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Coyote426
07-26-2007, 09:25 AM
The Rune Primer by Sweyn Plowright is the most essential rune book I have ever read. It cuts through all the bullshit ranging from Ralph Blum to Edred Thorsson and gives us the facts. In this short book we are given a solid bedrock for our own rune study. Sadly it is overlooked by most of the rune enthusiasts out there but it is essential.
Talkingfox
07-26-2007, 02:31 PM
Agreed! I think it's an essential read for beginning rune enthusiasts.....although I DO find him to be a bit overly religious in tone.
Ratatosk
07-26-2007, 09:27 PM
I think if you can get past the religious tone it is a good primer - keep in mind that a primer is still only a primer - one should be ready to move on to more advanced material rather quickly.

After all, who wants to limit their understanding to the equivalent of "See Dick. See Jane. See Dick run. Run, Dick, run!" :laugh:
Coyote426
07-26-2007, 11:51 PM
I've seen many peoplle refer to it's "religious tone", which I don't really get. He is quite clear on trying to present them in a context of the spiritual culture in which they developed but I don't see that as a problem. It's a useful counterpoint to the New Age fluff.

And yes, it is merely a primer but it is an important one. It certainly helps with picking through the "more advanced" texts.

I also like having the rune poems in a pocket-sized book that I can carry around. Well, I did until I lent it to someone and never got it back.
Talkingfox
07-29-2007, 01:54 AM
I prefer to get several translations (if I'm not attempting it myself) for any given text. The hand of the translator is, of course, going to be all over any given work.
I've seen some pretty radical departures from the originals in order to make a piece "scan" in English.
Coyote426
07-29-2007, 04:18 AM
I prefer to get several translations (if I'm not attempting it myself) for any given text. The hand of the translator is, of course, going to be all over any given work.
I've seen some pretty radical departures from the originals in order to make a piece "scan" in English.

Absolutely I like as many translations as I can get. My comment was about having a translation in a pocket-book version so that I can have one to hand no matter where I go. Carrying many translations with me would be a bit bulky.