There is a debate within the Asatru community about whether or not beginners should start by focusing on primary sources (like the Eddas or Icelandic sagas). I do believe that the Norse myths should be one of the first things that all beginners look into, but overall I disagree with beginners being told to read primary sources only. While I believe that you should eventually read primary sources, I believe that beginners should start with more modern resources, for a couple of reasons.
1. Primary sources are a product of their time and culture
While some of the primary sources can be easily applied to the modern day, such as the Havamal in the Poetic Edda, many primary sources teach lessons that are mostly applicable to the time. While tradition is important to Asatru many things have changed, especially culturally, such as gender roles. Other beginner resources can give advice on how that particular author has interpreted the values and practices in this modern day.
2. You may not know the context
Even if you plan to reinterpret the advice found in primary sources for modern use, some of the advice may rely on cultural context that you are just not familiar with as a beginner. For this reason, I advise reading books about the historical Norse culture before jumping straight into the primary sources.
3. Often the translations are drastically different or inaccurate
Finding a good translation can be difficult. For instance, there are many different versions of the Eddas, which leads to wide debate online about which version is most faithful to the original meaning while still remain readable. It seems that translators either pick faithfulness to the text and structure or a more easily readable translation that has many more inaccuracies. Reading other books first can give you better perspective on the generally accepted principles of Asatru, letting you read the less accurate versions without worrying that you will miss important information.
4. Good translations tend to use more formal language
Building off the previous point, if you want the most accurate version you will also have to deal with very dry language. Much like the translations of the Iliad or the Odyssey, the most accurate translations tend to be done by scholars. This can make it difficult to easily digest due to the formal language, which is a bigger deal when you also consider that there are many terms that are not translated, such as Yggdrasil or Seiðr. I know many people are not a huge fan of reading poetry, so saying that primary sources are the place to start might alienate potential practitioners of Asatru.
5. Primary sources focus on principles rather than practice
My final point is that many of the primary sources focus more on the principles that the Old Norse valued, rather than providing any helpful resources for actual everyday practices or rituals. I am of the opinion that physical practice is the most important part of getting started, as it allows the beginner to explore their personal relationship with the gods and their ancestors. There are many better resources for practicing Asatru in your everyday life, although beginners should remember that these guides are merely one method and that many practice differently.
While I think that primary sources are important to a beginner’s journey of discovering Asatru and should not be ignored, I also think that the current focus on primary sources as an introduction to Asatru is something that should not be encouraged. Other than the Norse myths, which have been translated many times for the modern day fairly well, primary sources can be difficult for modern readers, due to translations or even just applicability. There are many modern beginner resources that have been specifically created for the purpose of introducing someone to Norse Paganism and those resources should not be overlooked.