Mythology Books

Lisa Hunt's 'Celestial Goddesses' is an exquiste devotional book to the Great Goddess unlike anything I've ever come across. Llewellyn went all out on this one and produced a beautifully bound hardcover book of the highest quality with wonderful 8 X 10 color prints of each Goddess included within.

Twenty Goddesses were chosen for this "Litany to the Goddess."
1) Amaterasu - Japanese 2) Arianrhod - Welsh 3) Artemis - Greek 4) Chang-O - Chinese 5) Coyolxauhqui - Aztec 6) Hina - Polynesian 7) Inaana - Summerian 8) Isis - Egypt 9) Luonnotar - Finnish 10) Mama Quilla - Peruvian 11) Mawu - Fon (West African) 12) Nut - Egypt 13) Pana - Inuit 14) Saule - Slavic 15) Selene - Greek 16) Tara - Asian 17) Unelanuhi - Cherokee 18) Ushas - Eastern Indian 19) White Shell Woman - Navaho 20) Wuriupranili - Aborigine (Australian).

While some of my favorite Goddesses were left out (Freyja, Pele and Kali) there exclusion is more than made up for by the discovery of lesser known "Energies" that I was totally unfamiliar with until I bought this book.

Simply a must buy for any and all pagans seeking expanded contact with the Divine Feminine or anyone who loves art. Absolutely Magnificent! My Utmost Highest Recommendation!!

The artwork in this book is AMAZING! My wife purchased this, but I felt I had to comment on the art, because it is quite remarkable, that alone makes this worth the price.

(From thedivadigest.com)

It is easy at first glance to dismiss this work as a book for children, so vibrant is the artwork and so simple and concise is the narrative. Although it would be a lovely introduction to Goddess myths for the older child, its worth to the adult world deserves high accolades, both as an informative text and a meditative tool.

Utilizing the wonderful art of talented Lisa Hunt (who has been a bookmark in my browser favorites forever), the book has been given a generous hand by Llewellyn publishers, using beautiful 8x10" color plates of the Celestial Goddess series. The glossy pages also contain, for each of the goddesses explored, a page of mythology, a guided meditation and a full page dedicated to one basic thought regarding that particular Goddess, such as "Life is full of mountains and valleys. The goddess can provide you with the necessary guiding light and energy to help you reach your goals" for Coyolxauhqui. Having the 1-2 sentence thought to synopsize the energy of goddess portrayed written in the center of a plain, white page makes it all the more poignant and evokes a strong, meditative presence. The meditations are brief, but effective and have been carefully selected to effectively convey the energy being depicted for each of the Goddesses.

There are 20 goddesses highlighted, fearlessly ignoring any imaginary boundaries of pantheon and plucking both the famous and obscure from a number of traditions. Each goddess is an experience and the reader will feel complete immersion in the sheer essence of the individual deity that is represented. This book is, quite simply and "quiet, simply" a masterpiece experience.

RATING: 5 Pentacles

Lisa Hunt is one of the best illustrators working today and this book proves she is a great author as well.

In the book, she paints wonderful images of goddesses from many cultures, and then creates a guided meditations based on each ones strengths and influences. It is a magical journey through the different beliefs of our diverse world.

If you have an interest in the Goddess, meditation just love to look at gorgeous artwork, then I highly recommend picking Celestial Goddesses up!

John Ebert's remarkable book, Celluloid Heroes & Mechanical Dragons, does to movies what Joseph Campbell's Hero With a Thousand Faces did to myths. This is a mouthful, I know, but Ebert delivers. Armed with vast knowledge of our cultural past and a profound understanding of our present, he ventures into the world of "celluloid myths" (that Campbell pretty much dismissed until, as pointed out in the book, George Lucas turned him on to his Star Wars trilogy) and comes back with the boon. And what an incredibly rich and enriching boon it is.
Ebert uses his vast knowledge of myths, and practically everything else, to reveal the mythic dimension of some our most popular movies. As he maintains in the book, the first conscious incorporation of myths in movies, what he calls celluloid myths, was initiated by Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, which (according to the author) was inspired by Campbell's Hero. All the films discussed in the book are heirs to Kubrick's 1968 masterpiece: "2001 was the first major presentation of a theme that would come to be reiterated in film over and over again, namely that of the battle of an individual human being against an impersonal system that is threatening to dehumanize him, whether that system is defined as the megalopolitan city, the meta-national corporation, or technology in general . . .All are reworkings of Bowman's battle with HAL."
What I really liked about the book is that it doesn't dissect the movies to death, but rather provided enough insight so that I wanted to see many of these movies again. Before finishing the book, I couldn't wait to get the DVD's of the first two covered movies, Apocalypse Now (Redux) and 2001. The "guided tour of the films of David Cronenberg" even got me to the point where I want to take a second look at his movies, which (the ones I saw) I generally find hard to watch. I guess this best describes what the book did for me. Somewhat like the shield in Perseus and the Gorgon Medusa, it functions as a mirror that allows us to see the Mechanical Dragons that have become such a prevalent part of our movies (and our lives) and how they're slain by our Celluloid Heroes. It updates many of our most popular myths as never before.

With a white-hot strike to the center of the frozen, sterile and inert films that typifies modern Hollywood, John David Ebert reignites the passion, grandeur and vision that make film the most compelling, and relevant form of mass entertainment today. By distilling the great films of yesterday and today, Ebert manages in clear, distinct and entertaining prose to explain and explore why film has surpassed the novel as the preeminent purveyor of myth and wonder in our society.

