Celtic Myths, Celtic Legends [Paperback]

R. J. Stewart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1996

."..Not an academic translation but a collection of tales that are retold with lavish illustrations. Stewart selected the Celtic stories from collections and manuscripts, interpretations and reworkings of Celtic myths, and traditional ballads and tales.... These are hard-edged stories that illustrate the cruelty of an early people, but they are also fanciful and lovely. The author's retelling of these stories is very poetic and beautiful. Recommended."-- "LJ

. 176 pages (11 in color), 40 b/w illus., 7 1/2 x 9 3/4.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

As English composer Stewart states, this is not an academic translation but a collection of tales that are retold with lavish illustrations. Stewart selected the Celtic stories from collections and man-uscripts, interpretations and reworkings of Celtic myths, and traditional ballads and tales. The ten stories come from Wales, Ireland, Brittany, England, and Scotland, suggesting the storytelling range of the Celts. These are hard-edged stories that illustrate the cruelty of an early people, but they are also fanciful and lovely. The author's retelling of these stories is very poetic and beautiful. Recommended for collections with a high interest in Celtic myths and stories.
Gail Wood, SUNY Coll. of Technology, Alfred
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Blandford Pr (August 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0713726210
• ISBN-13: 978-0713726213
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,322,117 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Then and now, February 26, 2001

By 

eliza bulger (MASS, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Celtic Myths, Celtic Legends (Paperback)

The author brings ancient Celtic mythology to the modern reader, and Sterart's voice is clearly present in the book. Illustrations of artifacts mingle with bold representations of legendary heroic figures. Liberties are taken with the tale of Merlin the Prophet, which may or may not appeal to the purist at heart. If the reader is at all familiar with this wonderful and rich era of oral tradition, "Celtic Myths and Legends" will be a welcome addition to the bookshelf. A more definitive and traditional volume would appeal to the newcomer, perhaps.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Celtic Myths, Celtic Legends, August 22, 2005

By 

Myra Schjelderup "Ignolopi" (Salt Lake City, Utah, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Celtic Myths, Celtic Legends (Hardcover)

The first thing that struck me about this book was the pictures. Picture books are always fun; this one doesn't overdo the pictures while keeping enough that the lines of text don't overwhelm you.
Most of the stories are easy to read, but a few do get tedious. This probably isn't the best book for getting someone interested in Celtic mythology, but for someone already interested this is a wonderful book.