The New Age/Occult section of a library or bookstore has a lot of variety. I read many things that didn't 'click', or that fell flat, but some, at the time, did.

What book (or books) were the first to make you say 'wow' and give you a lot to think about? (not necessarily ones that you completely agree with then or now, or that you don't look back on and shrug, thinking about, just ones that expanded your world at the time, or still do)

In chronological order:
Linda Goodmans Sun Signs (this was on my folks shelf when I was a kid, so I don't remember that 'wow' moment, if I had it)
'How to read the Aura' by Ted Andrews (don't think it's called precisely that, but that's the idea and author. Found it at a new-agey gift store as a teen)
'Real Magic' by Isaac Bonewits (found it in my Junior College library, checked it out umpteen times)
'Monsters' by John Michael Greer (found it at a discount book store)

Any that resonated with you, back when you were starting out? :wizard:

Oh, hey, I've got the book from Ted Andrews (the full title is How to See and Read the Aura). I think that was one of the first books I ever picked up, though I'm sorry to say I haven't read it cover to cover, just the parts I was interested in.

There was one book that I've had for as long as I can remember called The Mysterious World, An Atlas of the Unexplained by Francis Hitching. It's a late 70's book that has subjects from continental drift and earth magnetism, to megaliths and pyramid building, to bible myths, Atlantis and Shangri La, to the Bermuda Triangle and underwater sea monsters, to UFO's and spontaneous human combustion. As a kid, it was fascinating to read. Now obviously, since science has made great leaps and bounds to explain certain "mysteries" it seems a bit dated, but there are some unexplained things in the book that have yet to be solved so there's still hope.

The only other books I've got are related to divination, mostly on tarot. There's a cheesy Fortune Telling Kit by Chris Morgan I got when I was 12 or 13? that has a brief overview of different divination methods. It came with plastic-y runes, i ching coins and tarot cards (major arcana only). Fun to use and accurate enough, but it didn't give much information if you wanted to take it further or develop your skills. However, at that age it didn't really matter to me because any way that would help to make you understand what was going on in your life was enough for me.

I hesitate to list this other book as it's not really paranormal, but it's called the Reader's Digest Family guide to Natural Medicine. It's got some good information about keeping the body, mind, and spirit healthy in a natural way. There's quite a large range of approaches to healing and I was actually surprised by how much is in there. It's got some short anecdotal blurbs or case studies that makes you think differently about the whole situation and your ability to keep yourself healthy.

A Guide to Mediumship---E.W. / M.H. Wallis

Any book by James Van Praagh

Enchantment of the Faerie Realm---Ted Andrews

The Healer's Manual---Ted Andrews

The book of Chakras---Ambika Wauters

:flower: :flower: :flower: HUGS!

Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain

The Spiral Dance by Starhawk

When God was a Woman by Merlin Stone


There's tons of other books I could list but those were the first three such books I read in that order. Maybe it's because it's where I started, but I often find myself reminded (when reading more current books) of exercises I first read and tried from these, especially the first two there. The third one there is the most "jaw-dropping" of the set.

I went on to read lots of Ted Andrews, Scott Cunningham, The Farrars, Bonewits and etc, all very good.

Nutritional and herbal books have given me some very jaw dropping "ah ha!" moments too. The Herb Bible by John Lust is very good if you can find a copy.

Not sure...

Possibly...

Bizarre Phenomena (Quest for the Unknown) released by Reader's Digest.

One of three older series I'm collection-only one of which is completed to date.