Mythology and Folklore Books

The best companion to one of the most fascinating collection of tales in history. Irwin's work is also a great socio-political study of both the times that The Arabian Nights was written in and the times that it was finally translated into the west. If you have the The Arabian Nights and this book then I highly recommend Irwin's other book, Night & Horses & the Desert: An Anthology of Classical Arabic Literature, and Edward Said's Orientalism.

The history of the Arabian Nights (1001 Nights) is often appended to the various translations available. They tend to be brief and often reflect the focus of the editor and/or translator. The Arabian Nights: A Companion by Robert Irwin is very substantial. The author often makes conclusions but always includes the thoughts of those with whom he disagrees. This is a must for anyone who really enjoys this collection of stories and will be rewarded by its fascinating history and the history of its translation...almost as enjoyable as the stories themselves.

As someone who loved the "Arabian Nights" since childhood, I eagerly read this book as well. For the most part, I wasn't disapointed. It does a wonderful job of setting the scene, discussing its origins, its distortions, and showing how the stories relate to medieval Arabian life. I was particularly impressed with the section discussing the connections between various story collections in both Asia and Europe. In short, this book helps the reader better understand this complex (and often confusing)work. The chapters are all clearly laid out and well argued, and the book as a whole is easy to read. He has complex ideas, but is able to communicate them fluidly.

One idea I would challenge, however. I believe the scholars who argue that the more "complete" manuscripts probably arose from increased European interest in it. It makes sense that writers would add filler to reach 1001 nights in response to consumer demand.

An interesting read for fans of "Arabian Nights."

This is one of the more interesting companion books I have read. It goes into great detail of the history and the formation of the 1001 Nights collection, and provides an interesting window into Arabic culture. However, one thing I found to be really interesting is that the 1001 tales of Arabic culture were primarily oral tales. The professional storytellers who would tell these books would have manuscript versions which they would use as notes, so there were no official versions--each telling would be elaborated and expanded on depending on the audience. The version that we are familiar with in the west was formalized in France in the 17th century, and may have more relevance to the European expectations of Arabic culture than to Arabic culture itself. In fact, several tales which appear in the European version do not appear in any Arabic manuscripts and may have been written by Europeans to fill the demand for fantastic tales. Overall, this book is quite interesting and I really recommend this to those who would like to see how a lose collection of oral tales becomes a work of literature.

I've had this book for about three years. At the time that I bought it, the title was out of print and I had to buy it direct from the publisher, Milkweed Editions. Along with another classic, Basho's A Haiku Journey, this book never leaves my backpack. I pull them out to free my mind and get me back on track. A must for any writer.

Terry Bowman, author of unReQuiTed

This beautiful book is an inspiring resource for writers and anyone who is touched by creatvity. I return to its pages of wisdom again and again for guidance as I try to write. It is a classic that must be in every library. I have purchased several to give to friends.

A few days ago I told someone that I wanted to be able to write more like Lao Tzu. Humility is not one of my stronger suits... That I wanted to be able to write as profoundly and yet concisely as the "OldBoy" himself... I can dream can't I? Today while looking at a book about Thoreau at a local bookstore "Wen Fu" caught my attention. I openned it and discovered that it had been written in the third century by Lu Chi, a soldier-poet. That the "Wen Fu" is a book about the art of writing poetry and intended for those who wish to engage the art of letters at its deepest levels. It discusses the joys and problems that face both writer and reader and provides basic insights about many techniques of this style of writing. The more I read the better it got. It is a book about having the courage of your convictions where writing is concerned.

Sam Hamill's Introduction is excellent at setting up Lu Chi's "Wen Fu". I found it very helpful in understanding and appreciating Lu Chi's words about words.

"Consider the use of letters.
All principles demand them.

Though they travel a thousand miles or more,
nothing in this world can stop them.

They traverse the thousands of years."

The art of writing is about using words as much as they use us.

Well, you know the saying, the pen is mightier than the sword, so I guess Lu Chi is mightier than Sun Tzu. This book was written about 1700 years ago by a Chinese noble.

The words are very inspiring and quite beautiful. This is a writer's book, one to own if you are a writer, or one to give as a gift that will be appreciated, if you want to make a writer happy.