His journey is precise and with an overall purpose, however, one may skip to chapters that hold special interest, for me, I found that reading the entire book was far more satisfying, even when I arrived at dissimilar conclusions than Ebert. For example, Ebert has long been an admirer of David Croenenberg, a director I find distasteful and vulgar in many respects, but in reading Ebert's exploration of Croenenberg's films, I found a new prism in which to view the director, and upon seeing his latest work A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, watched the film with a deeper sense of what he was trying to achieve.

For me, myth has always been the cornerstone of all great art, whether it be visual art (painting), films, novels, I find that all such works are enriched by a foundation that embraces the great mysteries and universal connections which are the lynchpin of myth. Ebert's gift is the uncanny ability to take interesting films and dissect them at a historical, mythological and sociological level, deepening our understanding and appreciation of what makes certain films imprint the mind with images that recur and haunt and amaze us. What's even more interesting is that many of us watch these films with only a subconscious understanding of why they grip us in their web, which is actually the point. Myth is anything but conscious, it's wellspring is the imagination, the realm of dreams and nightmares and visions, and as such, need not be fully understood to be effective. Ebert's gift is to be able to show us all the facets that arise from the world's myths, whether rooted in Western or Eastern culture, his erudition, knowledge and ability to make them all cohesive is amazing. He's a good writer, a better thinker, a good critic, a better scholar.

One would assume that such an examination of myth and films would be dry and turgid, but just take a look at chapter 3, which is an interview Ebert did for a magazine. The discussions range from APOCALYPSE NOW to GODFATHER 3 to 2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY, and the way Ebert breaks them down is incredible. On APOCALYPSE NOW, he describes the film as a hero's descent into the underworld, mirroring some of Dante's INFERNO, and then in the same sentence, makes a segue to the Egyptian Book of the Dead, where the sun god Ra, journeys down a river through a kingdom of the dead, encountering obstacles until he reaches the Lord of the Dead, Osiris. Sounds convuluted? You're wrong. Ebert makes the transition so seamless and obvious that I actually started laughing with sheer intellectual enjoyment at what he was saying. In the same chapter, Ebert takes on the notion that many of these mythological symbols are accidental and not planned by the creative artist, and again provided brilliant analysis. For some, Ebert agrees, these symbols are certainly not always intentional, but he goes on to say that they spring for a universal source of creativity that is tied directly into the mythological wonder that occurs when the creative spirit is open to anything. So, though Kubrick certainly knew what he was doing when the ape throws the bone that becomes a spaceship, other artists arrive at the same powerful symbols through their own inward journey, which manifests itself as something that has existed for thousands of years. If you're confused by this, don't worry. Ebert breaks it down far more eloquently than I can, that's why he writes about myth and I try to tap into them in my day-job as a screenwriter.

A few nitpicky comments so as not to give the impression that I agree with EVERYTHING Ebert writes, that would make me a less-than critical thinker, which I hope I will always be. I wish he'd gone more into the Western and its mythic underpinnings, specifically films like THE WILD BUNCH, THE SEARCHERS, RED RIVER, ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST, and THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE, all of which seethe with classical mythological symbols and images (John Wayne standing in the open doorway at the end of the Searchers as civilization occurs within the house, while he's forever isolated from such comforts). Also, Ebert has a list of films he considers notable, and while "best ever" lists are always subjective, it's still a fun way to measure your tastes against others to see what you have in common and more importantly, what you don't agree on. Ebert has a top 16 of his generation, topped by 2001, and including JAWS and TITANIC. Every film on the list has been at least tangentially or substantively discussed in the book, but as with any list, there are some head-scratchers for me. I wouldn't include all 3 original STAR WARS films, I would only include EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and leave it at that. I would drop VIDEODROME, AI, and SCHINDLER'S LIST (Ebert has a great affinity for SPIELBERG, a director I think is visually brilliant, but intellectually facile). Other than that, the list isn't bad, considering Ebert limited himself to "my generation" freeing himself from having to go back to a number of other great films. He pretty much starts his list from 1968 and moves forward, leaving the omission of WILD BUNCH (1969) as a puzzler, but subject to lively debate. That's what makes the book great, Ebert lays out the foundation of these visionary films and their directors and then invites you to do your own investigation and arrive at your own conclusions. His, he states with force and logic and conviction, no getting around that. But the whole point is for you to leave the book wanting more and going back to favorite films and having a second, third of fourth look, seeing new symbols, new connections, previously unnoticed.

The idea that visionary films have replaced great novels as the preeminent creative force of our time is one that bears more exploration. In the old days, you had great writers like MANN, JOYCE, PROUST and HESSE. Now, you have prose stylists masquerading as "serious" writers, with nothing visionary and interesting to contribute. they write mostly to impress their brethren, the audience be damned. I'm no Thomas Wolfe fan, but I agree with his manifesto years ago, that today's writers have abandoned great, realist stories in favor of fancy prose and post-modern angst that makes for empty reading. Films admittedly have their share of bad writers and bad directors, but on the other hand, there are more interesting and talented and risk-taking artists in filmmaking today than in literature. You have SPIELBERG, TYWKER, VINTERBERG, CUARON, SALLES, COPPOLA (he has one last masterpiece, trust me), SCORSCESE, JACKSON, CARO, CAMERON, et al. They represent a vital, powerful force that is driving the great films of today and tomorrow. If nothing else, Ebert's book leaves you awaiting the next, great work of these artists, knowing it will draw on symbols and touchstones that go back thousands of years, to our universal connection. And that's all we really care about when we view art. We want to be moved, touched, transported, entertained, frightened.

