Arthurian Legend Books

This book totally rocks. The author's bravado, sarcasm, and slamming extreme smack in the true scholastic realm would make Jim Rome jealous. If reading 8 different languages in one book is your bag, then this is the book for you. This book is true scholastic genius, a work of art. This doctoral dissertation makes sure that anybody who writes a future dissertation on this epic medieval poem will have to read the Sivertson dissertation first. Good luck scholars! Take your best shot, because this _is_ the best of the best. Read it for yourself. I guarantee you won't be dissappointed. This book is a true masterpiece! This _is_ the quest for the Holy Grail.

Finally! A book that stays true to the traditions of classical analysis and scholarship. It is all to easy in this day and age to write about politically correct topics with the pseudo-intellectual verbal dribble that always seem to accompany such topics. Blatant revisionist interpretaions with a holier than thou presentism carry the day.

NOT THIS BOOK.

The topic is usually considered old hat. (Medieval European Literature...didn't they close that department?) the author dares to make a thorough study, not just of the work itself, but of the time and period which such pieces were written. It is obvious that the author is intimately familiar with the styles and sympathies of other literary works of this period and therefore is able to make sense of passages that on their own seem out of place.

Even if this topic is not your cup of tea, I recommend that you read it. I guarentee you will find it refreshing. Much better than the post-modern disneyfication pompous pontificating that passes for scholarship today.

Where can I begin? The newest translation of the Mabinogion, those famous medieval Welsh stories is more than expected. Sioned Davies, chair of Welsh at Cardiff University certainly is within her element in bringing these stories into English. Her prose is poetic and crisp, and a delight to read. Her endnotes are informative and the pronunciation guide one of the clearest I've ever come into contact with. And that's just the translation itself! The stories are, of course, classics of literature the equal of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, or even (in my not-so humble opinion) Shakespeare. If you choose to purchase a translation of the Mabinogion, you can't do much better than the sublimity of Sioned Davies'.

How does this handsomely bound new rendering by Sioned Davies, Chair in Welsh at Cardiff, compare with the standard edition widely used and often praised, Harvard professor Ford's? Will his "30th Anniversary" U of California paperback reissued edition find itself in a dead heat with Davies in this elegant Oxford U.P. offering? The race may prove a photo finish!

I compared their translations of a favorite passage of mine early on in the First Branch, Pwyll's tale. Arawn's just been reunited with his queen after the year's test by unwitting yet steadfast doppelganger Pwyll. She wonders, post-coitally after a long year's lapse, why it's been so long since her husband made love with her.

Here's Ford (1977 ed., p. 41) first at the starting line.

"Shame on me," she said, "if from the time we went between the sheets there was even pleasure or talk between us or even your facing me-- much less anything more than that-- for the past year!"

And he thought, "Dear Lord God, it was a unique man, with strong and unwavering friendship that I got for a companion." And then he said to his wife, "Lady," he said, "don't blame me. I swear to God," he said, "I haven't slept with you since a year from last night nor have I lain with you."

And he told her the entire adventure.

"I confess to God," she said, "as far as fighting temptations of the flesh and keeping true to you goes, you had a solid hold on a fellow."

"Lady," he said, "that's just what I was thinking while I was silent with you."

"That was only natural," she answered.

--You can feel the hesitant insertion of the teller's dramatic pauses implied with the "saids." These intensify rhythms of the poet's strong, confident prose. A few contractions and the well-placed dashes quicken the dialogue's pace. The language avoids the flowery exactitude and chivalric diction that marked Gwyn and Thomas Jones' 1949 Everyman edition. But, neither does Ford choose an entirely modern register. He keeps a slightly elevated style while emphasizing verve and a gently sophisticated voice for the couple.

--Compare and contrast Davies (2008 ed., p. 7). As in other pages I spot-checked, the two professors run neck and neck and overlap considerably-- a sign of how both scholars channel what Ford calls the "restraint" in this passage as well as its humor and tension.

"Shame on me," she said, "if there has been between us for the past year, from the time we were wrapped up in the bedclothes, either pleasure or conversation, or have you turned your face to me, let alone anything more than that!"

