A list of the resources I own for unicorn folklore, mythology, and magic.
Divided into different sections for easy access. If you have any I missed, please let me know!
Below the list I explain more about the books and why they are good/not great/trash.
the Great
- The Natural History of Unicorns – Chris Lavers
- The Book of the Mythical Unicorn – Vakasha Brenman and Alfonso Colasuonno
- The Unicorn Tapestries – Margaret B. Freeman
- Unicorn Magic – Tess Whitehurst
- Unicornis – Michael Green
the Helpful
- A Complete Guide to Heraldry – Arthur Charles Fox-Davies
- Llewellyn’s Little Book of Unicorns – Angela Wix
- The Unicorn: A Mythological Observation – Robert Brown
- Unicorn Magick – Lisa Papez (Youtube video)
- How to Believe in Unicorns – Celestial Café Podcast (Youtube video)
- Unicorn Sight – Elizabeth Barette (Spell on Llewellyn’s site)
the Fun
(Just light, fun books for unicorn lovers)
- For Unicorn Lovers Only – Penelope Gwynne
- The Unicorn Handbook – Carolyn Turgeon
- Unicorn Your Life – Mary Flannery
- Unicornucopa – Caitlyn Doyle (this one even has some cute spells!)
- The Little Book of Unicorns – Orange Hippo! (this one even has some cute spells!)
the Meh
- Unicorn Rising – Calista
- Unicorns – Skye Alexander
the Trash
- Anything by Diana Cooper
- Anything by Flavia Kate Peters
- The Treasure of the Unicorn – Ted Andrews
- Unicorn Magic – Kitty Bishop
the Great
The Natural History of Unicorns – Chris Lavers: Great source for the myth and history of the unicorn. Including dissecting the New Age view of the unicorn.
The Book of the Mythical Unicorn – Vakasha Brenman and Alfonso Colasuonno: So much history and all neatly organized by region. Some woo, but mostly legends and folklore.
The Unicorn Tapestries – Margaret B. Freeman: Focuses on the Unicorn Tapestries, but the book is huge and filled with interesting info about the folklore and beliefs around the unicorn.
Unicorn Magic – Tess Whitehurst: I doubted very much where I should put this one, in great or in helpful. But in the end, if you want to include unicorns into your magical practice, this is the book I would recommend. Not all of it is great. Whitehurst does have some New Age beliefs and like in most Llewellyn books there is some appropriation (chakra’s), but I have found the exercises to be invaluable. This book was what kickstarted my practice.
Unicornis – Michael Green: A “discovered fieldguide” dedicated to the unicorn. Gorgeous art and storytelling. Comparable to the Faery books of Brian Froud.
the Helpful
A Complete Guide to Heraldry – Arthur Charles Fox-Davies: Good source on the historical views of the unicorn, not only in the context of heraldry. Fascinating to read.
Llewellyn’s Little Book of Unicorns – Angela Wix: It is not easy finding books on unicorns from a witchcraft perspective. This book was fun to read and had some interesting correspondences, exercises, and spellwork in it. It’s not great, and as always there are chakra’s in the book (because Llewellyn) but it did help me a lot as an inspiration.
The Unicorn: A Mythological Observation – Robert Brown: A book from 1881! Interesting read, but very much influenced by the times and in places no longer accurate.
Unicorn Magick – Lisa Papez (Youtube video): Lisa talks about her favourite tools and books when it comes to practicing unicorn magic
How to Believe in Unicorns – Celestial Café Podcast (Youtube video): Two witches who practice unicorn magic discuss their views, where they differ and where they are the same. Very interesting!
the Meh
Unicorn Rising – Calista: Okay, the book itself is not trash. It’s just not really about unicorns. It’s a pretty descent self help book, with interesting meditations, but if you’re looking for unicorn magic of inspiration this book isn’t useful for you.
Unicorns – Skye Alexander: Look, the book is… okay. It’s just not really deep, and won’t tell your anything you didn’t already know. It’s biased, like most Skye Alexander books, and I’m just not a fan.
the Trash
Diana Cooper: Books are full on New Age drivel, like equating unicorns to angels, and stating that they come from the ninth, most pure of course, dimension. Lots of Christlight and other “Christ” references. It is a headache to read and honestly has nothing to do with unicorns. Just one demonstration:
"Experiencing Archangel Christiel's Etheric Ninth-Dimensional Cosmic Pearl Illuminated by Archangel Joules and the Unicorns"
Flavia Kate Peters: Holy appropriation, Batman! Again, heavily New Age and equating unicorns to angels. Calls herself a “Faery Shaman”.
The Treasure of the Unicorn: If I have to read “the unicorn horn is a phallic symbol” one more time I am going to scream. It was torture to finish this book. Some interesting points like Storytelling as Ritual, but to be honest, it wasn’t worth it.
Unicorn Magic – Kitty Bishop: This person trained under Flavia Kate Peters and it shows. Same New Age beliefs repeated and very little expanded upon.