From: klotz@lclark.edu (Gretchen Klotz)
Subject: Re: New Thread: Pagan Fiction
Organization: Lewis & Clark College, Portland OR
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 02:59:53 GMT


Okay, here are my additions to the list.  Pardon if any have been listed
previously - I was on vacation last week and missed the beginning of this
thread.  Also, I'm defining "pagan" rather loosely here (as have many of
the posts so far), and including books that are deeply spiritual without a
necessarily T/traditional pagan (or any other) religion.  (Please, no
flames on that sentence. ;-)  I've saved my favorite favorites for last.

_The_Fires_of_Bride_ by Ellen Galford.  Lots of interesting (and very
pointed and funny) doings on the uttermost of the Utter Hebrides.  A new
(?) twist on xtianity (Jesus had a twin sister and what happened to her),
with a connection to goddess worship.  Lesbian oriented; enjoyable by all.

The Chronicles of Tornor trilogy by Elizabeth A. Lynn (_Watchtower_,
_The_Dancers_of_Arun_, and _The_Northern_Girl_).  Different planet, with a
tarot-like deck of cards tying together 3 different times in the land's
history.

Has anyone mentioned _Snow_Queen_ and _Summer_Queen_ by Joan D. Vinge? 
I'm waiting for the latter to come out in paperback.

Also, the Deryni series by Katherine Kurtz.  (More magick than pagan.)

Anything by Anne Cameron.  She writes fiction that incorporates northwest
native and celtic perspectives, and also re-tells myths and stories from
both cultures (her chosen and birth tribes, respectively).

Irene Zahava has edited a number of collections for Crossing Press.  She
selects *excellent* (imho) stories by well-known and not-so-well-known
women writers.  The 3 that include stories that touch on pagan themes are:
_Through_Other_Eyes_, animal stories by women; _Finding_Courage_; and
_Hear_the_Silence_, stories of myth, magic, and renewal.

_The_Wanderground_ by Sally Miller Gearhart falls into the ecofeminist
utopian category, and does not have a fully-developed religion per se, but
is very goddess-centered.  Lots of neat rituals for conception, birth,
death, and other everyday occurrences.

While poetry probably deserves its own thread, I thought I'd mention
_She_Rises_Like_the_Sun_, invocations of the Goddess by contemporary
american women poets, edited by Janine Canan. 

One of my *all-time favorites* (in my select top 10!) is _Mundane's_World_
by Judy Grahn.  I LOVE THIS BOOK!  Whenever I read it, I can't wait to
forget it so I can read it again.  It's the story of 5 young women coming
of age, and is filled with rituals and mysterious happenings.  Grahn
successfully gives equal narrative weight to ants, oak trees, donkeys,
vultures, belladonna and humans.  Her use of language is *superb* (she's
primarily a poet).  HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!!!!!! 

Two others in my top ten list (common characteristics: full of love, with
a deep reverence for nature and spirituality):

_The_Riverhouse_Stories_ by Andrea Carlisle.  Two women living on a
houseboat in Oregon and their everyday adventures - delightful and
charming vignettes!  Everyone (all ages and persuasions) will enjoy this. 

_The_Singing_Creek_Where_the_Willows_Grow_, the rediscovered diary of Opal
Whitely, presented by Benjamin Hoff (he wrote _The_Tao_of_Pooh_).  This is
a beautiful diary of a six-year-old girl who lived in rural Oregon just
after the turn of the century.  If you prefer to read verse, Jane Boulton
has also adapted Opal's diary in a book called _Opal:_The_Journey_
of_an_Understanding_Heart_.  Opal was a truly magical (and probably
schizophrenic) child, with an amazing relationship to the world around
her.  Something else for all ages and persuasions. 

~~~~~~~~~~
Well, I've just read this over, and must apologize for the lack of
parallel construction.  Sigh.  It's been a long day.

I can't wait to see the final list!  Now, how can I afford all these books
(I *know* they're not all in my local library!)?  Not to mention, where
will I get the time to read them?  Is anyone interested in starting a
pagan book-of-the-month club?  Or could we arrange a snailmail exchange
library?

Happy reading to all!

BB,

- Gretchen

-- 
Gretchen Klotz					       Computing Services 
klotz@lclark.edu				    Lewis & Clark College