Celtic Books

I can't believe I am actually using the title "Worst book ever." It sounds juvenille, but I can't think of any other thing to say.

I am an experienced HTML designer. I do it for a living. I have been using HTML for many years, and I even taught HTML at a local 4-yr college. I use some CSS in all my projects in a separate file. I have also read hundreds of technical books from design to programming languages to networking to...you name it, so learning from books is nothing new to me.

Ok...now about this book.

Perhaps the author's intention was not to provide a reference manual or an in-depth tome of CSS terminology. I get that. However, if he intends for people to learn by following his examples, the book could not be worse.

I could hardly get through the first chapter. There were several errors (the very first project...he tells you to open the wrong file), and he just does things with very little description. I followed along typing everything exactly, and the pages still didn't look like the ones he was referencing. Absolutely no time is given to explaining the values and properties he is using (although he says the book is for experienced HTML users with SOME exposure to CSS). You are just supposed to take an HTML page and rebuild it in CSS. When you're done, you're supposed to magically understand what you did.

The book was incredibly difficult to follow along with. It is disjointed. It references figures that don't seem to correlate with what the author is doing. I found it easier just to take the completed project and go through the code myself and compare it to how the page looked. I also brought the finished files into Dreamweaver for a visual look, and I changed the CSS values to see what it did to the page. As a result, I came to the conclusion that it is easier to learn CSS by just getting some pages and playing around with them.

This book is NOT a learning tool. I checked it out of the library, and the 50 cent fine I was charged for returning it late was too much to pay for this book. There HAS to be better books out there to learn CSS, and if you want an in-depth and/or technical understanding of CSS...this book is not for you.

Maybe his other books were better...I don't know. I would love for anyone who gave this book a high rating to help me understand why?

This guy is not a good writer of how to books. Why isn't he? Because you cannot LEARN from him. I teach people how to build websites as a sideline volunteer project. Furthermore I teach people all over the world... different cultures, different languages, different time zones. How can I do that? The same way that Eric COULD have written his book... by explaining things in easy to understand verbiage, with 'try it' lessons (like w3schools does). If you want people thinking you are 'brilliant', fine, but if you want people to LEARN from you, better step off that spotlighted pedestal and provide what is needed. Brilliance burns out. Common sense, step by step guidance and mentoring, ah!, now THAT lasts, but Eric doesn't have that to give his audience, but obviously he doesn't have anyone guiding and mentoring him either... and that's what he needs.... a good content editor. tsk tsk to his publisher for not providing one. (Also, a good indexer is required for any how to book, and that is also missing here.) Perhaps Eric will mature into a good writer of how to books, but somehow I think he won't... unless his publisher helps him with what he needs. Any good publishing house would, and they would layout the books better too. What IS the world coming too! Alas, I have reached the 'tsk tsk' age. But then, there is so much to tsk tsk about. sigh.

Eric Meyer is pushing the envelope again. This book is interesting for those who wish to look ahead, and standards continue to develop because people like Eric Meyer do these kinds of things. However, if you are looking for a practical guide to making your own site, this is not the book for you.

Quite a few of the tricks and techniques expounded here do not work on the majority of browsers, and very little account of backward compatibility is evident. That is not a criticism of the book, which does what it set out to do in quite an extraordinary and admirable way. Be aware, though, that this book is not for the budding web author wanting to learn something about making pages that work today for the majority of visitors. Better is Eric Meyer's first book in this series, and better still is Eric Meyer's "Cascading Styling Sheets: The Definitive Guide" from O'Reilly.

The CSS guru himself Eric Meyer has another book that continues this CSS projects (Eric Meyer on CSS). This book is there same basic format where he goes through step-by-step with 10 web projects and shows the reader how to use CSS to improve a non-CSS page.

From the first project which converts a non-CSS site to use CSS in improving its design, accessibility, search-engine optimization, readability and efficiency. Eric really explains in detail exactly why and how CSS can improve an existing site.

There are so many possibilities to use CSS; Eric has created some great projects to show you how. From creating a photo-album, to displaying spreadsheet like data, to background positioning and creating some cool CSS menus.

This is a great book for anyone who wants to learn more about CSS and apply to "real-world" cases that you can use right away. Out of these 10 projects, I found at least half of them useful right out of the box to apply to my site. The rest I will use as a reference for when I add more content.