Awed.

Ebert knows this.

So should you

In the introduction to his "Understanding Media," McLuhan wrote that his editor "noted in dismay that `seventy-five percent of your material is new. A successful book cannot venture to be more than ten percent new.'" Ebert's "Celluloid Heroes & Mechanical Dragons" presents a lot of new material, but when the world has changed and few have noticed, there's a lot to cover.

To understand Ebert's book we have to address change, as in technology (biotech, computing, nanotech, quantum theory, etc.) is about to change us as a species. And a lot of the traditions that used to help us with change, like European intellectuals, the literary novel, and academia, are nowhere to be found.

Europe has left the scene. Today, looking at European/American culture wars, one is tempted to think of a quiet retirement community disturbed by rowdy teenagers with noisy motorcycles. The bikers can be dangerous, but we are not going to hear anything new from the retirees.

Academia has collapsed. We might have hoped that in a period of profound change academia would be on the case. Not. The contemporary PhD thesis, article, and book in cultural studies is typically written by putting poststructuralist jargon in a word randomizer and printing out the results to signal that one is a member of the tribe. (One such randomizer, Pixmaven's Instant Art Critique Phrase Generator, is available online) Which leaves it to the nonacademic "independent public intellectual" to analyze our culture. John Ebert is a leading member of this vital group.

And the literary novel has ended. Myers' "A Reader's Manifesto" looks at the state of the contemporary literary novel, the pretentious kind that wins awards and gets reviewed in literary magazines, and finds that it has degenerated into gibberish-"some of the most acclaimed contemporary prose is the product of mediocre writers availing themselves of trendy stylistic gimmicks." Ebert makes a related point at the beginning of "Celluloid Heroes" where he writes: "Surveying at a glace the current states of western literature ... compared to its state in, say the first half of the twentieth century, what strikes one is an appalling decline in overall quality."

Ebert's conclusion? A culture chooses an art form in which to invest its energy. That art form has a period of vitality and then falls into decline. The literary novel has fallen into such a decline, and has been replaced by movies.

Ebert's interest is in what he calls the "visionary movie" since 1968 (think Speilberg, Kubrick, Coppola, Lucas, Cronenberg, Tarkovsky, Scott, Cameron, etc.), and its focus on the impact of technology on our culture and ourselves as human beings. His approach is to treat movies as mythologically informed literature.

Despite the rejection of mythology in much of academia, it appears that our filmmakers have retained their mythological literacy, whether through subliminally absorbing the classics, or actually reading them. Ebert observes that in "Apocalypse Now," Coppola shows Kurtz reading Eliot's "The Hollow Men," which was inspired by Conrad's "Heart of Darkness," also the source of the plot of the movie, while the camera picks up Frazer's "Golden Bough" and Weston's "From Ritual to Romance" on Kurtz's desk.

What do we mean by mythology? We might describe a mythological position, particularly as taken by Joseph Campbell, as the notion that the structures and patterns of the energies of the cosmos that pour into the phenomenal realm are revealed in our myths, literatures, and arts.

Ortega y Gasset wrote:
"[T]he political or cultural aspects of history are... the mere surface of history; that in preference to, and deeper than these, the reality of history lies in biological power, in pure vitality, in what is in man of cosmic energy, not identical with, but related to, the energy which agitates the sea, fecundates the beast, causes the tree to flower and the star to shine."

It is this cosmic energy that Ebert identifies in the great visionary movies of our time. Thus Visionary movies are mythologically based and assume that there are archetypal patterns in the course of empires and nations, in our becoming fully human, in the human/technology interface, and in the cosmos itself. Academia today, with its poststructuralist viewpoint, takes Locke's "tabula rasa" position and is profoundly anti-essentialist, vehemently denying transcendence and archetypal patterns. Ebert's book is a refutation of this position.

From Ebert's point of view, the role of the movie critic becomes to approach movies with a background of literacy adequate to unpacking them and helping us in our readings of them. Ebert does this. Few other movie critics can.

So, should you buy this book? Here is how to decide: Write down a list of your top sixteen films. If five or more overlap with Ebert's list, order the book immediately. Here is Ebert's list.

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey
2. Apocalypse Now
3. The Star Wars movies
4. The Godfather movies
5. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
6. Alien
7. Blade Runner
8. Videodrome
9. Raiders of the Lost Ark
10. The Shining
11. The Exorcist
12. A.I,
13. Schindler's List
14. The Road Warrior
15. Titanic
16. Jaws

Another test is that if you enjoy the books of Joseph Campbell or William Irwin Thompson, you will love this book. You can see more of Ebert's work at the website, CinemaDiscourse.

John Ebert's book is essential reading for anyone even slightly interested in "visionary" film-- that genre of film that explores the imaginative and mythic possibilities of film, pioneered all the way back with George Melies, and carried on by such modern proponents as Kubrick, Coppola, Lynch, etc (where Ebert's focus predominates). He offers his keen scholarly insight into the mythic and sociological undercurrents of this still-evolving trend, which I found to be fresh and original. While one will inevitably disagree with some of his assessments ("The Matrix" as garbage?), that's actually some of the fun--and value--of works like this, since it forces one to formulate one's own views in response more clearly, and stimulate one's thinking in ways that straight consensus wouldn't.