Here's a sample:

"Caught between the unborn and the living, a writer struggles to maintain both depth and surface."

and

on rewriting:

"Perhaps only a single blossom from the whole bouquet will bloom."

This is a very short book, but one you will revisit.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I ordered this book from Amazon...this isn't really a book that is meant to be read straight through as an independent work...rather, it seems to me upon finishing it, that the greatest benefit is as a reference. If on were stumped for the source of a particular detail of Artemis, this would be the book to go to. As such, there is a great deal of repeated information that was annoying to me since I did read it straight through, but the repetition did serve a purpose in helping cement some details of Artemis in my memory...as with Athene, Artemis is a goddess largely unknown to me, so it was not totally pointless to have read the book from cover to cover. At nearly 25.00 for this book, I don't know how many would really want to shell out the bucks for a book that is just over 100 pages. I'm glad to have it and would recommend it to others it has solid information and would be a fine addition to any pagan library.

Artemis is many things and yet she is often portrayed as simply the huntress of the New Moon. This book explores and brings together her many myths and stories, her many powers and guiles...

Artemis is a complex Goddess and one (now that I have read the book) I would certainly not class as a fluffy Goddess which I was lead to believe before. The information is carefully documented, footnoted (rather than those awful endnotes of a lot of academic books) and is written in a lucid manner. The author certainly knows her subject.

Friends of mine have been fortunate enough to attend a workshop with Sorita on the Greek Goddess Hekate and said that it was the or at the very least one of the, most enlightening workshops they have ever attended. She is a priestess of the Wicca who draws on ancient religions blending it with her own work in the tradition. She is also a scholar of ancient religion and does not allow her own religious and magical interests cloud her judgement, which is very clear from this volume. There is none of the usual pagan biased to be found here!

Highly recommended to people who work with Artemis in their own ceremonies and equally recommended to people who have an interest in ancient Greek mythology. Pagans who work with Greek deities will benefit in particular as the information is laid out in a way that makes it easy to use as a reference book when writing and preparing for ceremonies. There are lists of titles (with both the greek and english translations), there are chapters on the various ancient sanctuaries and temples to Artemis with descriptions of the rites which took place there.

What struck me in particular was the many references to young girls participating in the rituals, as well as the emphasis on twins as being sacred at Artemis' sanctuaries (Artemis and her brother Apollo were twins, so it makes sense really). So this book may provide some ideas for mothers wishing to prepare their daughters for adulthood through the use of ancient ceremonies.

Like I said, recommended and highly so. Thus *****

Having a great love for all things Greek and being a practioner of Wicca, I saw this book at a festival recently and decided to give it a go. I always thought of Artemis as one of the gentler goddesses, but this book quickly showed me that there was quite a bit more to Artemis than looking after animals and aiding in childbirth.

This multifaceted goddess' mysteries, myths, festivals and ancient titles are all explored in this book. Nice illustrations too and a very helpful index and bibliography at the end.

A Lovely Book.

I have had many dreams that someone would dedicate the time and energy that it takes to write a book on Artemis. Sorita D'Este has done just this and she has excelled at this challenging job.

This book provides all the information a modern pagan priestess or priest working with this diverse goddess could hope for. Historical information on festivals, practices and sacred temples, as well as sanctuaries, sacred animals and titles are provided.

The information is presented in an easy to understand and use format, but it is still rigorous by academic standards (providing sources throughout) and would be of interest to modern pagans and students of greek history and culture alike.

There is not an ounce of doubt in my mind that this book will be a book that you will use time and time again (as I am already doing) for drawing inspiration and information when working with this warrior goddess.

The arguments for Artemis being a Goddess associated with both the Sun and the Moon is clearly presented and adds an additional dimension towards understanding this ancient woodland goddess who was known to roam the mountains in search of prey with her thirteen hunting dogs. Her myths, associations with other gods, goddesses and mortals are all clearly and precisely explored, together with accounts (cross referenced showing the different accounts by ancient writers) of the various myths in which she took a prominent role.

Love Artemis? Hooked on the Greek Myths? This book is a must have!

Phyllis Ann Karr, the author of the excellent "Idylls of the Queen," provides the Arthuriana fan with a well-structured and intelligent encyclopedia, going from earliest myths and legends to the later, polished versions that we usually encounter first.

