Are you looking for the best Rastafari books on the web? Or real facts about the Rastafari movement, culture and faith?
The truth is,
There are hundreds of Rasta best-sellers out there. Generally, finding great Rastafari books isn’t hard at all. However, you must know what to look for, and what to avoid.
For our faithful readers, Rastaverse has hand-picked the best Rasta books in the world, covering Rasta life, culture, history and major figures. Check out our Top 10 Rastafari Books, all Rastaverse tested and approved.
Now,
Here are the 10 best Rasta books to read or download.
1. Dread Talk: The Language of the Rastafari
By: Velma Pollard Published: 2000
Dread Talk studies the origins of Rastafari lingo. There is a “Jamaican speech situation” that this books decodes.
Moreover, this books studies the Rastafari language and the cultural impact on the Jamaican Creole tongue in the Caribbean, and its effects on Jamaican poetry, and common use English, spoken in Jamaica today.
Basically, this book is great if you want to know the history and social context behind the Rasta language.
2. Rastafari: A Way of Life
By: Tracy Nicholas Published: 2001
Rastafari: A Way of Life is a truly open account of the normal Rastafari. Overall, for Rastas, their culture, customs and vital living forms the core of their way of life.
Surprisingly, this book is not for the faint of heart.
Lastly, this book helps readers become more informed about core aspects of Jamaican Rasta life. It’s a very fact-filled book, if you want knowledge of the Rasta’s way of life.
3. Rasta and Resistance: From Marcus Garvey to Walter Rodney
By: Horace Campbell Published: 1987
Rasta and Resistance is an in-depth look at the Rastafari faith, from its birth in the Jamaican highlands, to modern Rastas in the two large enclaves outside of the Caribbean: Birmingham, UK, and the Shashamane area in Ethiopia.
At last, a book dismisses the Western bias which calls the Rasta movement a foolish millennial hope for a new, golden age.
4. A Brief History of Seven Killings
By: Marlon James Published: 2014
A thrilling, ambitious, intense Los Angeles Times novel that explores the attempted assassination of Bob Marley in the late 1970s. Just before the Jamaican general election in December 1976, seven gunmen broke into the Rasta legend’s house, firing machine guns.
This was only two days before Bob Marley was to play the Smile Jamaica Concert, to ease political tensions in Kingston. In brief, the attack wounded Marley, and injured more family and friends, too. The attackers were never found, but rumors about who sent them and why persist.
With this in mind, A Brief History of Seven Killings is a fictional account of that unstable time in Jamaica’s history.
5. Rasta Way of Life: Rastafari Livity Book
By: Empress Yuajah Ms Published: 2014
Above all, this is an essential guide book for learning how Rastas live their day-to-day lives. Moreover, learn about their history, their customs, their rituals, and how Rastas proudly celebrate their faith.
In fact, this is a great book if you want to become a Rasta.
6. The Rastafari Book of Common Prayer
By: Rev. Dr. Mark Francisco Bozzuti-Jones Published: 2014
Finally, a new Rastafari prayer book, with Biblical readings and the teachings of the prophet Marcus Garvey and Emperor Haile Selassie I. Obviously, if you’re seeking Jah, or want to learn more about Rasta spiritual teachings, this book is the one for you.
7. The Rastararians: Twentieth Anniversary Edition
By: Leonard E. Barrett Published: 1997
Certainly, this classic about the founding and history of the Rastafari faith is well known. In brief, the book discusses the faith’s origin in protests in the 1600s, with escaped slaves in Jamaica forming resistance groups. Equally important, it was the first in-depth study of the Rastafari in Jamaica. Therefore, this is a must-read if you’re a Rasta fan or believer.
8. Rastafari: Roots and Ideology (Utopianism and Communitarianism)
By: John Chevannes Published: 1994
This book traces the cultural development of the Rasta movement from the slave trade in the sixteenth century, when it began as a resistance movement, to the present day.
9. My Life and Ethiopia’s Progress: Volume I and II
By: Haile Selasse I Published: 1976
In summary, this classic autobiography of Emperor Haile Selassie tells the story of the African leader who many people think was the returned Messiah of biblical prophesy.
Certainly, He was a noted world leader and inspired both the name and movement. Ras Tafari Makkonen stood against European aggression through two World Wars, and the post-war end of colonialism.
All Rastas and reggae fans should know His Imperial Majesty‘s life story. This is an important book for all followers of the Rasta faith, and those who want to know how a humble king inspired millions of Africans around the world to religious fervor. This Rastafari book is a must-read.
10. Selected Writings and Speeches of Marcus Garvey
By: Marcus Garvey Published: 2005
A controversial man in his life, Marcus Garvey was perhaps the first great black orator of the twentieth century. The Jamaican-born writer and activist confounded his enemies as much as he dazzled his admirers.
Collected here are some of his famous works, including Declaration of the Rights of the Negro Peoples of the World and Africa for the Africans, as well as other writings on labor relations, economics, and civil rights.
This is a must-read for students of Western and American history, and a useful reference for anyone interested in the early history of the civil rights movement.
Get Reading Rastafari Books
As you can see, Rasta resources are all around, and we collected them here on Rastaverse for you. If you want to learn more about the history of the Rastafari movement, culture and religion, make sure you pick up a copy of any of the Rastafari books we covered in this post. When you decide to purchase a book, make sure you go though our links, so we can get credit for referring you to these awesome resources.
So, there you have it.
In summary, that was our Top 10 Rastafari Books. If you enjoyed our list of Rasta books, make sure you check out our list of our Top Sacred Rastafari Texts, which contains a list of Holy Books important to Rastafari.
Of course, you can always let us know what you think in the comments section below.
Which Rasta book interests you the most? Have you read any of the books mentioned here?
Either way, leave a quick comment now. We welcome your reviews!
