Book Reviews
The title of the Book and author is listed.
Comments are brief description of the contents of the book.
Recommendations run from Very Good to Excellent and a remark on what level of student would benefit from this book.
More complete reviews of these books and more books are on our CES WordPress pages for members and priests of the CES.
Books written by Egyptologists
Ancient Egypt
By Lorna Oaks and Lucia Gahlin
Comments: The best book by far that covers: Sacred sites, gods, myths, religion, gods, comprehensive list of deities and patheons., different creation myths, priesthoods, popular religion and more.
Recommendation: Excellent. Probably the best all around reference book on the Ancient Egyptian Religion. Great for Beginner to Advanced.
Ancient Egyptian Literature Volume 1-2-3
By Miriam Lichthem
Comments: Probably the best source of Ancient Egyptian Literature from the Old Kingdom to the Ptolemaic Period
Recommendation: Excellent,
Great for Beginner to Advanced
Ancient Egyptian Religion
By Henri Frankfort
Comments: Covers the Gods, their symbols; religion as an aspect of the Egyptian state, Philosophy Texts; death; and myth and drama.
Recommendation: Very good, but very dry.
Good for Intermediate to Advanced.
Myth and Symbol in Ancient Egypt
By R. T. Rundle Clark
Comments: About Mythology and Symbolism of the Egyptian Religion. Old Kingdom to the Coffin Texts, Osiris as originally conceived and later universalized. Covers classic myths and mythological symbols.
Recommendation: Very good but other books cover it better.
Beginning to Intermediate
Ancient Egyptian Magic
By Dr. Bob Brier
Comments: Almost but now quite a practical reference manual, it includes some ritual elements, magicians, amulets, oracles and more.
Recommendation: Very good
Beginning to Intermediate
Religion in Ancient Egypt
By Dr. Byron Shafer
Comments: This book is about different gods and their relationship with one another, origin of myths, gods with natural phenomena and abstractions, ancient cosmogonies and practical and personal worship.
Recommendation: Very good
Beginning to Intermediate
Knowledge for the Afterlife: The Egyptian Amduat, a Quest for Immortality
By Theodor Abt and Erik Horning
Comments: The Book of Hours or Amduat by the ancient Egyptians was a spiritual journey by both the deceased and the initiate. Probably all of the related Books of the Dead are for both deceased and initiate but this book specifically says so. Read this book and its psychological commentary and you’ll appreciate all of the Books of the Dead even more.
Recommendation: Excellent
Intermediate to Advanced
Symbol and Magic in Egyptian Art
By Richard Wilkinson
Comment: In depth coverage of amulets and talismans; location, color symbolism, numbers, hieroglyphic signs and language of the body.
Recommendation: Excellent
Beginners
Great Goddesses of Egypt
By Barbara Lesko
Comments: covers in depth the goddess Nut, Neith, Niche, Wadjet, Hathor, Mut and Isis. No rituals.
Recommendation: Excellent for backgrounds of the 7 goddesses
Only for those who want to increase their knowledge of these goddesses
Gods of Ancient Egypt
By Barbara Watterson
Comments: Besides the 29 gods and goddesses she also covers forms of religion in ancient Egypt, personal piety.
Recommendation: Excellent
Beginning to Intermediate
Daily Life of the Egyptian Gods
By Dimitri Meeks and Christine Favard-Meeks
Comments: The book recreates the Egyptian gods, their relationships, conflicts, origins, groups, knowledge, mediating between gods and humans, etc.
Recommendation: Very Good to Excellent
Beginning to Intermediate
Books written by Neo-Egyptians/Kemetic worshippers
Note: There are two major types of books written by Neo-Egyptians. One I would call the Tamerian type which is for personal worship and more Wiccan or Egyptian personal magic. The 2nd type is the more “Temple” magic or some would call the Kemitic Egyptian magic.
Temple Magic or Kemitic Egyptian
Eternal Egypt
By Richard Reidy
Comments: This is how temple rituals were performed in Ancient Egypt with 12 rituals derived from the temples and papyri from Egypt. He even has commentary about the ritual including why, when where it was used and directions of what do do at each stage and a list about magical tools for each ritual.
Recommendation: Excellent, a must have book for an Egyptian ritualist.
Late Intermediate to Advanced students
Isis Magic
By Isidora Forrest
Comments: This is probably the best text out there on Isis and everything related to her with many excellent rituals.
Recommendation: Excellent
Best for Isis worshippers/ Beginning to Advanced
Tamerian Magic books
Circle of Isis, Ancient Egyptian Magic for the Modern World
By Ellen Cannon Reed
Comments: Note that despite the title, this book is not for the study or practice of Isis magic. Sections include Gods and Goddesses; mantras and meditations; incense, magical tools; more adaptation than real Egyptian magic. All colors and attributes to the four directions are wrong.
Recommendation: Good for use for personal magic but check Egyptology sources if you want to know what elements and gods go to which direction for example.
Beginning students
Mysteries of Isis
By deTraci Regula
Comments: another book exclusively on Isis but a lot more focused on personal worship.
Recommendation: very good to excellent
Beginning Students
Non Egyptian Books that may be of use
Ritual Craft
By Amber K and Azrael Arym K
Comments: NOTHING to do with Ancient Egypt, but everything to do with writing and performing a ritual. Everything from planning a ritual to writing a critique at the end.
Recommendation: Highly Recommended
Intermediate to Advanced students who write their own rituals
Covencraft
By Amber K
Comments: although not at all about Egypt, this is a great sourcebook for anyone who wants to start or join a magical group, whether it’s Wiccan or Egyptian.
Recommendation: Highly Recommended for those who want to join or start a magical group.
Advanced students who want to start their own group.