And then he thought, "Dear Lord God," he said, "I had a friend whose loyalty was steadfast and secure." And then he said to his wife, "Lady," he said, "do not blame me. Between me and God," he said, "I have neither slept nor lain down with you for the past year."

And then he told her the whole story.

"I confess to God," she said, "you struck a firm bargain for your friend to have fought off the temptations of the flesh and kept his word to you."

"Lady," he said, "those were my very thoughts while I was silent just now."

"No wonder!" she said.

--Davies in her preface emphasizes the "performative" qualities in her edition. In this passage, she appears to let the lines go longer rather than reining them in to English syntax. They drift away slightly before coming back to us. Perhaps this echo demonstrates Davies' own scholarship in the medieval Welsh interplay between orality and literacy. The author of two books on the Mabinogi, she stresses the "interactive" nature of the manuscript to be read aloud for the "acoustic dimension" embedded in the Welsh texts and through alliteration, tone, and beat, she tries to give us a feel for this tempo, albeit imperfectly conveyed perforce into our clunkier English.

--Both Davies and Ford include the four branches: Pwyll, Branwen, Manawydan, and Math. Both include Lludd & Llueyls. But, reflecting textual differences in the original manuscript anthologies, they also differ. Ford's tales attributed to Gwion Bach & Taliesin, Culhwch & Olwen, and his appendix on Cad Goddeu do not appear in Davies. She provides Peredur, The Dream of the Emperor Maxen, The Lady of the Well, Geraint, and Rhonawby's Dream.

--Both editors explain their textual choices and open with prefaces. They both add glossaries, pronunciation guides, and bibliographies. Ford situates the tales in Indo-European contexts and Davies delves into their delivery as recited stories. Ford begins each tale with a short introduction; Davies adds explanatory notes in a detailed appendix, keyed to asterisks in the body of the text. Davies keys her "Index of Personal Names" to pages in the text while Ford does not. For study and teaching, it looks like the competition may result in a dignified and spirited draw. Most serious readers doubtless will want to consult, as I have, both fine efforts side-by-side.

(This review, fittingly, is also on the Ford 1977 ed. listing on Amazon US. The UC press reissue has not yet been published. May both translations flourish.)

I found this book to be very good. It starts off with 20 or 30 pages of background material on the main character Isabel in first person. She is supposed to be Mordred's wife, and an enchanter as well. There are a lot of names, and most of them begin with M or G so it is a little difficult to keep it all straight. After this, the book starts to move, and gets faster and faster as it goes. What I really enjoyed was that it incorporated many of the lesser known legends about Camelot - like Gingalin, Launfal, Balin, Arthur's other children and the feud between the children of Lot and Pellinore - alongside staple characters such as Lancelot, Guinivere, Mordred, Merlin, Gawain and Arthur. The book encompasses Isabel's childhood and then twenty years in Camelot, and really does a great job of showing how she starts off as a shy, naive country girl to eventually become jaded and weary with the politics and tragedy that comes with life among royalty, knights and magic. It is very, very good, and there is a really creative twist at the end that explains the conflicting accounts of Camelot legends and why Camelot has never been found by archaeologists.

In the THE MAGIC OF CAMELOT, the reader is introduced to Isabel, a natural-born witch, chosen to the bride of Mordred, the illegitimate son of King Arthur and his half-sister Morgause. The very first pages reveal Isabel's early childhood, from the moment she was taken from her biological parents to growing up as the adopted daughter of Margause, then later raised and tutored by the enchantress Morgan le Fey. You will see the attachments Isabel formed for her foster brothers, Gawain, Gaheris, Agravain, Gareth and of course, Mordred. The marriage between Isabel and Mordred was an intense encompassing all-consuming love that survived the ups and downs one could imagine with all the political intrigues, maneuverings and magical influences that bore down on them. After her marriage, Isabel apprentices with and continues her studies under Merlin who after a while decided she was ready to become Arthur's advisor. After that, she found herself embroiled in court politics that further strained her marriage to Mordred.

Told in the first person, in this expansively researched tome, the author paints a vivid picture of the sights, the sounds, the people, their clothing, food, etc. Isabel also lends humor, both telling of some of her feeble attempts at magic in her younger days and coaxing other magical beings to do her bidding. In one instance, I chuckled quite a bit over her talk with Ajax the magical horse, as she negotiated with him to do her bidding. Then, in an aside, she would explain how horses were prone to flattery, but not very bright and likened them to `pretty cows with big egos'.