She covers places and names, characters and events in the assorted legends, in informative but not overdone entries. Several different interpretations of, for example, Morgan le Fay are covered in her entry, coming from the assorted sources. Gaps in information are usually acknowledged by the author, and she provides the reader with speculation as to origins and meanings.

The body of information is mind-bogglingly enormous; I can only speculate how long it took Karr to get it all whipped into a neat, well-written book of only six hundred pages. Her writing is often made lengthy simply by the enormous amount of material to be compressed. In addition, she often says, "I think" or "I found," which oddly is not irritating, but rather creates the feeling that the reader is simply listening to a learned scholar speak out loud. It feels very thorough, filling out every character's background and experiences -- yes, even the insignificant ones.

Like all Green Knight Press books I've purchased, this book has nice sturdy paper, clean text and a strong binding; like most of their books, it also has a great cover.

Any fan of Arthurian lore or fiction must read this book, for the sake of insight into characters large and small in books that you read.

I have always been interested in the legend of King Arthur and have read many books on the subject. After reading this book, I believe that Phyllis Ann Karr has produced the definitive source for the legend. Whether her entries are on specific people, weapons, or ancient artifacts, they are detailed enough to provide a wealth enough information that any true fan would enjoy. I highly recommend this book.

First of all, YES, I highly recommend this reference enclyclopedia of everything Arthurian. This is a very complete summary of everything surrounding the Round Table. It contains everything from detailed biographies of Arthur and the Dwarf of the Cart to the probable location of the Red City to the story behind Guenevere's hair comb. There are over 1000 entries in this book of "who's who" to "what's what" of artifacts and weapons to the locations of the many geographical references in Arthurian literature. Phyllis Ann Karr (author of "Idylls of the Queen") leaves nothing out when relaying the information from her sources to her readers.

Not only is Karr very discriptive, but very often she includes other possible theories or stories behind any subject of inquiry (as well as alternate spellings). Within these pages, a reader will find important family trees, easy to follow lists of a person's family and relations, and a detailed geographical map of King Arthur's Britain - which reveals locations of cities, castles, territories, and forests. This amazing encyclopedia even contains color-coded pictures of the shields of most every King, Queen, Lord, Duke, Knight, etc. found in Arthurian tales. Her sources are mainly the works of Malory and the Vulgate, though there are numerous other references as well.

FOR THE ARTHURIAN AMATEUR, THIS IS AN EXCELLENT SOURCE. I literally carried it around with me while I was engaged in reading the Merlin Trilogy of Mary Stewart and The Once and Future King by T. H. White. It eased the pain of my Arthurian ignorance a great deal. With the Arthurian Companion, I have almost all my questions answered immediately.

Having been enamoured of the legends of King Arthur ever since the day I first saw Camelot in a tenth-grade English class, I always keep an eye open for good books on the Matter of Britain. I was therefore delighted to discover The Arthurian Companion by Phyllis Ann Karr. Though this book is not an exhaustive study of Arthurian legend, it is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in the tales of Camelot-a sort of desk reference to the who's who and what's what of Arthur's world, as it is portrayed by Malory and others.

The Arthurian Companion is the result of Karr's research in the original sources of the legends of King Arthur, including Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur, the romances of Chrétien de Troyes, and the French Vulgate Version of the Arthurian Romances. The majority of the book consists of over a thousand encyclopedic entries. All of the major and most of the minor characters mentioned in the sources are discussed, with references to where they appear in the texts. Places, from Camelot to Karadigan, and objects such as the Grail can also be found among the entries. Karr's summaries of each item are concise but nicely detailed, giving a well-rounded idea of the importance of the character, place, or object in the body of legend.

Besides the encyclopedic entries, the book includes some useful and interesting appendices. Many of these are essays on the cultural backdrop of the legends: "Arthurian Classes and Roles," "Holding Court," "Knighthood and Knight-errantry," or "Relations between Knights and Ladies," to name a few. Others are of a statistical nature: "A Tentative Chronology of Arthur's Reign," a list of all the known "Knights of the Round Table," "Time and Dates." There is even a map of Britain with speculated locations for many of the places mentioned in the legends. There is also a listing of the book divisions of Le Morte d'Arthur, with a one-line summary of the contents of each book. Within the encyclopedia portion of The Arthurian Companion, the entries for many of the knights include an illustration of that knight's coat of arms, taken from a medieval manuscript.

