Customer Reviews

Celts

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This book is just one of many in the Myths and Civilization series. Myths and Civilizations of the Celts is nicely organized, condensing the long history of the Celts into less than fifty pages. The book is divided into sections; each section begins with a fable and is followed by illustrations and two pages describing the different origins, beliefs, legends and societies among the Celts. A brief description of many Celtic stories such as the Legend of Maon, the Tragedy of Cuchulain, and the Tale of Peredur is also provided.

The history of the Celts is rarely studied. Particularly in this day and age when countries are overwhelmed with equality and compensating minorities for the atrocities committed against them. It is essential to learn about all cultural, ethnic, and racially distinct groups, particularly those living within a larger group. Minorities have been subjected to the most abuse and humiliation. It is important not to forget the culture of the majority for the majority has its own traditions, beliefs, and legends essential to its existence. One day the present majority will be a minority.

CC

As an elementary school kid, I checked out this book ( and Robin Place's The Celts) from the library over a dozen times to stare at the illustrations. The illustrations are all drawings in color, very vivid and full of detail and human emotion. Of course it isn't great art--but it sure could set a kid's imagination on fire. There is on illustration of a trader leaving on an expedition, turning back to wave at his family standing by their home. It is full of illustrations like these, that are very easy to relate to. As a 10 year old, the pictures really made me realize history was "real" and that people back then were human just like us.

Actually, I was more inspired by these drawings then by the more glitzy DK Eyewitness series. The Eyewitness series is all photographs of artifacts or dressed up actors standing stiffly with emotionless faces...so it doesn't make history feel alive at all. These illustrations do. The drawings are still stuck in my head, more than a decade later. Also, check out Robin Place's The Celts (MacDonald Educational People of the Past Series), those drawings are even more poignant.