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T. H. White

The Sword in the Stone Hardcover – Illustrated, September 15, 1993

by Terence Hanbury White (Author)

84 ratings

Book 1 of 3: The Once and Future King

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"Learn. That is the only thing that never fails."--Merlyn the Wizard

Before there was a famous king named Arthur, there was a curious boy named Wart and a kind old wizard named Merlyn. Transformed by Merlyn into the forms of his fantasy, Wart learns the value of history from a snake, of education from a badger, and of courage from a hawk--the lessons that help turn a boy into a man. Together, Wart and Merlyn take the reader through this timeless story of childhood and adventure--The Sword in the Stone.

T.H. White's classic tale of the young Arthur's questioning and discovery of his life is unparalleled for its wit and wisdom, and for its colorful characters, from the wise Merlyn to the heroic Robin Wood to the warmhearted King Pellinore.

Golden Kite Honor artist Dennis Nolan has loved The Sword in the Stone since childhood, and he imbues White's tale with magic and mystery in his glowing illustrations. Readers who know Arthur or are meeting him for the first time will delight in this beautiful rendering of one of the greatest stories of all time.

Reading age

10 - 13 years
Print length

256 pages
Language

English
Grade level

5 - 6
Lexile measure

1120L
Dimensions

6.81 x 1.14 x 9.13 inches
Publisher

Philomel Books
Publication date

September 15, 1993
ISBN-10

0399225021
ISBN-13

978-0399225024
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

T. H. White is the author of the classic Arthurian fantasy The Once and Future King, among other works.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Philomel Books; Illustrated edition (September 15, 1993)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0399225021
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0399225024
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 10 - 13 years
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1120L
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 5 - 6
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.85 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.81 x 1.14 x 9.13 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #431,429 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #155 in Children's Arthurian Folk Tales & Myths
- #3,436 in Children's Classics
- #10,120 in Children's Fantasy & Magic Books

Customer Reviews:
84 ratings

Customer reviews

5 star		83%
4 star		2%
3 star		4%
2 star		5%
1 star		6%

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Top reviews from the United States

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chris

A Snake teaches young Wart a very bent Wisdom, the History of the World and Evolution of Man

Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2018

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At first, I was excited we had found this book because we love Harry Potter and Howard Pyle's King Arthur and His Knight's of the Round Table. I was greatly disappointed though, when I scanned through it to find young Wart is sent to learn Wisdom and the History of the World or how man came into being from a .... SNAKE. As a Christian, I paused and said, ok... this is concerning, so I read further. I know different books like Rudyard Kipling's Just so Stories tell tales about the beginning of things. We like Kipling. But Kipling's stories come off as tall tales and just for fun tales. The Snake in this book, however, is considered authoritative about how the earth came about and how man and the animals all evolved from each other. The fish was the first person he says. (Come on... Fish are not people.) He says one individual does not matter, does not have a history. The whole of something has a history, but not a part of it. Like his snake family has a history, but he himself as an individual does not. An individual is too short lived to be of any special significance. That's too much wonky philosophy for my 8 year old. It had such potential. I'm sorry I paid good money for it.

16 people found this helpful

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Deborah

A Childhood Favorite

Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2017

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The Sword and the Stone was one of my favorite books as a child and I’ve reread it several times as an adult. My paperback copy is getting old and brittle and I could see this version had beautiful illustrations so I decided to order it. I also own The Once and Future King so I was aware White revised the book quite a bit when he included it as the first part of his tetralogy; however, I was surprised to discover in the adventure with Robin and his Merry Men that White had changed the antagonists from the fairies or the Good Folk to the Anthropophagi. Wikipedia said White made some changes when The Sword in the Stone was published in the United States and that must be the explanation. Personally I prefer the version with the fairies so I’ll keep my old paperback just to read that section.