It would probably not be, by itself, the best introduction to the Matter of Britain for a reader unfamiliar with all things Arthurian. However, The Arthurian Companion makes an excellent resource for anyone who knows a little about Arthur and wishes to know more. Classes studying Malory or Chrétien will find it an invaluable aid for keeping all the names straight, as would anyone reading Arthurian works for their personal enjoyment. Writers making use of the Arthurian legends in their work can also benefit from the book's thorough and well-organized information. In short, I would heartily recommend it to anyone who takes an interest in the stories of King Arthur.

Christopher Bruce's encyclopaedic work is a magnificent compendium of all of the major 6th to 19th century Arthurian sources.

As a publisher of books and games based on the original Arthurian sources, I have turned to this book not as my 'Bible', but as a sort of 'Bible Concordance'. Which stories can I find Percival (or his many alternative names) occurring in?

I found this book to be worth ten, if not a hundred times its cover price in terms of compiling years of research into a single treasury of Arthurian knowledge.

I was amazed to discover how young this first time author is. He has produced a profoundly complete and thoroughly researched scholarly work that is a "must read" for any student of the Aurthurian Legends. Mr. Bruce has researched even the most obscure references and stories of Arthur and the other characters associated with the legend. Thank you for your excellent work.

Mr. Bruce has certainly done a wonderful job compiling volumes of information into one comprehensive work. It would be difficult to find a more complete reference. A must-have guide for any Arthurian-lover's library, as well as an interesting book for any reader to peruse.

As an avid Arthurian reader, I am amazed at the completeness of this wonderful reference. Nowhere have I ever seen such a valid and thorough resource. My son has loaned me his copy but I am looking forward to adding one of my own to my library. It is hard to believe that anyone could compile such a great volume so masterfully! Bravo, Mr. Bruce!

I was hungry for a meaningful, relevant, entertaining, compelling book I could both lose and find myself in. Roger J. Didio has done an amazing job of integrating so many aspects of what we call life into a totally captivating tale. Atlantis is a piece of art on multidimensional levels. Reading this book the first time was like partaking of a 12-course meal. It provides food for the mind the emotions and the soul. So rich and flavorful is this banquet that I've started reading it again!

An incredible story whose telling is both essential and relevant in these increasingly uncertain times. Roger Didio's Masterpiece will educate, entertain, feed and heal both mind and spirit! This work is the "Total Package" when it comes to literary experiences. Never before have I encountered a story that weaves such a rich tapestry of axioms, myths, parables and philosophy together with so engaging a story. If you choose to experience this work, be prepared to feel the full spectrum of the emotions of life. "Atlantis: A Tale of the Earth" is the yardstick that all other Atlantis stories should be measured by!

I was hungry for a meaningful, relevant, entertaining, compelling book I could both lose and find myself in. Roger J. Didio has done an amazing job of integrating so many aspects of what we call life into a totally captivating tale. Atlantis is a piece of art on multidimensional levels. Reading this book the first time was like partaking of a 12-course meal. It provides food for the mind the emotions and the soul. So rich and flavorful is this banquet that I've started reading it again!

Roger Didio has created a masterpiece. Each character is created as 1-a real, living being, and, simultaneously as 2-the essence of a timeless archetype. The story is gripping, and it moves at a rapid pace. I found myself becoming deeply attached to the plights of several of the characters, as I saw (and keep seeing!) the world through their eyes. Many years ago, I had the pleasure of reading the Tolkein trilogy. Now I have had the pleasure of reading another masterpiece that is also about a fantasy world that is as real, or more real, than our world. Thank you Roger Didio for creating this work of art.

What a sweet little book! My little girl enjoys this book very much. The illustrations are charming and appear to be based in the 1900's. It's a bit of a tongue twister but fun to read once you get the hang of it.

Aunt Pitty Patty bought an onry pig who refuses to go inside the gate and that's where little Nelly comes in. Nelly walks along and asks many animals, people, and objects to help her in the dilemma of getting that pig where he's supposed to be. She finds a cat who is willing, for a small favor, to help her and her problem is solved.

My 4 yr old sister liked it. She could repeat the parts with me. The little girl's search for help was funny. I would recommend this book to anyone with kid in preschool or kindergarten.

