The History and Topography of Ireland (Penguin Classics) (Paperback)

~ Gerald of Wales (Author), John O'Meara (Translator, Introduction) "THE first part treats of the Position of Ireland..." (more)
Key Phrases: poisonous reptiles, Saint Kevin, Henry the Second, Hugh Tyrrell (more...)

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Product Description

Gerald of Wales was among the most dynamic and fascinating churchmen of the twelfth century. A member of one of the leading Norman families involved in the invasion of Ireland, he first visited there in 1183 and later returned in the entourage of Henry II. The resulting "Topographia Hiberniae" is an extraordinary account of his travels. Here he describes landscapes, fish, birds and animals; recounts the history of Ireland's rulers; and tells fantastical stories of magic wells and deadly whirlpools, strange creatures and evil spirits. Written from the point of view of an invader and reformer, this work has been rightly criticized for its portrait of a primitive land, yet it is also one of the most important sources for what is known of Ireland during the Middle Ages.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Latin

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics (March 31, 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140444238
• ISBN-13: 978-0140444230
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #189,690 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, February 23, 2001

By A Customer

Have you ever seen a medieval map? People had only the vaguest idea of the world they lived in - and when men such as Gerald of Wales set out to gather information they very often had to rely on what local people told them (as did Herodotus over 1000 years earlier). So of course Gerald's History and Topography of Ireland is going to be riddled with factual errors - if you want to find out about the history and geography of Ireland you should look at modern maps, produced by satellites, and modern histories, written by scholars with hundreds of thousands of documents at their fingertips. Books written in the eleventh century tell you what people thought THEN, in the eleventh century, and are as such fascinating journeys into the early medieval mindset. Myths mingle with facts as the locals tell Gerald about things that matter to them, and really brings home history - in a way that reading of battles and kings doesn't. It tells you about daily lives and what people thought - we are really quite amazingly lucky that books such as these have survived a thousand years to tell us what life was like then.

7 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting but flawed medieval account of Ireland, November 24, 1998

By A Customer

I found the chapters relating ot the topography of Ireland to be seriously flawed and containing inaccurate descriptions of the rivers and areas of Ireland. However it does give a very good idea of the mindset of the early Norman invaders in their conquest of Ireland and offers some to moder day readers humourous rhetorical accounts of native Irish tribal behaviour.