This way to teaching the reader I find allot more valuable because it includes things that are used in everyday web design, not just theory and what-ifs like other books.

It is easy to find exactly what you are looking for within each chapter and can be used by any skill level because that first project starts from the ground up in teaching the user how to use CSS efficiently and correctly.

You can purchase this first book or this book; it doesn't matter because they both contain great CSS projects that can teach you CSS for any situation.

A great addition to your CSS library...

There are a couple of ways to learn something new. One is to follow the traditional pedagogical formula of systematic unfolding of a discipline. The other main way is to watch someone perform the task and learn the lessons along the way. This second approach is the one Mr. Myer uses in this CSS book.

For me, the "sliding windows" technique (based on a pre-existing trick which Eric Myer properly credits and improves upon) in which you learn how to make list-based, auto-sizing buttons using a single image was worth the price of the book alone. I'm using those buttons in my latest web project, and they're fast and nice looking. The great thing is that once you get the CSS set up and the image wherever you want it, simply adding a list element will generate the new button.

The other conversion projects were very good. I really enjoyed the photo gallery chapter. I've used a variant of that theme in my own gallery project with very positive results.

Eric Myer hates tables. Some of the efforts he goes to to avoid tables seem more work (pulling tricks out of hats to ensure cross-browser compatibility) than just surrendering and using the damned table once in awhile. That's where he and I part company. I'm not such a CSS purist that I can avoid, for practical purposes, the ease of the occasional, shameful table.

If you are remotely interested in the reign of Akhenaten, which most of us interested in Egyptology are, you can find enough different depictions of the man to leave you thoroughly confused. Was he a pragmatic politician out to break the power of the Amun priesthood (Aldred)? A megalomaniac who enjoyed watching his people broil in the noon-day sun (Redford)? A predecessor of Moses seeking truth in monotheism (Hornung and Lorton)? The deranged gay lover of his brother Smenkhkare (Allen Drury?) Or something else? Where Reeves sticks to the generally-agreed facts provided by recent research, he produces a good and very readable book on the Amarna period. But his own theories, many of them still controversial among Egyptologists (that Smenkhkhare was really another name for Nefertiti, that the late 18th Dynasty were a homicidally dysfunctional family in which Akhenaten, Nefertiti and Tutankhamen were all murdered in succession, that the skeleton found in a disordered tomb near Tutankhamen's is actually that of Akhenaten, and that the woman's mummy found in a side room of the tomb of Amenhotep II is Nefertiti) keep getting in the way of the facts. In order to get a really thorough view of Akhenaten, I recommend reading all of the above treatments (well, maybe not Drury, since it is admittedly a novel), which will show you not the whole truth about Akhenaten, but how much we DON'T know about him after over a century of research.

If you've read one Akhenaten title you've basically read them all. As with the countless versions which have preceeded Mr. Reeves treatment of the socalled False Prophet, the author reproduces and supports many of the curious claims surrounding the Amarna periods infamous ruler. One area the author appears to make headway is in identifying Amenophis III with the Aten. In detailing Amenophis III and his adoption of the Aten personna as his "deified physical manifestation", Mr. Reeves appears to defend Akhenaten from the status of "False prophet", but he quickly backpeddles and returns to the normal persecution completely ignoring his own statements.

So was Akhenaten a mad religious zealot or merely a devoted son expressing loyalty and love for his departed father? Was Akhetaten a new capitol city or simply the grandest form of tribute to the man whom truly gave him life? If Akhetaten was indeed the capitol city as is claimed then it appears that the new Pharoah was more of a visionary than many of his predecessors as the location of this new city was a centralized location. Halfway between the old capitols of southern and northern Egypt "as Mr. Reeves points out". This would serve to unify the country and make the Pharoah and his court more accessible to the population and not isolate them as is claimed in this book. Another curious and unverified claim adopted by the author from previous sources is the decline of the Egyptian empire under Akhenaten. As I have said this is an often repeated claim which is never verified. None of the authors who preach of the Egyptian empires decline under Akhenaten ever present verifiable facts to support their claim and Mr. Reeves is no differnt.

