplified in the historical and anthropological side of things, she does do an excellent job of summarizing things which I've learned in a bit more in depth from Dr. Flowers books. Also her descriptions and attributes to the runes are very clear, very easy to grasp and less abstract. However, what was missing for me was Dr. Flowers intensity, devotion to the Germanic myths and humor. Her style was a bit more tepid, and at times felt like it waa branching out to the New Age form of language. Which cheapens things a bit and makes the topic seem less awe inspiring. But still, this was a solid book that didn't get too distracted by subjective, personalized interpretations as many beginner books are known for.
• 
  Will

  ‘Symbols have always been part of magical systems throughout the world. They can be thought of as a tool for communicating visually rather than verbally, with the Universe.’
  
  Hele fijne eerste kennismaken met runen! Wel jammer dat Chamberlain ervoor koos om het boek Wicca-based te maken, omdat niet iedereen die aan hekserij doet het Wicca geloof aanhangt.
  Ook jammer dat er werd gesproken over ‘smudgen’, dat is namelijk een Native American closed practice.
• 
  Literary

  Definitely one of the better books I’ve read thus far. It was a small read. About 250 pages. But it was very informative and even provided recommendations for further reading. Granted, there were a few typos, but their delivery definitely made for a convincing journey. I will be checking out the other books they recommended, definitely.
• 
  Krisanne Lane

  This was a great introduction to the runes. It gave basic explanations for each rune, as well as simple explanations of how to do divination and magick with them. It's a short book, gives some history, as well as some additional resources to use for further study. If you're looking for a primer on runes, this is a great place to start.
• 
  gemma

  More of a history lesson and don't feel it had enough about runes or was based more about the history of runes instead of how to get started using them. Not enjoyable to read but that's my opinion. Only cheap to buy worth a try
• 
  Donna Ward

  Very Interesting and Informative
  
  I really enjoyed reading this book, it was very informative... I am sure I will have to read it a few more times... just to make sure I understand it more.
• 
  Hunter Ross

  Excellent introduction to Runes. That said, it is slanted toward those interested in using them for divination (but does give a very concise history and explanation). Great book to start with if you want more info on Runes.
• 
  Shelby

  This is a really good introductory book for working with runes and incorporating them into your personal mystic practice. If you already have lots of experience with futhark runes I would recommend something more advanced, but this is a great starting point.
• 
  Samantha

  Very Informative
  
  I love that it breaks up the runes by their creators and explains each of the origins of where they came from and why. Lisa Chamberlain does an excellent job of explains the history behind where runes came from and also Odin’s mythology of discovering the runes.
• 
  Jennifer Canaveral

  Bought a set of runes the other day, along with this handy book! The author provides the runes history and gives intricate detail for each of their meaning and uses. Great introduction for a newbie like myself!
• 
  Teresa Susana Marques Gusmao Ribeiro

  Cool intro for beginners
  
  Simple, without the restrictive and judgmental gate keeping that some books about this subject present.
  
  Practical manual for those who are starting to learn about the runes and associated cosmology.
• 
  Melissa Gray

  Excellent introduction to rune casting
  
  I was curious to learn about runes but didn't want to read anything too heavy going and this book was perfect. It contains possible meanings and interpretations for all 24 runes, as well as information on their uses. I recommend this book.
• 
  Anna Scharfenberger

  Good for beginners
  
  Easy to read and follow as a beginner to runes. Good to have multiple interpretations for each rune as a starting place for a reading of intuition it's giving a muddy answer.
• 
  Elizabeth

  I've been wanting to include runes in my art for awhile and this was a really easy to understand guide to basic runes, their meanings, and how people use and read them. The cover for this book is also gorgeous. I may look into other books on this topic but this was a good introduction.
• 
  Ashley Jones

  This is a great little introduction to the runes and how to get started with them. I'd recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about runes. I love all the recommended reading resources at the end to further your knowledge.
• 
  James Smith

  This is a really detailed beginners guide to tunes. It’s does exactly what you’d think it would, but also has a lot of background information too. If you’re interested in learning about runes but don’t know where to begin, this is a pretty good start.
• 
  Cassidy Macomber

  A Little Empty
  
  I really enjoyed the end of the book with all of the different runes and tables. I wish the rest of the book was like that. There was so much empty space and some of the concepts would've been easier with pictures.