Customer Reviews

Celtic Gods, Celtic Goddesses

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

 

 

As a widespread tribal people, the Celts did not have a centralized, codified religion. Nor can we be exactly sure what they believed or how they practiced their beliefs at any given time & place. In "Celtic Gods, Celtic Goddesses," R.J. Stewart unveils some of this mystery for us. It is well-researched, with excellent color illustrations. Substantial excerpts from Celtic literature - mostly oral tales reflected in a Christian mirror - are included. There is special emphasis on the Celtic goddess figures, who are rather slippery to grasp with their triple aspects & mixes of fertility & warrior powers. The preCeltic origins of the Mother Goddess & the connections between Celtic & Roman myth (Minerva/Brigid) are explored.

This is not a "Bible" of Celtic religion. No such book exists or ever existed. Anyone trying to invent an easy cut & paste "pagan" spirituality will probably find this book a difficult read. But if you are looking for timeless metaphors that can help you better understand the Soul of humanity & lead you to nature & to a calendar of the seasons & the sky, "Celtic Gods, Celtic Goddesses" will be an essential addition to your library.

Bob Rixon

One of the first pleasant surprises within this book is that it touches upon Deities and legends that go beyond the British Isles, which have up until recently held a bit of a monopoly on Celtic *anything*. There are myths and Deities from Germany, France, etc. My main complaint is that it is woefully incomplete. I would love to see more information about pretty much everything in the book. What I also found astounding was that Stewart could title a section "Mother Goddesses" (pg. 58) and only name ONE Goddess by name, and that one (of them all!) The Morrighan! Then delve more into Cernunnos as the Lord of All Animals and the Hunter God and Celtic Gods which I believe IS important on one hand - as the Goddess is balanced by the God; however that said, the God has his own section in this book, and when discussing the Mother Goddesses, I expected to read about Celtic Mother Goddesses, not about Cernunnos, "Mabon as The Divine Child of Light, the Celtic Apollo" as Stewart calls him, and quotes from The Mabinogion based on Lady Charlotte Guests's translation which is the most Victorian and repressed of the lot! Might give Patrick Ford's "The Mabinogi" a try if you're looking for something that will not edit the Welsh tales for Victorian sensibilities. I have a fair amount of respect for RJ Stewart and his work, however, what I found in this was a need for MORE balance and certainly MORE information - MORE research on the Goddesses in particular as he already has a solid base with the Celtic Gods. He knows his Gods, that's evident - but when it came to the Goddesses, there is where the balance faltered for me. Still, it's well worth a read, there is a LOT of great information in this book and it is a great start for anyone who is looking to get into actually studying the Celtic Pantheon in any way deeper than playing it lip service. I give it 3 out of 5 cauldrons.

It's not the most complete tome on Celtic mythology, but it just might be the most beautiful! How could anyone look at these illustrations and not come away feeling enriched? Reviewers who have been hard on this book seem to think it walks the fence between historical record and whimsy. I submit that any study of the ancient Celts must do exactly that. The Celts remain something of an enigma because of their lack of written history. And the same people who gave us a deep and abiding love of nature and reverence for all things female were also known to lop off a few heads when angered. Let's take the best of what an ancient society had to offer and leave the brutal rest to the "scientists." This book makes a splendid introduction for the uninitiated. The worst thing a newcomer to Celtic spirituality could do would be to crack open a heavy-handed archaeological study or how-to for druidic practitioners. I can think of no gentler introduction to Celtic mythology than this one. Readers might not come away with an in-depth understanding of the subject, but they will almost certainly come away with a new love for an ancient way of thinking and a drive to seek out further discoveries. The FACTS surrounding the ancients will forever remain elusive, but the FEELING is within these pages. Feel and enjoy.

The art is pretty and the section on Celtic Gods is fairly good for those it covers. However Mr. Stewart seems unable to see Goddesses as deities in their own right. He relegates Celtic Goddesses to the role of appendage to various Gods and (male) heros including none Celtic ones. There are many good books, read this one only is you have time to waste in the dentist's office.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I appreciate how the gods and goddesses are presented within the context of Celtic mythology and culture, and even of specific locations and the land itself. This is not a fanciful description of all the attributes of various deities. It is an attempt to understand the complex relationship between these deities and the people and lands of the Celtic world. The book is full of fascinating research and well considered speculations by an author who has devoted many years of his life to understanding Celtic myth and magic. I highly recommend it to anyone who is serious about understanding the Celtic way of life and the Celtic relationship with magic.

This is an excellent book and a worthy addition to any collection of Celtic studies. It offers some unique insights that I haven't found anywhere else. Highly recommended.

A GOOD BOOK FOR PEOPLE JUST LEARNING THE CELTIC MYTHOLOGIES AND PANTHEON. VERY GOOD FOR SOME ONE WHO IS INTERESTED IN ALL THINGS CELTIC! A NEW PAGAN MUST.

Beautifully illustrated; Reviews the most popular of the Celtic Pantheon; On a larger scale it would be a great book. As it is it's a good book for those just becoming familiar with Celtic Wicca.

If in reference for gods and goddesses, this is not the most informative book. I would have given it 1 star, but there were some decent illustrations, which is the only reason it gets 2 stars. It really reads like a very boring textbook, and doesn't go into too many gods and goddesses. It gives a lot of history about the ideas in celtic dieties, but not too much into specific gods and goddesses. Read at your own risk.