Robin Hood Books

Do you know need a reason to buy this book? I can give you an excellent one -- it's called the Table of Contents. It lists 700 pages worth of Robin Hood ballads, plays and more. It has the earliest ballads and plays where Robin is merely a yeoman, the first play that casts him as the Earl of Huntington, and later ballads that give the "origins" of Little John, Maid Marian and Will Scarlet. Also, there's an introductory article on the history of the legend and complete introductions and notes to all the ballads and plays. The notes and introductions are by Stephen Knight and Thomas Ohlgren, two top Robin Hood scholars. If you want to read the original tales of the outlaw, or if you are teach a course in Robin Hood, this book is an excellent buy. Just treat it with care. I notice my cover is fraying somewhat.

Before my professor pointed it out I hadn't really given much thought to where my knowledge of, and love for, the Robin Hood tales came from. Once I began to give it some thought, I realized it wasn't from books at all, it was from the Errol Flinn and Disney movies (such poor literary sources!). We all seem to know one or two Robin Hood tales, but Robin Hood is a much more complex character than those few tales would show.
I was also suprised to learn that no Robin Hood tales are included in the major anthology of English literature (Norton's), which seems odd to me, since the tales are classic English literature.
This collection of Robin Hood material is comprehensive, many stories I had never heard are here, and if you are looking to really learn about the literary sources for Robin Hood this is great (that is the publisher's purpose). This is not a children's storybook however. Much of the language is in the older forms of English, and even as an adult I sometimes wrestled with the language to understand it.
All that to say, that as a Robin Hood fan, I am thrilled with this book.

Robin Hood
E. Charles Vivian, Compiled by Cooper Edens
The exciting and timeless tale about "the prince of thieves" is more beautiful than ever in this special "Classic Illustrated Edition" title. As with the series' previous titles -- "Peter Pan," "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," "Pinocchio" and "Aesop's Fables" -- "Robin Hood" is illustrated with a virtual best-of variety of color and black-and-white images from a collection of archival sources. There are more than 100 splendid images in all, dating from the 12th to the 20th century and created by artists as diverse as N.C. Wyeth, Howard Pyle, Walter Crane and Honor C. Appleton. The range is considerable, the fine-detail of the works is immensely impressive, the art restoration is impeccable, and each antique image is uniquely charming. The lack of a consistent visual style is initially jarring, but quickly it becomes apparent that this inconsistency is the very source of the book's appeal, particularly for retro fans attracted to ye olde graphics. The text itself remains loyal to E. Charles Vivian's classic version of the story -- with most of the content, spelling and grammar intact from the 1906 edition, making this respectful tribute to an old masterpiece worth its weight in gold marks.

Robin Hood is a very interesting story that everyone should read. One thing that I liked about this book is that it is an adventure story where people take risks. As soon as one adventure is done, another starts right away, so it is endless adventure until the last page. In the story new things happen every page, which is another thing that I really like about this book. Also I like that Robin and his group help people in need and take from people who are wealthy. Robin Hood is a great book for people of all ages, especially for people who like to read adventure stories or who just like to read.

Robin Hood is a cultural icon, one of those stories everyone believes they know. It would surprise causual readers, however, just how much of what we think we know about Robin Hood has changed across the years. Many of the stories surrounding the figure, for example, never discussed stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. Stealing from the rich, maybe. Giving to the poor? Not so much. Knight has provided us with thorough scholarship, from the earliest ballads through the hollywood movies and television programs (across several countries). The eye for detail is apparent, right down to the fact that the actor playing "Will Scarlet O'Hara" in the "Men in Tights" send-up later wound up playing Hood himself in a Hercules/Xena type television series. Knight is a man who has done his homework! How and why each era claims Hood for its own, and just how this may or may not have corresponded to any true Robin Hood, if there was such a person, is explored. The book is indispensible for the bookshelf of any Hood fan. My only hope would have been for a bit more discussion of Howard Pyle, a personal favorite retelling.