I’d like to share one of my favorite scenes since I first read the book:

“Oh, flout the boy!” cried Merlyn passionately. “You don’t seem to see anything this morning. What is it that you want me to do?”
“Turn me and Kay into snakes or something.”
Merlyn took off his spectacles, dashed them on the floor and jumped upon them with both feet.
“Castor and Pollux blow me to Bermuda!” he exclaimed, and immediately vanished with a frightful roar.
The Wart was still staring at his tutor’s chair in some perplexity, a few moments later, when Merlyn reappeared. He had lost his hat and his hair and beard were all tangled up, as if by a hurricane. He sat down again, straightening his gown with trembling fingers.
“Why did you do that?” asked the Wart.
“I didn’t do it on purpose.”
“Do you mean to say that Castor and Pollux did blow you to Bermuda?”
“Let this be a lesson to you,” replied Merlyn, “not to swear. I think we had better change the subject.”

To conclude, as a child the anachronisms didn’t bother me because early in the novel Merlyn explains to the Wart that he lives backwards in time and knows about the future.

16 people found this helpful

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Fleetf0x

Loved it!

Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2017

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Loved the hardcover! The book had picture pages on the inside which was cool. The only problem I had with this book is that I was reading it along side of a PDF of The Sword in the Stone that I had on my computer. The problem was that the PDF was the story out of The Once and Future King book, which means even though they are the same story, the chapters were off and The Once and Future King version of The Sword in the Stone had more details and additions to the story. This book was published after the original story; it has been revised and shortened.

4 people found this helpful

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Jill Easton

Great fantasy about the early life of King Arthur

Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2021

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This book was written by a master storyteller who knew exactly how to weave a dozen-stories about Arthur's magical adventures and his teacher/magician mentor Merlin. Wart become a fish, an owl and many other critters. Each one gives him a skill that will be useful to a king. T.H. White blows J.K Rowling out of the water.

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Greg Deane

Austringers and fewmets

Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2013

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This is an amusing work for children, though entertaining for all ages, with a number of interesting mediaeval words, like 'austringer', 'alaunt' 'solar room' and 'fewmets. The novel offers a good many insights into life in feudal households and the unfolding of the seasons in rural England. White gives interesting insights into haymaking, jousting, the path to knighthood and archery

But the story is heavy with anachronisms, so that Robin Hood who resisted the tyranny of King John in the 12th and 13th centuries becomes a friend and teacher of Wart who is to become king of England in the fifth century. There are amusing allusions to an electric company and to the Encyclopaedia Britannica and to spectacles worn by King Pellinore and Merlin, though none existed before the 15th century. There is also an excessive reliance on shape changing, so that the Wart becomes a fish, two types of bird and a badger.

The book is most valuable for its psychological examination of the preparation of boy for the throne of England, implying that Merlin was divinely appointed to develop and inform Arthur to be king. It may be the book is a justification of the Divine Right of kings to rule, at least at the court of Camelot.

However, one serious failing with the book is White's outward insistence that Kay, Arthur's foster brother and eventual seneschal, is essentially a good person. But all the evidence is that Kay is mean, selfish and envious.

Otherwise, the book is gently thoughtful though the descriptions of slaughter and killing and violent contests may be troublesome to squeamish parents and teachers who try hard to bowdlerise the writers they approve for their children's reading. The Sword in the Stone

8 people found this helpful

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Blue Dog

Great Book, Great Illustrations, Might Serve to Press Leaves As wll

Reviewed in the United States on February 20, 2015

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This is a substantial, thick book for kids but word worthy for an adult. The illustrations are of the photo-realistic style, like many Tolkien illustrations, and some include creatures sprung from great imagination. Of course, having been written by master word smith T H White helps.

All in all, a delightful book for a somewhat older child, I'd say. I can hardly wait until the grandkids get old enough.

Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2020

Verified Purchase

Classic book. Good edition.

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Renata

Será que um dia consigo terminar de ler? Há mais de uma década eu tento...

Reviewed in Brazil on August 24, 2016

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Já comecei a ler The Sword in the Stone um milhão de vezes e não consigo concluir.... Não sei o que acontece, mas T H White não é pra mim :(
No entanto esta edição é simplesmente perfeita...

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Isabela

A espada na pedra

Reviewed in Brazil on September 4, 2015

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Livro lindo e maravilhoso! É capa dura, e sem a jacket é inteiro preto. As ilustrações internas são ótimas também!

One person found this helpful

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