THE BRITISH ISLES have a long tradition of tales of gods, heroes and marvels, hinting at a mythology once as relevant to the races which settled the islands as the Greek and Roman gods were to the classical world.The tales drawn together in this book, from a wide range of medieval sources, span the centuries from the dawn of Christianity to the age of the Plantagenets. The Norse gods which peopled the Anglo-Saxon past survive in Beowulf; Cuchulainn, Taliesin and the magician Merlin take shape from Celtic mythology; and saints include Helena who brought a piece of the True Cross to Britain, and Joseph of Arimathea whose staff grew into the Glastonbury thorn. Tales of the British Arthur are followed by legends of later heroes, including Harold, Hereward and Godiva. These figures and many others were part of a familiar national mythology on which Shakespeare drew for Lear, Macbeth and Hamlet, creating the famous versions that are known today. Here the original stories are presented again. RICHARD BARBER's other books include King Arthur: Hero and Legend, Arthurian Legends: An Anthology, and The Knight and Chivalry; he is currently working on a study of the legend of the Holy Grail.Borders.com: England and the British Isles have a rich and still thriving tradition of myths and legends - and this wonderful volume collects together more than thirty of the best from a number of sources... an incredible insight into the fascinating yet complex history of the British Isles and its peoples... Those fascinated by mythology will want to add this wonderful book to their collections.
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An excellent reference book... This collection makes fascinating reading. The stories are authoritatively and accurately written - there should be a copy in every school in Britain, and certainly in all secondary and tertiary schools. It is an enjoyable source book for all. SCHOOL LIBRARIAN Those fascinated by mythology will want to add this wonderful book to their collections. BORDERS.COM
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
I was happily surprised with this book as it is jam packed full of a large variety of British myths and legends including the full Mabinogion, Beauwolf, tales of Arthur and original legends of King Lear and Hamlet. The book spans a huge time scale starting with ancient tales such as the Talisen and other celtic mythologies. This book is much better value than buying all these tales separately and is a great source text for dipping into now and again. Recommended.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book contains the full text of myths such as the Life of Merlin, the Legend of Arthur, Beowulf, Hamlet, Robin Hood etc. It only contains a very brief introduction to each story, and no conclusions/connection to real history. It is not illustrated (except 12 pages of Pictures in the middle) and a very heavy read of 566 pages.
4 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
If you are studying history then this is probably a good reference book. If you are looking for inspiration as a writer then I would say there are far better books out there.
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