Mythology of the British Isles - Softcover

Considered by many to be the premier Arthurian scholar in the world today, Geoffrey Ashe is a writer and lecturer specialising in early British history and mythology, and in particular the legends of Glastonbury where he lives. He is a member of the International Arthurian Society and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Ashe, author of several books on the Arthurian legends (including Kings and Queens of Early Britain , LJ 8/90), here broadens his focus and presents a group of Welsh, Irish, Scottish, and English folklore that, taken together, creates a collective British mythology. Following the format of Robert Graves's Greek Myths, each chapter is divided in two sections. The first part is a narrative of the myth; the second, an explanation of the reality behind it. For example, the myths about Stonehenge--that the stones were magically set up by Merlin and were sacred to the Druids--are recounted in the first section of Chapter 6, while the second section relates the archaeological and astronomical findings that explain origins for many of the stories. Each para graph carries a number referring to source footnotes at the end of the chapter. The organization of source information is a bit cumbersome; a list of the beautiful illustrations is at the front while bibliography and index are at the back. Once the format is understood, however, the volume is valuable to both layperson and scholar. Highly recommended.
-Pamela A. Grudzien, Central Michigan Univ., Mount Pleasant
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