(Part 2) Top products from r/heathenry

Welcome welcome! As this other fella pointed out the longship is great but there are some other books you could get as well. Here's my recommendations for starting material.

This book is mainly about Saxton Pagans. It's a great introduction to alot if the general ideas of Norse Mythology. It's also short, and very easily worded. Super light and easy read.

Travels Through Middle Earth. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0738715360?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

This book is quite a bit of fiction. Neil is an outstanding an accomplished writer and as such even if he makes some stuff up reading the myths through his eyes is amazing and a great way to get your feet wet.

Norse Mythology https://www.amazon.com/dp/0393356183?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Now some people hate McCoy. He sometimes likes to assert his personal opinions as fact. I happen to agree with alot of what he says. This is a more scholarly approach to the myths. Once you have the basic ideas down this can be a great introduction to archaeology and the actual historical fact.

The Viking Spirit: An... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1533393036?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I second The Longship.

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Asatru is a type of Heathenry. Heathenry is an umbrella term for religions, philosophies, piety, lifestyles that are based in Germanic Paganism and/or Germanic Pagan culture.

A good place to start is reading books.

Here are the ones I recommend:

A Beginner's book: https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Heathens-Guide-Asatru/dp/0738733873/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542673929&sr=8-1&keywords=heathenry

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And the Poetic Edda translated by Jackson Crawford: https://www.amazon.com/Poetic-Edda-Stories-Hackett-Classics/dp/1624663567/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542673980&sr=8-1&keywords=jackson+crawford

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Also, for some spiritual music to meditate to, I recommend starting with

Wardruna: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fnPwj1AMpo

And this song by Heilung: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqdk34f210w

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Ancestors are very important to Heathenry, so I would meditate on some of your ancestors that have passed on, if you don't already.

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Connect with the energies of your local land and woods. Some Heathens think these energies are literal beings called Land Wights. Some see them a bit more fluid and amorphous but still relational energies tied to the local land.

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I also recommend learning a bit about the three major ritual forms: Blots, Sumbels, and Fainings.

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At least, these are the places I would begin.

I believe there are such groups that do that, even Indo-European reconstructionists. Maybe this book could be interesting for you.

Also Norse Magic and Herbal Healing which is a translation of a post Christian Manuscript by Ben Waggoner, and recommended by me

Norse Magical and Herbal Healing https://www.amazon.com/dp/0578092700/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ACTaBbWFA36Y4

https://www.amazon.com/Witchcraft-Magic-Nordic-Middle-Ages/dp/0812222555

Rec by Dr. Jackson Crawford. I haven't looked at it yet. Still getting through all the other books I have to read.

Your choice ultimately is not so much about the old gods vs christianity as much as it is deciding between monotheism and polytheism. I suggest you spend some time examining how you think the world really functions and what purpose the gods serve. These are the big questions, and you don't have to answer them right now.

If you're up for a book I'd reccomend https://www.amazon.com/World-Full-Gods-Inquiry-Polytheism/dp/0976568101 John Greer's "A world full of gods". It's biased towards the polytheistic side, but it explains the mindset of having many deities and goes through some of the common arguments posited against theism in general.

Also, don't stress yourself out and get in a rush to pick something. The gods (however many you decide on ;) aren't going anywhere.

The Wrekin has stories where it was made by a giant and I've read version of it which mentions devil instead. likely from this book. which I think features other devil/giant stories. this article mentions devil version existing link there another one I can think of but cannot find the name of the place or island it refers to.

this article talks of devil and giant stories and some overlaps link. pretty sure I read some of them via this book

folklore society article talks about eddic/local giants and mentions them being referred to swamped for the devil in some tales link

though boggarts, red man, puck I think can also be called the devil in some stories. so its not always giants