Although Isabel inserted levity wherever possible, there was also the drama from the carnage of the battles that were fought and the devastation and cruelties were vividly portrayed. You'll feel the love she had for her favorite pure and honorable knights, such as Arthur, Gaheris, Gareth, Galahad, Percival, and Bors and moved to tears for those she loved and lost. In addition, you'll probably look differently on the adultery of Queen Guinevere and Sir Lancelot as they cuckholded the very honorable King Arthur who for years, looked the other way rather than hold his beloved wife and friend accountable for treason. But more importantly, it humanizes Mordred who wasn't as bad as legends made him out to be.

*** For those who love the Arthurian legends of Camelot, the knights and their ladies, here is your chance to delve deeper into the machinations of court life in Camelot. Though I was rather intimidated by the size of the this book (TSP of 600+ pages) I found it to be an immensely enjoyable read that I can highly recommend to others who want to hear again the legends and experience the magic that was Camelot!

*** Marilyn, for www.historicalromancewriters.com ***

I read this book and enjoyed it very much. It's presented in a clear, flowing style which makes it very easy to follow along with, but still has a substantial underlying message which is revealed, piece by piece, in an exciting way as the book progresses. The illustrations are beautiful, and the preface and note at the end help to put this story into a perspective and explain its message.

Perceval: King Arthur's Knight of the Holy Grail is a picturebook retelling of the legend of Perceval, written by Jungian therapist John Perkins and superbly illustrated with full-color, Renaissance-technique paintings by award-winning artist Gennady Spirin. Perceval is fairly text-heavy for a picturebook, and is therefore ideal for young readers who not only love fantastic tales but also are nearly ready to make the transition to chapter books. The legend of Perceval itself is a humbling story, at its core about how there is more to being a knight than embodying the virtues of chivalry. The virtues of faith in God and the mercy of the Savior Jesus Christ are a crucial theme in Perceval's epic story.

A fascinating thesis, convincingly argued and painstakingly documented. Ms. Karczewska is to be heartily commended for producing a volume of such scholarly integrity. Her work is a major contribution to the study of medieval literatures, church history, and cultures. Every scholar interested in the French middle ages must read this book!

Here's a book of true depth and scholarship. Ms. Karczewska knows her material inside and out. Finally, someone in the Academy who is not a slave to the latest trend. A must read!

You can't help but respect a book with a bibliography that's fully one-fifth of its size. Tolstoy's knowledge of Celtic lore is impressive in its depth and expansive in its scope. He draws from a deep well of myth, legend and written history to create an argument that requires no small amount of concentration to appreciate fully but is even more satisfying because of it. It was an amazing learning experience that I would recommend to any serious Celtic aficionado.

Much like what has been done in multiple books with Arthur and a few with Robin Hood, Tolstoy makes a case for Merlin being a real life person and tries to seperate truth from fiction with everything pertaining to Merlin.

Tolstoy delves into a lot of different areas in this book. He looks into the Lugh/Odin connection to Merlin and his final theory on Merlin is that he was a priest of Lugh/Odin. Tolstoy also thinks Merlin had no connection to the real Arthur. Besides that lots of interesting observations on dark ages Britain, Celtic Heathens, Taliesin, Lugh/Odin, shamanism, the Mabinogion and other Welsh lore, plus lots of other stuff.

I don't necessarily agree with everything Tolstoy comes up with in this but this book is still essential reading for Pan Aryan Odinists, or any student of Celtic Heathenry or Arthurian lore.

This is the fourth book in a series. (Regarding the Fountain, Regarding the sink, regarding the trees) The children of Geyser Creek Middle school are all working on different summer jobs. Their principal is stressed about the conference coming up and the basement bathrooms need to be cleaned up. The kids turn to Florence Waters who is vacationing in Bath for advice, and solve the crime occuring in their own town. This was great book, the book can be difficult to get into because it is written in all letters, newspaper clippings and memos, but the story has an awesome plot. The book takes the form of the previous books

Ages 9-12 will appreciate REGARDING THE BATHROOMS, a fun story of a middle school in the process of renovating disgusting basement bathrooms. Summer school students are equally preoccupied - with chasing down escaped convicts. Letters, black and white drawings throughout and an action-packed format lends adventure to a fun tale.

