Walking With the Green Man [Paperback]

Dr. Bob Curran (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 13, 2007

Almost since the dawn of time, the image of the Green Man—the carven enigmatic head surrounded by leaves and foliage—has both intrigued and mystified viewers and folklorists alike. Appearing in churches, taverns, and even on stately buildings, the carving seems shrouded in supernatural obscurity. Is it merely a fertility symbol, or is it something much deeper, which calls for a response from us all? Though it seems a predominantly Celtic icon, does the concept of the Green Man also appear in other places and in other cultures? What is its relevance for the world today? In an absorbing new book, Dr. Bob Curran traces the many strands that make up this enigmatic image. Tracing its origins from prehistoric times, he explores its significance in the medieval world and discusses its development in the modern world. He also investigates the image’s psychological appeal, which has allowed it to continue down through the ages, and, pulling from a variety of sources, its impact upon other cultures in various parts of the world. From heroic archetypes such as Robin Hood to Demigods such as Herne the Hunter; from the King of the Woods to the Jack in the Green, Walking With the Green Man examines the interconnection of man and Nature throughout history. Whether as a man amongst the trees, a man of the trees, or a symbol of Nature used to express secrets and solidarity, the Green Man’s visage is traced throughout lands and cultures. Walking With the Green Man will appeal to all those who are interested in the image of the Green Man as an example of symbolic art, as well as to those who are interested in folklore and the interplay between folklore and culture. It is a fascinating study, which not only examines the history of the icon but also its development within human perception.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dr. Bob Curran is a native of Northern Ireland, although he has travelled extensively in many parts of the world in the study of culture, mythology, and folklore. A psychologist and historian, he has both written and lectured extensively in a number of aspects of folklore and belief, and has publications in a number of languages including English, Japanese, French, Italian, Spanish, and German. He is also the author of Vampires, Encyclopedia of the Undead, Celtic Lore & Legend, and A Field Guide to Irish Fairies. He currently lives in the North of Ireland with his wife and young family.

Ian Daniels's illustration projects include Vampires, Encyclopedia of the Undead, Dragonlore (all New Page Books), Classic Celtic Fairytales, and Tales of the Celtic Otherword. He has illustrated book covers for Marion Zimmer Bradley, Orson Scott Card, and Poul Anderson.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: New Page Books (June 13, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564149315
• ISBN-13: 978-1564149312
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #658,101 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bob Curran is a broadcaster, writer, teacher, and researcher he has written a number of books including Vampires, Encyclopedia of the Undead, Walking with the Green Man, Celtic Lore and Legend, and Lost Lands, Forgotten Realms, all published by New Page Books. Bob was born in a remote area of Northern Ireland and has held a number of jobs--grave-digger, journalist, musician, and hospital porter among them. He travelled in many parts of the world, exploring the cultures and traditions of other peoples before returning to Northern Ireland to take several University degrees. He currently lives in Northern Ireland with his wife and young family.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "green" walk worth taking, September 13, 2007

By 

Kathleen Jenks (SW Michigan USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Walking With the Green Man (Paperback)

If you are new to Green Man lore, this is an easy, enjoyable read by a psychologist steeped in folklore and well qualified to explore the significance of the foliate heads that "adorn both pub signs and cathedrals." Dr. Bob Curran's *Walking with the Green Man* is a "walk" through medieval churches and villages, Mediterranean and Near Eastern lore, South Asian and Mexican jungles, Mesopotamian temples, and contemporary mixed media. He writes: "It is a walk through the mythology, legend, and history that have shaped and molded us all as a people on the planet. And at its end, we may know something fundamental about ourselves. It is therefore a walk that is well worth taking" (17).

The book is divided into four chapters. The first, "The Thing in the Forest," is an overview of the history, lore, traditions, and interesting personages associated with the Green Man. The underlying focus is on humanity's "fundamental split with the Natural world." The Green Man is seen as an expression of our longing to reunite with that numinous yet fearful world of nature. At first I fretted over the book's lack of references, footnotes, bibliography, and index that are familiar in more scholarly works. Then I reminded myself that the book is aptly named -- it is a "walk," not a long, intense journey. On a leisurely walk, baggage would be a hindrance (a useful reading list is provided at the end, however).