Aunt Pitty Patty and her niece Nelly went to the market. When they returned home it was plus a pig. A pig that doesn't want to go through the house's gate, that is. Nelly goes to get help, and first asks a dog to bite the pig, but the dog refuses. So then she asks a stick to hit the dog, because he refused. When the stick refuses as well, Nelly continues the chain, asking all sorts of creatures and items to help her. Finally she gets a yes, and the chain holds true, right up to the stick hitting the dog which bites the pig, who then goes through the gate.

The story is told well, and flows nicely. It is easy to read out loud.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful. Very realistic, and full of detail (like the flowers along the road), these illustrations make the book special. They add a lot to the book. Nelly is cute, and as the story progresses you can see how she becomes more and more frustrated and annoyed.

All in all, it is a very good book with great illustrations.

Loggie-log-log-log

Children will enjoy this read aloud adventure of complications featuring one obstinate pig that refuses to enter a gate. When at last the stick, the cow, the butcher, et al. have resolved the matter, and Farmer Brown, Nelly, and Aunt Pitty Patty have settled down to a fine meal, guess who is looking in hungrily from the window. McClintock's 19th century style illustrations provide plenty of tenacious animals and sylvan scenes. A fine selection to add to your bedtime or storytime collection.

It's been a few months since I read this, but the information stands out in my mind more than most books do. I'd been talking about it recently, so i decided to go ahead and do my official review of it.

This is by far the most comprehensive, scholarly exploration of Irish banshee lore out there. Tired of fantasy fiction featuring male banshees, and confusion between banshees and other denizens of the Otherworld? This book sets the record straight.

The author draws a lot of her information from two sets of surveys about banshee lore; one is from the turn of the 20th century, and the other is from the 1970s. The surveys targeted regular, everyday people across Ireland in numerous counties, and Lysaght is careful to show the distribution of the respondents. Lysaght herself is concerned less with what mythology books have to say, and more what the common person in the country fo the banshee's origin believed via oral tradition.

There's also a lot of discussion as to what the banshee actually is (dead relative, faery woman, etc.) as well as her appearance. Her behavior is also scrutinized, as is the comb that is sometimes featured in anecdotes about her, and whether she is seen, heard or both. And there's a good talk about the origins of the word bean-sidhe, "faery woman", and the connotations thereof.

Lysaght has been absolutely meticulous in her research. Primary sources are a definite plus, and her bibliography is quite solid. Her writing style is excellent, too-rather than being bored by dry academic writing, I found myself drawn into her quest to find more information about this enigmatic member of mythology.

I was remarkably pleased by Patricia Lysaght's "The Banshee: the Irish Death Messenger". It's a very well documented study of the popularity of various elements of the banshee folklore, complete with annotations and maps showing where and how often these themes show up in various geographic areas. Using earlier manuscripts as well as a folklore study she conducted in 1976, Lysaght does a really good job of showing how one does good folklore research. While the source matter was of significant interest to me, I had just as much enjoyment from reading about how she felt that the phrasing of her survey questions might have affected the responses, or how other elements in folklore, language migration, or history may have resulted in the data she gathered. (For example, the absence of banshee-combing-her-hair legends along the western coast is fairly well tied to the presence of mermaid-combing-her-hair legends in the same region -- the maps of the occurrence of each of those legends complement each other but don't overlap almost anywhere.) It is an academic text, but is also readable to the more casually interested Celtic geek -- just skip the 200 pages of footnotes and appendices.

I became interested in the banshee because of some research I was doing and was delighted to find a scholarly work on the subject. While it is obvious that a remarkable amount of research went into writing the book, it is still readable for the layman.

Every aspect of the banshee from different names, connections with certain families, aural manifestations, visual manifestations, to legends of the banshee are included.

If you are interested in Irish folklore and the banshee in particular, I highly recommend this book.

This is Patricia Lysaght's doctoral dissertation, made over very slightly and published for a general audience. Therefore, it is not about entertainment. The reason to get this book is that you are interested in finding out more about the figure of Irish folklore known as the banshee. There are references to, and frequent quotes from, written and recorded stories concerning banshees, and these are interesting and amusing, but they are not the heart of the book.