There are a few notable omissions from his overview---horror films and experimental cinema surely deserve an seat at this visionary table--but then, a work covering every conceivable facet of this subject would have required a series of volumes rather than just one, so that may actually be a blessing in disguise. All in all, an important work on the premier art of our time--cinema.

amazing quality images & defintions of symbols
I would recommend this to anyone who loves celtic!

This is the third year that I have ordered this calendar. The art work is beautiful and the description of each months design is very interesting. The calendar is in twelve month format with decent sized blocks for each day so that I can write in all the chores that need doing.

Truly beautiful work. I am hooked and will continue to buy this as long as I can find it!

This has everything from Yule to the Dali Lama's birthday. IT has something for everyone and the pictures teach of the Celtic folklore. IT 's just a beautiful piece of time keeping

This is a terrific and pretty comprehensive collection of Celtic poetry and prose. Everything is nicely indexed according to what style of writing it is, and what the subject is, in the table of contents. Under each poem or whathaveyou is a description of where the work comes from, when it dates from, and who (if it is known) wrote the work.

You'll find Welsh, Breton, Cornish, Scots-Gaelic, and Irish works of art here. I know I've often been dissapointed before to buy a book on "Celtic" poetry to find out it was only on Irish works.

To top it all off there is a huge list of end-notes. These explain all those obscure references you'll find in old poetry. Don't know where Aberffraw is, but its in your favorite poem? Flip to the back and find out.

I'm very pleased with this book. I can use it for my classes, simply by looking up a topic and browsing over the many selected works. And I also read it for pleasure, I find the section on humorous works especially enjoyable.

Despite the recent 'boom' in Celtic literature, there are not that many anthologies around, which present the whole palette, as it were, of the Celtic mind, feeling and imagination. In this respect, Kenneth Jackson's anthology remains one of the best. When he died in 1991, his obituary notice in The Times declared him 'a master of all four of the major Celtic languages' - an accolade not many could claim. In fact, the material here has been drawn from six Celtic sources - Welsh, Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Cornish and Manx (the variety of Celtic spoken in the Isle of Mann).

Hence, this anthology enables you to savour the taste of Celtic literature, from an unusual number of sources. While all translations have their limitations, Jackson had an uncanny way of reproducing the alliteration and feel of Celtic. In this book, we find Hero tales, epics, reflections on nature, love, delightful epigrams, Celtic magic poems, descriptive sketches,humour & satire, Bardic Poetry, Elegies, religious reflections etc. - a rich collage indeed.

The main text comprises 305 pages, but reading it is more akin to perusing a Celtic library, for that is effectively what Jackson had to do, to procure this rich diversity of sources. The text includes a map of Ireland and Wales, in case you want to locate places mentioned in the text. Extensive notes have been appended to the text - with a pronouncing index. Not everyone will want to get their tongue round that, but the beauty of this text is that you can dip into the material without worrying unduly about such matters, savouring the imagery for its own sake.

It is hard task to select passages for review, for the whole book deserves to be savoured. I may prejudice the reader's mind with my choices. Epics are too long to quote, but you'll hear of Cu Chulainn and all the rest. At random, how about this from the section titled 'Nature':

(34) To the Sun

Greeting to you, sun of the seasons, as you travel
the skies on high, with your strong steps on the
wing of the heights; you are the happy mother
of the stars.

You sink down in the perilous ocean without harm
and without hurt, you rise up on the quiet wave
like a young queen in flower.

Scottish Gaelic; traditional folk prayer.

- or how about these beautiful lines, from the end of
'The Wish of Manchan of Liath' (Religion. 223.)

" This the housekeeping I would undertake, I would
choose it without concealing; fragrant fresh leeks,
hens, speckled salmon, bees. "


How about this sweet epigram (93) 'Her Light Step'

"There's my darling merry star, flower of the
parish of Llangeinwen; beneath her foot the
grass no more bends than does a rock beneath
a bird's foot."
Welsh. Traditional verse.


Another charming epigram (84, The Snowfall).

White flour, earth flesh, a cold fleece on
the mountain, small snow of the chill black day;
snow like platter, bitter cold plumage,
a softness sent to entrammel me. "

- Welsh englynion.

Here's a snippet of Irish 'Zen.'
A Vain Pilgrimage

" Coming to Rome, much labour and little profit!
The King whom you seek here, unless you bring
Him with you - you will not find him. "

Irish;author unknown; 9th c.

The strange mixture of pity, humility and assertiveness in the following, is peculiarly Celtic.

244. A Charm with Yarrow.


" I will pick the smooth yarrow that my figure may be more elegant, that my lips may be warmer, that my voice may be more cheerful;may my voice be like a sunbeam, may my lips be like the juice of the strawberries.

May I be an island in the sea, may I be a hill on the land, may I be a star when the moon wanes, may I be a staff to the weak one: I shall wound every man, no man shall wound me. "

Scottish Gaelic; traditional folk charm.

Yarrow, a delicate wild flower, long used in Celtic herbal lore and suchlike, grows all over Britain. Like the Japanese Yamato nadeshiko, Yarrow symbolises and invokes ideal qualities of femininity. Yet it is a resilient and tough little plant. Reading this verse, I have always imagined a young woman, tender enough to go through life without betraying the better qualities of womanhood, yet apprehensive that she may be abused. So, along with her wish to be - and remain charming, she also nurtures her sense of cosmic attunement and the strength of the feminine in nature, the power of yielding, happy to be a star when the moon wanes, and a staff to the weak. The closing line - 'I shall wound every man, no man shall wound me' - looks callous, even violent, but really, it conveys nothing more than the wish to remain lucky in love, that the 'charm' with the yarrow should work, not leaving the young woman hurt. It is quite likely that the original form of the verse comprised the first four lines - and the closing line. The additional components soften it, making it less predatory.

