Customer Reviews

Druids: A History

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Ronald Hutton has published a string of fine works exposing fallacies we've held concerning ancient religions and mysticisms. This volume, the first of a pair on the Druids, is one of the most devastating to prejudiced thinking. At the outset, Hutton reminds us that what we know of the Druids was produced by their enemies. Julius Caesar, likely the most famous of those, declared them the leaders of Gaul's resistance to imperial Roman invasion. Through the years, archaeologists, historians and others have attempted to form a picture of who the Druids actually were. These efforts have produced notable failures, and Hutton has taken a different tack with this book. Instead, in a carefully researched and comprehensive study, he reviews how the Druids have fared at the hands of those wishing to use their myth to create new ones.

In this finely crafted study, the author subdivides the Druid myth into themes that have been used to characterise them over the past few centuries. There are the "Patriotic" and "Rebel" Druids, "Green" ones, while others are "Wise" or "Demonic". Each of these portrayals has been forwarded by scholars, poets, social commentators, and not a few charlatans. "Patriotic" Druids have been adopted by various writers to convey the notion that Druid rebellion against the Romans was a model for others rejecting imperial incursion, in Britain, notably against attempts by the Roman Church to overwhelm Anglican Protestantism. "Rebel" Druids, Hutton considers a modern phenomenon, a form of 20th Century counter-culture - "hippies with a cause". The extensive chapter on the "Wise" Druids, on the other hand, covers a range of views. Druids as teachers, religious leaders and intense observers of Nature granted their image great influence. According to a given writer's agenda, however, this might be seen as either positive or negative. The collection and imparting of knowledge can either contribute to a society, or rend it through challenges to accepted dogmas. Druids who claimed to understand the cosmos better than Christian priests would be viewed as "heathen".

Over the course of the 18th and 19th Centuries in the British Isles, interest in the Druids waned, then waxed. As the threat of domination by the Roman Church evaporated, Druids as leaders of guerilla forces protecting British society faded. As the British Empire began its expansion, however, segments of the United Kingdom found the Druids an inspiration for giving their heritage a sounder foundation. Wales, in particular, used the Druids as the basis for its bardic tradition. One "researcher" went so far as to fabricate an extensive collection of Welsh poetry, a massive invention that went undetected for many years. The Welsh weren't alone in inventing roles for the Druids - the Scots, Germans, Irish and, of course, the British all exhibited high levels of creative skill in using the Druids for their own ends.

Because Hutton intends this book for the general reader, to be followed by a second, more scholarly volume, the present work is almost conversationally written. Each chapter opens with a summary paragraph describing the theme it will address. There are sets of drawings and photographs enhancing the text. These include those by, and of, William Stukeley, one of the leading early figures of British Druidry. Stonehenge figures largely in the narrative, as it was long thought a Druid construction. In modern times, reality notwithstanding, Stonehenge has become the focal point for a Druidic resurgence. Ceremonies, even weddings are held in the area by those thinking they are following Druid rituals. He concludes this work with mild speculation about where Druidry might tend in the future. Although the book is clearly intended for those interested in history, its excellent presentation and worldly viewpoint make it a fine read. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

This book by a noted historian takes a look at Druids as they have been conceived of in modern times, and provides arguments for or against these conceptions. I found this book to be an incredible resource for adding to my knowledge about Druids. And, it is written in an enjoyable and often funny style. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of the Druids.

Hutton did what Hutton does best, dismantles previously held beliefs about an ancient religion, this time the Druids. His approach is fresh and unique. Honestly, given Hutton's past books, I was skeptical that he could write in a racy, accessible style and I was pleased to find that he could. I even found myself entertained and amused

There are a couple reasons I did not rate this book a full five stars. Firstly, I found myself a bit bored by the rehashing of the same information in each chapter. Hutton divides his topic into 5 Druidic characterizations (Patriotic Druid, Rebel Druid, Green Druid, Wise Druid and Demonic Druid) based upon how he perceives the Druids have been represented in the past and present. Due to the books structure, he reuses the bits and pieces of the same historical information in each chapter. He offers more information in some chapters than others, not recycling everything in all 5 chapters, but I still felt like I rereading previously presented information repeatedly.

More troubling was the lack of what the Celts themselves said about the Druids. He mentions the Celts written record, by the time they been converted to Christianity, and it seemed that this conversion was grounds, in his mind, to totally dismiss this vital information. Hutton mentions another book also entitled The Druids by Peter Ellis, I found this book far more interesting than I did Hutton's book. Ellis discusses the body of Irish works that recorded something of earlier Celtic life and culture. And while we may not be able to believe every detail, it is still a valuable resource for the historic Celts and Druids - one the Hutton ignores.

Finally, I am always suspect of any author who makes his mark almost exclusively through the dismantling of a tradition. I wonder how well respected Hutton would be if he took on a larger tradition, like Christianity...

Somehow I was hoping for more in this book. Perhaps, even, a history of how Druids were portrayed. Strangely Stuart Piggot's work (which Hutton disparages here) seemed better in this area...

I agree with the other reviewer who found parts of the book very repetitive. However, I would however note that this is not my biggest complaint with the book.

Hutton in this work attempted to invert the normal priorities and study the history of misconceptions of the Druids before studying the actual original Druids. The problem with this approach is that it is impossible to know what the misconceptions are if you don't clearly establish who you think the Druids were to start with. In the end, Hutton ends up attempting to impeach just about every ancient source as it to suggest that we know absolutely nothing about the Druids, their cosmology, etc.

While this viewpoint is probably accurate from the viewpoint of a historian such as Hutton, who is fundamentally tied to written records, it is decidedly unhelpful in addressing the topics of who the Druids actually were and what they believed. I think that in the final analysis, the issues that Hutton points out may well be far better characterized as exaggerations than fundamental misconceptions. Unfortunately a study of this sort is not in the realm of history but rather of philology, comparative studies, archaeology, etc. paired with a careful look at ancient sources. Because Hutton seeks to impeach the sources like Tacitus without going into any of the other elements, it isn't possible to take his dismissals of these sources at face value.

All in all, I think Hutton failed to do what he had set out to do. Written history is not always the best tool for searching for the past. If he had instead simply talked about the history of modern druidic revivals, this would be OK, but if he wants to try to talk about its relation to the ancient Druids, he should probably establish his case as to what they were like first. Otherwise we have an interesting book, but without a solid foundation.

I could do this review in one word... FANTASTIC! This is a great read from a really interesting perspective. In the last year or so I have read about 7 different authors take on Druidry and about 4 more on Celtic history and I was expecting the same from this book. Instead Hutton takes on broad general concepts of druids, both ancient and modern, and covers each one in detail from the Greek and Roman writers up through to modern times. This book focuses almost exclusively on British Druidry and in the modern sense the British Revivalist Druids like OBOD and The Universal Bond but Hutton's sense of style and obvious knowledge of this subject makes this an easy to follow and enjoyable read. I feel I have a much, much better understanding now of the modern neo-Druid movement and a much clearer understanding of its beginnings and the characters involved. There is also a fairness to Hutton's explanation and an unflinching honesty about the dishonesty of the some of Druidry's more interesting characters.

I highly suggest this book to anyone with even a passing interest in Revival Druidry (which after all even the RDNA and therefore ADF can count as forebears), whether that person is a hard core scholar or just curious about the past this book is one of those rare finds that will appeal to all.

Do you think you know what the Druids were all about? Hutton's book will make you think again. It's not so much an account of the ancient Druids as a much-needed examination of how the Druids have been viewed in more recent times.