Chapter Two, "The Lurker Amongst the Leaves," looks at pagan and Christian treelore in Europe and the Near East -- this includes Yggdrasil, the Garden of Eden, Herne, the Wild Hunt, Enkidu, Osiris, Dionysus, Merlin, and others. I especially enjoyed the lengthy sections on "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight"; Curran's fine interpretation of Ragnell as a Green Woman; the historical sources behind Robin Hood's life and death; and fascinating data on Rosslyn Chapel.

Chapter Three, "Echoes from the East," follows themes from the first two chapters into the rest of the world, although lore from Europe finds its way into this chapter as well (again, this is a "walk" -- it likes to meander and stray off-focus). So we meet Europe's dryads, satyrs, and oakmen along with some great Islamic information on djinns and Al-Khidir. We also encounter the Kirtimukha of Tibetan Buddhism and intriguing nature deities from India, Borneo, Papua New Guinea, ancient Mesoamerica, and Africa. Through these many beings/spirits/deities, Curran writes, "various cultures have sought to reestablish themselves with the Natural world in roughly similar ways, sometimes using roughly similar imagery and iconography [...] as a physical focus for such a yearning" (153).

Chapter Four (named "Unholy Terrors," but the content does not match the title) begins with more lore (e.g., the springtime goddess Eostre, tales of Green Children, etc), then turns to Green Man art in English churches and concludes with an overview of contemporary mixed media. The sections I most enjoyed were on the Victorian revival of interest in spiritualism, ancient festivals like May Day, lost secrets, foliate heads; and Curran's survey of Green Man themes in current politics ("Green" movements), advertising (e.g., "Jolly Green Giant"), books, films, TV, and a lengthy and especially fine look at comic books. Curran concludes: "There is still a notion, locked away in some almost forgotten part of our mind that old and powerful forces might still exist and that they can be experienced through the often-overwhelming power of raw Nature . . . In a very real and physical sense, the image of the Green Man addresses the mysteries of the cosmos and provides hope for the future" (195/204).

All in all, this is an enjoyable work, enlivened with Ian Daniels' often wonderful but sometimes suitably "creepy" B&W illustrations.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars This is what happens, July 14, 2011

By 

Eric Wolfsbane "Eric Wolfsbane" (new york city, ny) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Walking With the Green Man (Paperback)

This is what happens when you're writing a book for the popular market and you don't want to take a more academic approach towards the material. You simply fill up the book with a bunch of material that has nothing to do with the title.

I found the author's attempts to tie the mostly Anglo-Celtic phenomenon of the green man in his carven and folkloric forms with a disparate bunch of fertility gods from the world over to be ill conceived. It makes me suspect it was done solely to meet a publishers minimum page count.

I flat out don't believe that Middle Eastern and Asian gods have any connection with the green man whatsoever. Nor do other European fertility gods and goddesses he unfortunately chose to include in this book.

All this goes to demonstrate the fact that Bob Curran is NOT a serious author.

I don't recommend buying this book. It's not worthy of inclusion in one's personal library. If you must read it, do it with a library card or while sitting in the cafe of your local Barnes and Noble or Borders. If you buy it you're only encourage him to write and publishers to publish more of this sort of dreck.

The illustrations are great, if you're into the science-fiction & fantasy styled genre of artwork.

10 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars truly disappointing, March 14, 2008

By 

Louise "TiggerLou" (Chicago) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Walking With the Green Man (Paperback)

I am really interested in the subject of the Green Man in religious history and lore, so I was looking forward to receiving this book. But I found several glaring errors within the first couple of chapters, and much superficial guessing and conjecture. Eventually, I decided that I couldn't trust anything this book is saying. From what I can tell this book is largely wishful speculation, based on perhaps much personal reading, but it has no real substance at all in an academic sense. It may well have been written by someone with a sincere personal interest in the subject, but I wouldn't rely on it for real information. Instead I would recommend "Green Man --the archetype of our oneness with the Earth" by William Anderson. Gorgeous photography based on exhaustive studies of Green Man throughout Europe. It is deeply thought-out as well as deeply felt. Now that's a book worth digging into! Compared to the Anderson book, this one is simply a waste of time.