Just for its own sake, I've included:

The Harp of Cnoc I Chosgair

"Harp of Cnoc I Chosggair, you who bring sleep to eyes long sleepless;sweet, subtle, plangent, glad, cooling, grave. "

" Excellent instrument with the smooth gentle curve, trilling under red fingers, musician that has charmed us, red, lion-like, of full melody. "

" You who lure the bird from the flock, you who refresh the mind, brown spotted one of sweet words, ardent, wondrous, passionate. "

" You who heal every wounded warrior, joy and allurement to women, familiar guide over the dark blue water, mystic, sweet sounding music. "

"You who silence every instrument of music, yourself a pleasing plaintive every instrument of music, dweller among the Race of Conn, instrument yellow-brown and firm. "

" The one darling of sages,restless, smooth, of sweet tune, crimson star above the fairy hills, breast jewel of High Kings."

"Sweet tender flowers, brown harp of Diarmaid, shape not unloved by host, voice of the cuckoos in May! "

"I have not heard of music such as your frame makes since the time of the fairy people, fair brown many coloured bough, gentle, powerful, glorious."

" Sound of the calm wave on the beach, pure shadowing tree of true music, carousals are drunk in your company, voice of the swan over shining streams. "

"Cryof the fairy women from the Fairy Hill of Ler, no melody can match you, every house is sweet stringed through your guidance, you the pinnacle of harp music. . ."

Irish. Gofraidh Fionn O Dalaigh; c. 1385

At the risk of butchering things, I've thrown in these random extracts from verse found under 'religion.'

232. The Tree of Life

"Lovely is the flock of birds which keeps it, on every bright and goodly bird a hundred feathers; and without sin, with pure brilliance, they sing a hundred tunes for every feather. "

243. A Prayer to the Virgin

"The Virgin of ringlets most excellent, Jesus more surpassing white than snow, melodious Seraphs singing Their praise, and the King of the Universe saying it was fitting. "

"The Virgin most excellent of face, Jesus more surpassing white than snow, She like the moon rising over the hills, He like the sun on the peaks of the mountains. "

All in all, there is something very satisfying about this book. Something about its 'feeling tone' lingers and sticks to you, like incense. I've dipped into it for twenty years, on and off, and always recall the story of the Christian hermit on a tiny island, shedding tears of joy for catching a fish. Its hard to feel like that in a supermarket.

This has been one of my two or three very favorite books since it came out. I read from it almost every day. I think that anyone interested in poetry or literature or just in the human spirit should have it by their sides. It is a wonderful selection, beautifully translated. It brings out the two things I like best about Celtic literature: the intense, immediate sensitivity to nature, and the extreme importance given to individual men and women (as opposed to the great big abstractions, symbols, word games, etc., in so much of literature). The Celts seem to have remembered, more often than most people, that individual human beings matter.

I've had this book for over ten years and find new things to appreciate that I'd skipped over in the past. I've used some of the shorter poems and englyn for caligraphy and needlework, and on my website. I also feel that to understand a people, it is necessary to read the literature, and this book offers a good selection.

This is the supreme introductory collection of ancient celtic knowledge and stories. I read many books along this subject line, but this one stands out as one of the best. Since it is divided into many short entries, it never bores you like many texts containing those obscure names and places from the past, but instead makes you want to read on to the next tale. This is one of the few books you can pick up and open to any page to begin reading, and still be satisfied. Strongly recommended for anyone interested in celtic ancestry, druidry, religion, nature, wicca, or religion in general.

This book was a complete surprise to me.It is only 133 pages and that includes Index,a Bibliography of 104 books,a fairly good Discography and a group of Exercises.Several illustrations are also included.
The author has put together a simple and complete overview of the various aspects of what makes up Celtic culture.One can quite easily read this book in a couple of hours and be left with a feeling they have a fair understanding of what Celtic means but will also know that they have only taken a peek into the Celtic World.I have read many books about the Celts and their culture and think I will return to this one often as a brief reference.The only thing that would have improved the book would have been a greatly expanded index.There are enough names,places terms,etc.,in the book to expand the index many,many times.
Much of the Celtic world centered around Kings.Here is what Matthews had to say about them:
Discussing stories and legends--"They date from a time when the king was sacred:neither human nor divine,but sanctioned by the elements,the manifestations of the gods of the land,and by his relationship with the Goddess of the Land,or Sovereignty."
Matthews also does a great job of showing how the Celtic pagan religion and all of its beliefs were combined with Christianity and formed so much of our religions, ,customs,traditions,festivals,superstitions and virtually every aspect of our culture.The power of the earth, through the 4 elements,Earth,Water,Air and Fire is also seen in many other beliefs including those of the North American Indians.
If you have any interest in things Celtic,you'll find this little book a real gem and an excellent introduction to it all.

If you are new to Celtic studies and wary of the plethora if misinformation on the subject as presented by many Pagan authors then this is a must for your library. The book is short and to the point, making it an excellent introduction and quick reference.

