King Arthur In Legend and History [Paperback]

Richard White (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0415920639 | ISBN-13: 978-0415920636 | Publication Date: February 12, 1998 | Edition: 1

Presenting selections from medieval Latin, Welsh, English, French and German literature, Richard White traces the Arthurian legend from the earliest mentions of Arthur in Latin chronicles to Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur. Many of these selections are translated here for the time into English.

Bringing together an extensive range of diverse material which reveals the development of the figure of Arthur, this anthology enables the reader to understand how the Arthurian legend developed over a period of more than five hundred years. King Arthur in Legend and History also includes a chronology of key Arthurian texts, an appendix of the Arthurian Courts, a list of sources, suggestions for further reading and bibliography. Also inlcludes five maps.

Editorial Reviews

Review

...a treasure-house ...the reader of this anthology will acquire a greater awarenss of the richness and diversity of the representation of the figure of King Arthur which existed in medieval literature and history.
–Arthuriana, 10/98

[Richard Whites] new book can only enhance his reputation, for he has gathered in one volume all the early records of Arthur. This has been attempted before...but never has it been done so thoroughly....The legend is susceptible to any number of other interprestations, and what Richard White has done, so valuably, is to give us their raw material--the very stuff of dreams.
–The Wall Street Journal, 3/27/98

[Offers] an intriguing picture of Arthur and of the very different cultures that made use of him.
–Publishers Weekly , 2/2/98

Recommended for public and academic libraries or wherever there is strong Arthurian interest.
–Library Journal

An excellent anthology, this will prove the foundation of any Arthurian collection.
–The Midwest Book Review

About the Author

Richard White is Visiting Lecturer at Tamagawa University, Tokyo.

Product Details

• Paperback: 604 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (February 12, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415920639
• ISBN-13: 978-0415920636
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #282,276 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Handy Compliation of Source Materials, January 5, 1999

By 

P. Turner (Irmo, SC, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: King Arthur In Legend and History (Paperback)

Whether one's interest is primarily in exploring the genuine history which gave rise to the legend of King Arthur, or in the development of Arthurian literature, this handy volume will prove most useful and convenient. It is a well-considered selection of the most important Arthurian source materials.