This book is a well-written, well-informed esoteric guide to the stories of Arthur, his Round Table companions, and the Holy Grail in British and Celtic legend. I found it a beautiful combination of scholarship, psychological and spiritual insight, and intelligent speculation about some of the more ancient origins and meanings of the many stories we have inherited that form part of the Arthurian romances. Anyone who is interested in this tradition, and the mysteries that lie behind it, will find this a fascinating and illuminating commentary. Interpreting ancient myth is a high art because symbolic images reveal their meanings only to those who are prepared to personally engage with the symbols and the entire mystical tradition that supports them. Gareth Knight is an able guide.

This is absolutley one of the best books of its kind available today!Maybe the best book of all times!This book covers a huge amount of esoteric material that is extremely purposeful in todays fast changing times.If you are serious seeker of esoteric wisdom then stick with this book and you will learn lots.The arthurian legends truly are works of faery art to show us our evolutionary way forward as individuals and as a group.These legends show us the proper way of evolutionary developement and they show us what happens when we lose our way.The information in this book along with serious study of the arthurian legends will lead to the rememberance of who you really are and you will be amazed at what you find.The information contained within these pages is priceless and you could spend lifetimes integrating the wisdom and knowledge found within.

This book is my favorite so far. It leaves you thinking. This book has some funny parts in it. One of them is when Martha goes into the boys bathroom.

Martha Snapdragon has no idea that she is destined for greatness one day. THE SPOON IN THE BATHROOM WALL by Tony Johnston tells the story of Martha and her experiences at Horace E. Bloggins Elementary School after a mysterious message appears on the wall. When she reads, "The King is Coming - And It's About Time," she doesn't really believe it.

Martha is a student at Horace E. Bloggins Elementary School. Her father, Luther Snapdragon, works as the school's janitor. Martha and her father are poor --- too poor to buy a house --- so they live in the boiler room at the school. Martha doesn't have much, but she and her father are happy most of the time. What Martha wants more than anything is to be a teacher one day like her magical teacher, Ferlin. She also wants her principal, Dr. Klunk, and his bratty son, Rufus, to quit bossing around her father.

When a mysterious gold spoon suddenly appears in the bathroom wall, Martha is curious. Then an even more unusual message appears declaring that whoever pulls the spoon out of the wall will be King of Bloggins. This causes all sorts of strange behavior among the students and faculty at Horace E. Bloggins Elementary. Will evil Dr. Klunk be able to pull the spoon out of the wall? Or worse, will his son Rufus be named King? Young readers will keep turning pages to find out.

Tony Johnston, a former fourth-grade teacher, has written many books for children. With her latest novel, A SPOON IN THE BATHROOM WALL, she has created a very likeable character. Young readers will identify with Martha Snapdragon if they have ever been picked on or made to feel small. Children will root for Martha to find a way out of her miserable existence.
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If you can find this in any addition, though the hardback is very nice gift, it is a great addition to any Grail Lore Collection.

Pyle did so many books great books on the Medieval Myths and Legends. First published in 1905, Pyle wrote and illustrated his own tales, such as Lancelot, Tristam & Isoult, and Percival. The pen in and ink drawing are simply amazing and so bring alive his stories.

Highly recommended for those interested in tales of the Round Table. Hopefully, with the interested Tolkien's Rings, it will reawaken a hunger for these tales of chivalry, of valour and those willing to stand and fight in what they believe.

Howard Pyle weaves another masterpiece in this, the sequel to The Story of King Arthur and His Knights. It is frought with adventure, chivalry, and Pyle's own version of Old English to go with it. Pyle's english and his drawings add greatly to the already great story, making this series one of the best I have ever read.

This book details the early adventures of Sir Launcelot, Sir Tristram, and Sir Percival. One would think that the jousts/battles would get repetitive and boring after a while, but Pyle is so masterful a storyteller that it never gets boring, and each adventure captures the imagination more than the last.

Overall grade: A+