I bought this book after having worked with the Arthurian Tarot for a while. I was intrigued at the links between Arthurian myth & celtic myth that the deck pointed at, so I bought this book to explore this idea.

I have since read lots of other books on the subject by varying authors, but still find this book a fascinating read. It is by no means an in depth exploration of the culture, but a consideration of the prime structures, and the way they realte to our modern world, including some exercises to bring them into our own lives.

It is in this book that I first encountered the Ogham, which eventually led me to adopt it as a divination technique. It is also through this book that a whole world of spirituality opened up to me.

The book covers an understanding of the view of the world, the Gods & Goddesses that inhabited it, the relation of the King to the land (which gives great insight into the nature of King Arthur, and also our relation to our land), the druids & their area of influence, the Otherworld & its inhabitants, the nature of heroes (again giving insight into our own attitudes), the turning of the year (which as a pagan is of prime importance to me), and finally the place of Celtci magic in the world of today.

This book can be seen as a springboard into an understanding of the Celtic world, and I feel it is one of the best introductory texts on the subject of Celtic tradition.

Children of Gebelaawi is the best book I have ever read. Unfortunately, it was banned in Egypt after the first chapter was published in a newspaper. It was then published in Beirut, Lebanon in the sixties. I know that it took Mahfouz many years to complete this great book. Therefore, after it was banned, he tried to rewrite the same idea in other flavors that could be accepted by the Egyptian government but no other novel of his can be compared to this one.

Nobel laureate Nafuib Mahfouz, is an artist who put his life at risk by publishing this great work. Despite his position as the greatest living Arabic author, or perhaps because of it, fundamentalists have made several attempts on his life, almost succeeding in 1994.

Children of Gebelaawi, also published as Children of the Alley, tells biblical and Islamic history as a parable painting the Divine as the overlord and humanity as the generations who live in the alley just beyond the walls. The stories of characters representing Adam, Moses, Jesus, and Mohammad are each told in turn, offering a fascinating portrait of each and their influence on humanity. The writing is lyrical and poetic and the story is extremely moving.

Not since, Nikos Kazantzakis's Last Temptation has anyone offered such a beautiful and thought provoking image of religion. In short, a must read.

This book is wonderful, it draws you into a racing plot and almost forces you to become emotinally attached to the characters. It is, on the surface, a history of an Alley in Cairo and its inhabitants as they relate to heroic figures that cropped up in their history. However, just under the surface it is clearly a treatise on progressive revelation, with each hero representing a Manifestation of God. As the plot unwinds the lives of the Prophets become very real to the reader, and the truth that Their Missions are best demonstrated by the lives they lead is perfectly and succinctly put across. Reference is made to the Manifestations recognised by Islam, Adam, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad and "another," corresponding to Adham, Gebel, Rifaa, Qaasim and Arafa in the book. The individual qualities of the Prophets are very clearly put across, as is their underlying similarity, and the book wisely leaves the story unconcluded but with a glimmer of hope that the cause of the Manifestation of Arafa still continues. Although I have some idea as to the true identity of Arafa, I feel it would be unwise to put my views across here because of the controversy they may cause. However, I am willing to give my views on request, and I must stress that these are my views only, and not those of the author or the Baha'i Community, of which I am a member. I can only express my gratitude to the author by demonstrating the depth to which he has touched the purpose of my existence:- "Oppression must end as night yields to day. We shall se in our Alley the death of tyranny and the dawn of miracles" - Children of Gebelaawi. "These fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars shall pass away, and the Most Great Peace shall come." - Baha'i Faith

Children of Gebelaawi is one of the greatest books of all time. Naguib Mahfouz is a writer with a profound understanding of the human condition. This book is a history of the world, an analogy of the lives of great religious figures from Moses on up, a moral history of immense proportions describing the strengths and weaknesses and foibles of humankind. Recent events in the Middle East render his balanced voice even more poignant. It is so sad, so ironic that he was attacked by fundamentalists a few years ago.

This book is one of the most entertaining stories i have ever read. Mr. Coakley has made a jewel in the rough with his first novel. He has a creativity that is different from any other author, which makes his story easy to read and very intoxicating. The action in the story is so discriptive, it makes you feel that you are right in the scene. His characters depict the different aspects of human nature, from good to evil and everything in between. Coakley's knowledge of mythological creatures is vaguely familiar to this reader. Coakley's story that he has woven is a must read for a fantasy lover no matter what the age. This book will be put on my shelf to be read over and over, I can not wait till that vivid imagination comes out with a new book.

Mr. Coakley has penned a great first novel which should appeal to every fantasy lover. It is easy to read and understand with characters that spring to life on the pages. The book is packed with action from start to finish and was hard to set down. The author blends familiar mythological creatures with unlikely heroes and makes it work to his advantage. Despite his unusual writing style, Mr. Coakley's book has won a spot on this reader's shelf. This new author has definite potential.

I am not much into fantasy, however, this book was recommended by a friend. I found it easy to read and follow with delightful characters. The action in the last few chapters makes it hard to put down. I would classify it as a cross between The Lord of the Ring, which I didn't particularly care for, and Harry Potter, which I enjoyed. I would recommend it to anyone who is into fantasy writing.

I just finished reading The Chosen One: Revelation and was really impressed by this author's creativity. His story held my interest throughout the entire book. I am looking forward to the next book by this author. If you are into fantasy, I highly recommend The Chosen One.