Lysaght analyzes each story, breaks down its elements, and shows the geographic and temporal distribution of those elements throughout Ireland. Then she tries to draw conclusions from these distributions. This analysis yields such data as that there are, for no apparent reason, no known banshee sightings in Counties Cork or Waterford, but many stories of them being heard; while just north of Waterford banshees are often seen as attractive women; further north and west, they tend to be reported as gnomish crones.

If this is the sort of thing that interests you, this is the book for you. It is heavily annotated, indexed, and sourced; it has extensive appendices and a large bibliography (as befits a scholarly work, these sections form the bulk of the book). Lysaght also spends some time theorizing about the origins of the banshee legend (not easy, as she has only a few ancient sources to work with -- a difficulty she does not acknowledge, and she seems perhaps too certain of her conclusions) and spends the final chapter considering the eventual fate of the banshee in these days when folklore is being replaced by urban legends.

The Banshee is not the sort of thing you should read for enteratinment, or the kind of thing you will read your kids before they go to bed; it's not about banshee stories. It's the story behind the story, and it is exhaustive enough to satisfy anyone's curiosity in that regard.

The idea of the anthology is a good one, though I wished it had included more stories about 'Eretz Yisrael' which is after all the center of Jewish yearning for generations. The work focuses on American- Jewish stories and storytellers, although of course many touch upon Old World experiences. The storytellers themselves come from a variety of walks of life, some being professional storytellers, some well- known Jewish cultural figures and some being ' everyman' . The stories often have a folk quality about them, and are often entertaining, and instructive.
However the stories also point up the difference between stories which are stories in the street, anecdotal stories, and stories which are more complex literary creations. In this I think stories of the folk kind cannot possibly have the kind of aesthetic value that for instance a written story of Bashevis Singer might have.

What a joy to read this anthology! In a world where the media is constantly on our nerves with the ever-going show of human misery, to read this set of stories is a therapy. It makes you laugh, it makes you wonder, it brings you closer to God and His creation, it revives a deep-rooted "jewishness" that we seldom are aware off or have simple forgotten. It makes you feel like a child savoring his favorite ice cream: when it is finished, he cries out for more!

It is said that when three Jews have a discussion they will have at least four opinions, so there may not be any such thing as a Jewish outlook on, or philosophy of, life itself. But if there is, Because God Loves Stories captures its flavor. This is a collection of tales, memories, family stories, and anecdotes -- most of them short, and all of them fascinating -- that captures the tension and conflict between demanding the sweetness of the ideal world from God (who should certainly understand it the way WE do) while grudgingly, cynically, and mockingly accepting the frequent bitterness (or at least the tartness) of reality. It is a collection that shows how one can see humans as made in the image of God while still being fallible, troublesome, and even sinful, and that shows Jews loving God while being poignantly aware of the disappointments in much of His work, and letting Him know about it.

I have given copies of this book to my (Jewish) father who is as easily impressed as all Jewish parents -- and he loved it and reads the stories to friends he visits in a Jewish nursing home. They love them. I have also shared the stories with the non-Jews of a library literary discussion group to which I belong, and they have loved them. So, nu, what are you waiting for? Buy the book already. It's not like it costs so much money; the pleasure will be worth the few pennies you spend.

It`s an amazing book. After I bought it I couldn`t stop reading until I was through! Amazingly funny, poetic, inspiring and touching stories, from the first one to the last one. Good source - let`s say, a sampler - of Jewish wisdom. The book resides on my bedside table now - in case I need some inspiration for good dreams...

Many and many tales of myth and legend have survived the countless years since their conception. But, very few of them are as compelling as Beowulf. Any fan of mytholology theology and philosophy will have a field day with this tale, and any fans of such other classics as the Odyssey, the Iliad, and the Gilgamesh, will deeply love, adore, and cherish this tale of trial and tribulation, and conquering the greater evil.

Beowulf is an amazing story, and Donaldson's translation is suberb. HOWEVER, the black cover that just says beowulf in script is NOT a norton critical edition, it is just the Beowulf text with an introduction, and none of the essays that go with the actual Norton Critical Edition, which actually costs less. The Real Norton Critical Edition based on Donaldson's text has a blue cover, and says it is the "prose edition." I made the mistake, so don't make it yourself. The Black covered version is only 55 pages long, so the Beowulf text is all there, but nothing else.

