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Synopsis
This book, a companion volume to the BBC2 television series, aims to trace the origin, growth, flowering and eventual decline of the Celts, a people who are traditionally portrayed as wild, excitable, warlike, ferocious and uncivilized. Despite their numerical smallness the author contends that they made a major contribution to Western civilization. The author originated the Radio 4 programme "Bookshelf" and the Frank Delaney series on BBC television. His previous books are "James Joyce's Odyssey" and "Betjeman Country".
From the Back Cover
CONQUERORS OF THE TWILIGHT
The Celts have been described as 'one of the great barbarian peoples of the world', much given to ferocious, excitable and warlike behaviour. But despite their numerical smallness they made a major and lasting contribution to Western civilisation.
Beginning in the plains of Hungary and progressing through Austria, Switzerland, southern Germany and France into Scotland, Wales and Ireland, Frank Delaney traces the origin, growth, flowering and eventual decline of a people whose very name conjures romance and adventure.
'The Celts' brushes aside the clichés in a refreshing and entertaining way, revealing much about the people who sacked Rome, penetrated the sacred heart of Greece by pillaging Delphi – and attracted the name 'the fathers of Europe'.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
An interesting history of the 'Fathers of Europe', tracing their migration from the plains of Hungary to the Celtic Fringe countries of today. An insightful account of their thinking and culture, although the whole book is highly biased in favour of Irish history as oppose to a true balanced view of the Celts as a whole. Would recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in ancient history.
Format:Paperback
I found this book in a thrift shop (Oxfam Books) and bought it for its images and overview of this period in ancient history.
The first thing that struck me though is why he didn't write more about the Iceni Tribe and the amazing Snettisham Hoard, in view of the fact that this book was published after it's discovery. That fact alone is pretty disappointing.
Also, I haven't read more than a few pages, but of the pages I did, I noticed he asks us to treat what the Romans wrote about the Celts 'with suspicion' as they were invaders etc. This was immediately after an account of 'wife sharing' among Celtic tribes. Wife sharing in ancient tribes was not uncommon and I have read about this 'solution' to a shortage of females as being part of the way of life in mountainous China, among other places. Child birth was very dangerous and took the lives of many women. The solution was to share a wife among a load of brothers and even the father.
I'll update this review when I finish the book. I am particularly interested to read about the illuminations in Celtic bibles.
The first thing that struck me though is why he didn't write more about the Iceni Tribe and the amazing Snettisham Hoard, in view of the fact that this book was published after it's discovery. That fact alone is pretty disappointing.
Also, I haven't read more than a few pages, but of the pages I did, I noticed he asks us to treat what the Romans wrote about the Celts 'with suspicion' as they were invaders etc. This was immediately after an account of 'wife sharing' among Celtic tribes. Wife sharing in ancient tribes was not uncommon and I have read about this 'solution' to a shortage of females as being part of the way of life in mountainous China, among other places. Child birth was very dangerous and took the lives of many women. The solution was to share a wife among a load of brothers and even the father.
I'll update this review when I finish the book. I am particularly interested to read about the illuminations in Celtic bibles.
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