This book is a wonderful resource for both those who are new to the myths of King Arthur and those who are already students of Arthurian lore. I wish I had known about CHRONICLES OF KING ARTHUR when I was struggling through the original Middle English version of Malory's LE MORTE D'ARTHUR. Andrea Hopkins has a scholar's pedigree but writes without the usual scholarly dryness. Gathered from the definitive medieval sources, she presents a cohesive and easy-to-follow retelling of the basic Arthurian legends. Her prose smoothly incorporates the work of several different authors into the individual tales, and the stories are told in refreshingly simple manner that still exudes a sense of wonder while providing the reader with a clear understanding of the events.

The chronicles themselves are divided into three parts: the birth of King Arthur and his rise to power, the golden age of his reign, and his decline and death. The numerous smaller episodes of Arthur and his knights within the cycle are then further separated into helpfully titled mini-chapters. The text is punctuated with a large number of beautiful illustrations taken from illuminated manuscripts, paintings, and earlier printed books, and the sidebars provide insights into various aspects of the stories as well as relevant historical facts. There is also a short list of the principal characters at the end of the book. The binding is excellent -- sewn rather than glued, which is rare nowadays -- and should hold up well. My only complaint is the lack of an index. An index would have made this book more valuable as a reference source. But it is still highly recommended in spite of this.

The more one reads about King Arthur, the more one realizes that there isn't just ONE legend of King Arthur, but probably hundreds. Each one has its own plot twists and heroes. Andrea Hopkins book takes the most prevalent texts and weaves them into a single tapestry, rich in detail. When texts are quoted directly, the original is noted in the margin. Sidebars contain complete treatments of subjects such as the Round Table, Sir Lancelot, Excalibur, etc. and how the legend changed from author to author, country to country. Easy to read with gorgeous illustrations, it's a must read for King Arthur fans, whether it's your first Arthur book or you hundredth

This book performs a service, much needed: it gives a coherent account of the "King Arthur" stories. The author goes through the massive relevant literature-romances and poems in middle and early modern English, and in various vintages of several other languages-to arrive at a reasonably balanced narrative that gathers all the main characters and the principal tales associated with them. Now, there are probably thousands of stories that impinge on this early constellation of narratives, and more that arise every year in tribute to the perennial fascination of those bright initial inventions. But it is these core stories that are the important ones, just as are the core stories of the Bible, and some few of the Greek myths, as basic cultural equipment.

This is a pleasant book to read, by a scholar, but not "scholarly". It is a medium-format glossy with many paintings and drawings by pre-Raphaellites like Beardsley and Burne-Jones that enhance the romance and magic that is so much of the appeal of the stories. There are wide margins to hold the occasional explanatory sidebar, as well as boxes convenient to--but out of the way of--the narrative flow, that discuss the bigger topics . Each of the stories is smoothly presented, with a seamless (but indicated) transition from Andrea Hopkin's connecting narratives to passages using the actual words (rendered into modern English) of the principal teller of the tale at hand, be it Chrétien, or Geoffrey, or some anonymous medieval writer. More than one writer may contribute his bit to a particular story, but the connecting material keeps the telling coherent and compact. This technique gives us a bit of a sense of the corporate authorship of these "legends", and some of the flavor of the individual style-especially Mallory's, whose words can be presented to us almost as they were written.

This book does, I think, succeed admirably, but I object to the lack of index. There is a list of the principal characters, and a glossary, but neither of these is cross-referenced by page number to the text. This book is not, strictly speaking, a work of fiction (tradition frowns upon indexing fiction!), though its "facts" happen to be the fictions of other writers. It deserves and requires an index. If it survives to a subsequent edition that repairs this lack, it will deserve a five-star rating.

Andrea Hopkins combines many of the best arthurian romances into this book, a "must" have for those interested in the legends of the round table. Sidebars tell you facts that you probly didnt know, about the different authers, places, and things in the book, if you are a first time or a veteran reader this is a good choice.

As an additional comment on this masterpiece, I have to admit that I'm buying a 2nd set of ths treasure. Eventhough its quite pricey, when it comess to spiritual food, no price is too much when it comes to salvation. Besides the 1st set of mine was "found" in an old bookstore in Conyers GA and it was pretty heavy to carry it to my home to this side of the world. But its the best books I've ever read in my entire life, after the Holy Bible. If you are serious of Heaven and learning as much as possible of the spiritual craft, this detailed instructions from from Our Lady is an essential to any prayer warrior. Fantastic.

A very interesting and powerful book on the life of Our Blessed Lady. With lessons on humility and how to live a life of Holiness. A Catholic Goldmine. My personal favourite.

This book, written between the years 1655 and 1665, by Sister Mary, Superioress of the convent of the Immaculate Conception of the town of Agreda (Spain), tacitly and indirectly received highest formal approvals of the Catholic Church during a time when books were still scrutinized for fraud, deceit, etc., much more diligently so than they are in our era. While recognizing this to be a private revelation, the English translator (it was originally written in Spanish) states that "there are no writings ... which exhibit more reliable human proofs of divine origin than [this book]." I wholeheartedly agree with this assessment. It is highly praised and recommended by the Catholic Church for all Catholic faithful to read with the intention of increasing all the virtues, and attaining to the beatific vision. It is a veritable biography of Mary, the Mother of God, and reveals details that could only be known to Jesus' mother, herself, unless she personally shared these details with someone else. It explains many passages of Scripture which otherwise remain obscure to the human intellect. There are so many other laudatory remarks I could make if there were room for them in this review. This book is for the reader who wants to know, more fully, the mind of the (Traditional) Catholic Church for 2,000 years, the mind of God, and the purpose for creating the universe and man. There are many references to various aspects of Catholic faith, in perfect agreement with what Thomas Aquinas taught. This book completely confounds the Modernist foundation in so-called 'theistic' evolution: according to this book, the universe and man were created in the month of March, approximately 7200 years ago. This is obviously contrary to popular modern beliefs, which have been conditioned by extremes of Rationalism.