I was getting very tired of learning about every culture but my own in school. We were learning about Africa, South America, and Asia nearly all the time. I suggested to my teacher that we read Beowulf, and celebrate Anglo history. Being a reasonable man, he agreed. Well, let me tell you- it was one of the few times the public school system gave me my assignments that excited my "passions for learning" .................... Buy Beowulf and learn about a hero and his quest to save his people.

Review of "Beowulf," Norton Critical Edition edited by Joseph F. Tuso and translated by E. Talbot Donaldson.

This is one of those works that has stayed with me, and I can understand the fascination it has exerted on so many people for such a long time. "Beowulf" is the jewel of Anglo-Saxon literature, written around 1000 AD, but composed most probably a couple of centuries earlier. This is a "primary" epic, like Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey" because it shares with them its oral origins. Unlike "secondary" epics, such as "The Æneid," which has a clearly identifiable author creating the verses, "Beowulf" belongs to the oral tradition of the Old English "Scop," the teller of tales. The story is a known one, but fascinating nonetheless: Beowulf, a man who was not appreciated by his own people, the Geats (in Sweden), finally earns their respect and admiration, so much so that he can render assistance to a foreign king, a Scylding (Dane), whose realm is under attack by Grendel, a monster who kills men and eats them. Beowulf fights Grendel, and Grendel's mother, ridding the Scyldings' land of their presence, earning the king's gratitude and reward, and earning honor and glory for himself. But the story continues: Beowulf goes back to the Geats, in time becoming their king, until he must fight a dragon that is devastating his kingdom. Behind this very succint description of its plot, "Beowulf" has magnificent digressions, details, and a very effective challenge to the system of feuding. The digressions are necessary to explain the customs of that particular time and people. One of the most effective ones happens in pages 35-36, when we are told of the arranged marriages between members of feuding nations, and how that tactic is doomed to fail in a society that never runs out of reasons, or excuses, to feud and wage war. Another important digression takes place in pages 51-52, related to the battle of Ravenswood, and is again firmly tied to one of the poem's most powerful themes: the feuding society of vendettas that involve entire kingdoms must be disposed of.

"Beowulf" is glorious and tragic epic at its best. It opens with a funeral and it ends with a funeral. There is treasure given as offering to a king at the beginning of the poem, and treasure that is buried in order to get rid of the problems of society at the end of the poem. The men are brave, violent, and long for the death of heroes. The women are given as war prizes and considered booty (not much room for feminist characters in epic tradition). Old age is cruel because a society of feuds values youth and strength above all else. The monsters must be destroyed if the world of men (and women) is to go on. Grendel, the "walker-alone," must die if the wine-hall of the Scyldings, Heorot, is to have scops telling stories, and men drinking and eating as before. Here is the principle of "until" applied to its best effect: things are just fine at Heorot until Grendel shows up and kills so many men that nobody uses the wine-hall for fun anymore. Things are fine in the land of the Scyldings until Grendel starts killing people. Everybody celebrates Grendel's death at the hands --literally-- of Beowulf until the next night, when Grendel's mother avenges her son by killing a man. Beowulf goes back to his land, becomes king, and everything goes well until an angry dragon starts destroying towns. Basically, this is life: things go well until they don't. The poem manages to remind us of something so obvious that we yet tend to forget, especially if we drift toward happy endings.

As with most Norton Critical Editions, this one has been put together with the student in mind but is still interesting for the general reader. Donaldson's prose translation is clear and to the point, and the footnotes, even though not as abundant as I would have liked, are helpful. The essays cover almost everything you always wanted to know about Danes, Geats, Feuds, Old English Scops, Prosody, and Poetry, Historical background, and more, including perhaps plenty of what you really do not want to know. Particular attention deserve two essays: Edward B. Irving's "The Feud: Ravenswood" (my teacher, Mrs. Georgianna, really likes this one), and J.R.R. Tolkien's "Beowulf: The Monster and the Critics." This last essay is also included in the excellent, and sadly out-of-print, book "An Anthology of Beowulf Criticism," edited by Lewis E. Nicholson, and it has become a classic.

The only thing I would add to this edition, apart from more footnotes, is the original text in Old English. Other than that, this is simply an excellent addition to the vast Beowulf literature, presenting us with the true grandeur and pathos of epic glory at the threshold of enormous social changes.