15 used from �2.35

Have one to sell? Sell yours here

Search inside another edition of this book

The Tain (Oxford Paperbacks) (Paperback)

by Louis le Brocquy (Illustrator), Thomas Kinsella (Translator) "THE POETS of Ireland one day were gathered around Senchan Torpeist, to see if they could recall the 'Tain Bo Cuailnge' in its entirety ..." (more)

4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

Available from these sellers.

15 used from �2.35

Other Editions:	RRP:	Our Price:	Other Offers:
Hardcover			Order it used
Paperback	�9.99	�6.49	35 used & new from �3.87

Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested in These Sponsored Links

(What is this?)

AbeBooks for Booklovers opens new browser window

www.AbeBooks.co.uk - You are Crazy about Books? Over 110 Mio. Books are waiting for You!

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Early Irish Myths and Sagas (Penguin Classics)

by Jeffrey Gantz

4.5 out of 5 stars (2) �4.96

The Tain: a New Translation of the Taain Bao Cauailnge (Penguin Classics)

by Penguin Press

5.0 out of 5 stars (3) �5.74

Tales of the Elders of Ireland (Oxford World's Classics)

by Ann Dooley

�4.94

The Mammoth Book of Celtic Myths and Legends

by Peter Berresford Ellis

3.5 out of 5 stars (6) �5.97

The Mabinogion (Penguin Classics)

by none

4.2 out of 5 stars (5) �7.99

› Explore similar items

Product details

Paperback: 283 pages
Publisher: Oxford Paperbacks; New edition edition (1 Oct 1970)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0192810901
ISBN-13: 978-0192810908
Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 13.2 x 1.5 cm

Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 433,026 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

See Complete Table of Contents

Product Description

The T 'ain B 'o Cuailnge , centre-piece of the eighth-century Ulster cycle of heroic tales, is Ireland's nearest approach to a great epic. It tells the story of a giant cattle-raid, the invasion of Ulster by the armies of Medb and Ailill, queen and king of Connacht, and their allies, seeking to carry off the great Brown Bull of Cuailnge. Thomas Kinsella's translation is the first attempt to present a `living version' of the story, complete and unbowdlerized. It is based on the partial texts in two medieval manuscripts, and includes a group of related stories which prepare for the action of the T 'ain . There are 31 brush drawings by Louis le Brocquy, and three maps. This book is intended for those interested in early medieval literature and Irish literature. Kinsella's translation is highly readable and so the text is not limited to a college market.

Inside This Book (Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.

First Sentence
THE POETS of Ireland one day were gathered around Senchan Torpeist, to see if they could recall the 'Tain Bo Cuailnge' in its entirety. Read the first page

Explore More
Concordance

Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

(What's this?)

Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)

celtic

the tain

fic-lit - ireland

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	72% buy the item featured on this page: The Tain (Oxford Paperbacks) 4.5 out of 5 stars (4)
	11% buy The Tain: a New Translation of the Taain Bao Cauailnge (Penguin Classics) 5.0 out of 5 stars (3) �5.74
	10% buy Early Irish Myths and Sagas (Penguin Classics) 4.5 out of 5 stars (2) �4.96
	3% buy The Mammoth Book of Celtic Myths and Legends 3.5 out of 5 stars (6) �5.97

Explore similar items

Customer Reviews

4 Reviews

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.5 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful piece of literature., 10 Aug 2004

By	Paul Ashton - See all my reviews

This review is from: The T�in: From the Irish epic T�in B� Cuailnge: From the Irish Epic "Tain Bo Cuailnge" (Paperback)

This was the second translation of this story I had read, so much of it was familiar to me. It is a brilliant read, sometimes too complex to fathom in your mind, but brilliant anyway.

The unfamiliar names and pronunciation is a small issue that just takes a little time, and when it comes to the crunch it's the essence of the book that matters to me, not my lack of linguistic skills.

The book is a piece of art, not fully understood by the reader, but full of colour and descriptions, ideas from lost times, and more than anything a glimpse of a world or a way of thinking that is long gone. I'll return to it many more times.

Pick this book up as time travel is possible, just jump in and lose the 21st century for a while.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is my favorite book, 8 Nov 2007

By	Jesse G. Larson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Tain (Hardcover)

And I have read a lot of books. Literature, too, not just crap!

Seriously, though. I read this book as an undergraduate literature student in my first mythology class, and this is where I got hooked. Since then I've read everything - Gilgamesh, the classics of Greek literature, the Aeneid, Orlando Furioso, the Arthurian legends, the Ramayana, North American Coyote tales, Welsh tales, even other Irish tales, the Fenian cycle...Heaney's Beowulf translation comes closest...but nothing beats Kinsella's Tain.

It's the humor and the imagination, mainly, that set it apart. It's funny, it's accessible, and it's action-packed, if that matters to you. Kinsella's translation brings across the sense that the original tellers of these tales told them for entertainment. Our hero, Cuchulainn, is about the toughest mythological hero around, and he knows all the tricks: the hero's salmon leap, the apple feat, the riding of the sickle chariot, the feat of the shield rim - and watch out for that warp spasm! The final battle with Ferdia is the most epic battle ever committed to print.

I read my copy once a year. Speaking as someone with a BA in English Literature, as a writer, and most of all as a reader, I must tell you, this is my favorite work. If you are at all interested in mythology, especially Irish mythology, do yourself a favor and pick up this translation. It doesn't get any better.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

9 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Tain is a difficult read, yet an interesting story., 12 April 2001

By	rebecca@chassaylast.co.uk (London, England) - See all my reviews

The Tain was recommended to me during a visit to Sligo in Ireland. I was very excited to read it, having heard from the locals that it was a beautiful story, action-packed with mythological heroes. I found it very difficult to follow, even though I am familiar with other Irish myths. It would have been a smoother read if more pronounciations where given for people and place names, as they are all in Gaelic (as they should be). I would only recommend this book to someone who is familiar with Irish mythology, or else the story can be confusing.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 4 customer reviews...

Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Brought back to life by Kinsella
This version of the T�in was recommended to me by a friend and it has not disappointed.
I found the prose to be very much alive and easy to read. Read more

Published 5 months ago by Irishtone

› See all 4 customer reviews...

.jsOffDisplayBlock { display: block; } .jsOffDisplayInline { display: inline; } .jsOffVisibility { visibility: visible; } .jsOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jsOnDisplayNoneBlock { display: block; } .jsOnDisplayNoneInline { display: inline; } .jsOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jsOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; } .jqOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jqOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jqOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; } .jqOnDisplayNoneBlock { display: block; } .jqOnDisplayNoneInline { display: inline; }