In fifty years, I've never encountered another work like these four volumes. The arresting aspect of Mary of Agreda's work is its utter universality. This 17th c. Franciscan nun writes as an historian, not a visionary. She uses the profound tools (and we find we never knew how profound they were!) of earth and language to construct in the reader the essence of a divine state. It could be called alchemy but for its innocence. From beginning to end, Mystical City embodies otherworldliness with majestic earthiness. Readily human, fully Franciscan, obedient, jubilant, and thus a target bullseye to the Spanish Inquisitors - Mary of Agreda's experiences forge in the crucible of daily religious life as if by design, and from it arises a fire of spiritual treasure. Mystical City of God is profoundly scriptural, prefiguring the spirit of Way of A Pilgrim. A constant theological exegesis sits peaceably with ecstasy, with no rupture. This book casts new light on the meaning of time, of interior attention, and struggle; every man seeking the Ineffable, no matter creed, will find here a surfeit of illumination. Every page is both familiar and unheard of. I've read the work through four times, and volume III (Transfixion) five. The Passion passages are like reading an illuminated manuscript, breathtaking in scope and detail; a brutal, surgical finding of life and death that I'm convinced is unlike anything else ever written. The one-volume abridgment serves a purpose, but the four volume work is irreplacable. Also, a new, promising full length bio of Mary of Agreda, written by scholar Marilyn H. Fedewa (Americans for Agreda), is coming in Spring/Summer 2006. Note: difficult prices are listed here - I read on the internet that a new edition of four volumes is being printed, available I believe in May 2006 for $100. But even at twice the asking price, with sweet irony money's scourge is made to pay for liberation. Mystical City of God sits as spiritual literature apart. Consider a book nothing less than the aggregate of human experience as heaven's manifesto. Reading it changes everything after.

This edition is the materworks of two great men Aeschylus and Richmond Lattimore. I have read a dozen of translations of Aeschylus and this has no rival. As well the whole series edited by Green and Lattimore are the best compelation of all the Greek tragedy to date. Lattimore understand the darkness and the fatilism of greek tragedy. The verse translation is flowing and rythmic as the greek is. The translation is loose and not exacting like Lattimores Illiad but he captures the theme better than a too literal translation would allow.

Physically, this is a nice book. It's volume one of a four volume collection, _The Complete Greek Tragedies_ (volume two is Sophocles and volumes three and four are Euripides), and all four volumes are lovely hardcovers, printed on nice paper, with handsome Greekish designs on the front and interspersed throughout. Maybe not so attractive as to go on your mantel, but their prominence in your library will not be an embarassment.

The contents are lovely to match. The translations (by Lattimore, Grene and Bernadete) are readable and flowing. The book has almost no footnotes (only Grene's translations of "Seven Against Thebes" and "Prometheus Bound" have any at all, and there they are sparse), but each play (or collection of plays, in the case of the Oresteia) is introduced by a brief explanatory essay. If you know nothing about the Greeks or Greek tragedy, these essays will not be enough to get you through (and you should check out Rose's _Handbook of Greek Literature_), but if you have a little background information already, the essays are helpful (especially the introductory essay to the Oresteia, which is the most fulsome).

Now, about the plays themselves. Of course, you have to read them. This is, effectively, the beginning of Western drama, and the combination of familiar and alien elements is fascinating. In some ways, Aeschylus's plays are like modern musicals, or like opera, with very few characters, a big role played by a chorus, and lots of long songs. Action happens all off-stage and is described by the characters.

In addition to being important as part of the history of drama, the plays are important primary sources of Greek mythology. In particular, the Oresteia is simply the most complete telling of the murder of Agammemnon and his children's revenge. In addition, "Prometheus Bound" is an important source for understanding the tale of the West's most famous fire-thief, and "Seven Against Thebes" gives detail and perspective about the tragedy of Oedipus not contained in Sophocles's retelling.

Finally, being the most ancient of the tragedians, Aeschylus gives narrative details that reflect a very ancient Greek culture, including, for instance, his ideas about justice and family and several descriptions of rites of aversion. Aeschylus is important -- read him.

This book contains all seven of Aeschylus' remaining plays. "Agamemnon," "The Libation Bearers," and "The Eumenides," (altogether, the Oresteia) are the most well-known, and, along with "Prometheus Bound," they are the best plays in this collection. The other three, in comparison, are frankly boring, so it might be worth your money to buy the Oresteia separately. But if you are curious about Aeschylus, or interested in Greek tragedy, then this book gives you all seven plays, and has introductions to each which explain the historical context and the content. Read your Homer too.

Lattimore's translation, I will admit, is difficult to get into at first if you are not familiar with his style or with the Greek classics in general. I remember sitting with it in front of me, trying for about 45 minutes to get past the first page. But please, don't be scared! Once you get past the initial difficulty and really start to immerse yourself into Lattimore's style, this is probably the most rewarding and interesting translations available. It keeps the Greek alive, displaying beautifully the particulars of the original text. An excellent and literal translation.