Recommended Reading
If you’re interested in herbs, may I recommend the following books? (Clicking on the cover photo will take you to Amazon’s page for the book. These are affiliate links and I earn a few pennies if you buy them from here.)
Herbal Uses – Medicinal:
This is an updated version of his book, originally published in 1974. It has great descriptions of more than 500 herbs: where they grow, how they grow, what they look like. Also included are a few medicinal actions & preparations. A go-to book for nearly anyone.
A Modern Herbal by Mrs. M. Grieve.
Originally published in 1931, these two volumes are a treasure-trove of historical information, along with a few magical tidbits buried here and there.
The Herbal Handbook by David Hoffman.
Mr. Hoffman is my ‘herbal guru’. This book explains herbal medicine in terms most anyone can understand.
Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine by David Hoffman.
A more advanced study … gets into the scientific aspects of herbs much more.
The Herbal Medicine Maker’s Handbook by James Green.
An excellent resource for learning how to make herbal preparations. He has a great sense of humor, too!
Herbal Uses – Magical:
Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs 2nd Edition by Scott Cunningham.
Considered to be the ‘industry standard’.
A Compendium of Herbal Magick by Paul Beyerl.
This covers many of the same herbs as Cunningham’s book but some different ones, too, and some of the correspondences don’t agree. It’s useful to get another perspective, no?
Aromatherapy (Essential Oils):
The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood.
My favorite: she covers a lot and has great recipes!
Aromatherapy: an A-Z by Patricia Davis.
Another goodie jam-packed with information on using essential oils.
All-In-One?
Don’t forget this book! It combines a lot of what you see above in one reference.
And, of course, this one, too!