Every culture has need for stories about the outlaw hero. Odysseus, in way, was one, as was William Tell, and John Wayne as the Ringo Kid. Jesus's story certainly conforms to the myth of the "good outlaw," and a more contemporary version was Martin Luther King. The figure best known for being a hero and being an outlaw, however, has been with us for over six hundred years: Robin Hood. Now he has an authoritative life story: _Robin Hood: A Mythic Biography_ (Cornell University Press) by Stephen Knight. Knight, a professor of literature at Cardiff University, is an authority on all Robin Hood lore, but does not here restrict himself to the early ballads of Bold Robin. In a witty and universal tour of the legend, he takes in all the Hollywood and television versions, and even the parodies. Most of them stay quite close to the Robin Hood legend as it was formed in its early stages.

The question for any biographer of such a legend always is: "Did he really exist?" There is an eagerness to find a real human being who performed Robin's feats, or at least served as a starting point for the stories. But Knight doubts there was any real figure: "... it seems highly improbable, or at least unprovable, that a Mr. R. Hood ever existed." It is far more likely that the character in the ancient plays and poems "...is the original Robin Hood, real only in the sense that he is the focus of a real myth." The important thing is not the Robin Hood incarnate, but what tellers and audiences made of him. For those who needed monetary relief, he began not only to rob from the rich but to give to the poor. For those who were distressed over corruption, he especially robbed sleazy officials of the state and church. For those needing national or racial identity, he became Saxon against the bad Norman Prince John. In the twentieth century, he raised his bow against (metaphorically) Nazism and McCarthyism.

Robin Hood has been portrayed by Kermit the Frog (whose green made him a natural for the role). In _Time Bandits_ he was John Cleese, stiffly introducing himself: "Hello, I'm Hood," and going on to explain the nature of the poor he is bound to assist: "I'm sure you'll like them. Of course they haven't got two pennies to rub together but that's because they're poor." Robin's outfit received top billing in Mel Brooks's _Robin Hood: Men in Tights_; Knight explains the association of tights to the story thus: they were "originally deployed so that nineteenth-century actresses playing Robin could show their legs." The myth has proved powerful enough to survive much kidding, and not just recently; a 1600 play _Looke About You_, has the unique stage direction "Enter Robin Hood in the Lady Faukenbridge's gowne, night attire on his head." Knight, in a remarkable and witty study of the formation and re-creation of a legend, shows that in times of oppression, Robin Hood has always been there for us as resistance to authority. May he ever fight on.

This is a wonderful gift for anyone who has a Tennessee heritage - and will be a treasure to anyone who calls Tennessee home and "lives" there through history, family, memory and spirit. The pictures and words paint a wonderful tapestry that will ring familar with anyone who shares their "roots" with the wonderful people of Tennessee. It was a special gift to me and I have, in turn, given it to many who share a connection to the colorful and distinct culture of this state and its people.

This collection of photographs from the State of Tennessee is absolutely breathtaking. Every page captures the awesome beauty of this State and touches my heart to the core. Having lived in Tennessee all of my life, this book fills me with pride.

I was looking for a comprehensive treatment of the Robin Hood legend that was both highly literate and child-friendly (and for me "child-friendly" normally involves beautiful illustrations). This is it! The story is engagingly-written without being at all "dumbed down", and the illustrations are simply gorgeous. The narrative is also, for the most part, broken up into portions that lend themselves to bedtime reading. Am so happy with this "find"!

The book The Adventure of Robin Hood is a great read. This Traditional Literature was written by Howard Pyle. This book is full of action packed adventure. In this book is about an outlaw named Robin Hood that lives in Sherwood Forest. Robin Hood and his merry band of men are very helpful by stealing from the rich and giving to the poor. The sheriff of Nottingham doesn't appreciate Robin Hood's good will. Will they achieve? I think this is a great book because they meet new people, the definitions of Robin is very descriptive. I also think this is a great book is because at one of my family reunion's I saw it at the kid table. I could not put it down. I think this book is great book for people who like action and adventure. This book is for kids and adults of all ages.

This book is wonderful! The story is more authentic than most versions, and the illustations are beautiful!

Disney has again captured the spirit of fun in this book that proves 'absence makes the heart grow fonder'. A romantic story with adventure always at the heart of it. Kids will be holding their breath to find out whther Robin will survive his latest escapade. Beautifully illustrated and magically written.

A very enjoyable, imaginative and timeless classic. I found this treasure purely by accident and once I started reading it...I could not put it down. A gem for both the young and the young-at-heart.

I think this book is a real classic because its funny,clever and is changing a totally boring book called Robin Hood into a historical laugh.Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore should win an oscar award for a great book.