Most desturbing is the introduction of often repeated claims of incest on behalf of Akhenaten, again I would ask where except in the mind of the author is the proof of this? What Mr. Reeves does is introduce some very interesting ideals only to shrink back into long excepted ideals and accusations. I can only speculate as to the reason for Egyptology's deep animosity toward Akhenaten as he is befar the most reviled figure in Egypt's history. The hatred expressed for the man and his ideals by those who study him from a distance seperated by thousands of years is almost always skewed in the most vile manner. The use of bricks and usurption of temples constructed by Akhenaten by later rulers is helf up as proof of the hatred the man engendered with his ideals. Yet it is completely ignored that Ramesses "the offending Pharoah" did the same to his own father's constructions. So was Akhenaten anymore hated than any of his predecessors by his own or he simply viewed as a threat by outsiders struggling to make sense of a history long ago written?

The subject of Reeves' book is Akhenaten; a Pharoah who attempted to remake Egyptian society from country where a host of gods and idols were worshipped to a monothiestic society which recognized only one god: the Aten, or sun disc.

Reeves looks further back than most other authors for the origins of the Aten cult, seeing not just the trend of a priesthood that was becoming more and more politically powerful but also in other events during the 17th and 18th Dynasties which might have effected Akenaten's thinking. Reeves also discusses archeological proof as he tells the story (as it is known) and writes about different theories to explain this or that. Reeves does NOT fall into the trap of discussing the Aten cult as predecessor or influence on Judaism, which has become fashionable as of late. Overall, a good book.

Akhenaten has to be one of the most fascinating characters in Egyptian history and the deliberate destruction of much the documentation of his historical legacy by subsequent Pharaohs often leaves the Amarna period open to the wildest of speculations. Nicholas Reeves presents a wealth of information in this book, often including many quotes from original sources and photos of original art work so that the readers can judge some of his conclusions for themselves.

The book is carefully researched and the general argument that Akhenaten used his religious beliefs to legitimate his power is well supported by the evidence quoted. This does not of course preclude the notion that Akhenaten was sincere in his beliefs and Reeves does not suggest this. In fact it seems far from illogical that a ruler of ancient Egypt could have believed he was the son of god.

Many of the conundrums of Amarna history are argued in a very balanced way in the book. Reeves effectively debunks the theories that Akhenaten was homosexual or that his appearance in statuary was due to Froehlich's syndrome. He provides interesting evidence in relation to suggestions that Akhenaten may or may not have suffered from Marfan's syndrome and that Nerfertiti may or may not have been promoted to the status of co-regent. At times, however, Reeves takes fairly extreme positions based on somewhat flimsy evidence. He claims that Akhenaten's 'dictatorial rule' led Egypt to the 'brink of disaster', that Akhenaten's rule involved 'wanton destruction' and 'deliberate neglect'. He describes the later years of Amarna as a 'terror' and suggests that Pharaoh's lover Kiya had an evil personality and may have been pulling strings behind the scene. These extreme positions are supported with arguments based on evidence where the author and purpose of the documents quoted is often ignored. One document marshalled in favor of the sorry state Egypt had descended into was written by a priest of Amun, who would obviously have had a significantly biased agenda.

Overall though, the book is extremely readable and paints a fascinating picture of power politics in Egypt, where priests, generals and the Pharoah himself vie for power and influence in a manner so typical of politics throughout the history of mankind that it certainly rings true.

If you are fascinated with ancient Egypt, do not miss this non-fiction book about Pharaoh Akhenaten,which reads like a well-written novel. The mysterious Pharaoh Akhenaten, who tried to introduce one god, Aten, and overthrow the all the other gods, and became known as the "great heretic" is one of the most interesting and debated historical figures of all time. It is beautifully illustrated with photographs. It also has an early section that summarizes the history of the period up to that point, and it continues on to the reign of his son Tutankhamun. Worth the photographs alone, but well written, not dry.

This book looks good at first glance, but Knight's words soon start to seem disturbingly familiar. Examples:

Knight
Thurisaz is either active energy directed outward or passive Thurisaz energy contained and directed inward. It acts mostly as a carrier, and combines well with various other runes to ensure success when you're doing works of magic.

Aswynn
Thurisaz is either active energy directed outwards or, or passive Thurisaz energy contained or directed inwards. Primarily, this rune is a carrier and can be combined with various other runes to ensure effectiveness in a working

Knight
Thurisaz is a power of defense and destruction

Thorsson
Thurisaz is the directed cosmic force of destruction and defense.

Knight
Wunjo is the mid-point between opposites, where alienation and anxiety disappear. It is the rune of fellowship, comradery (sic), shared aims and generall well-being.

Pennick
Wyn is the mid-point between opposites. It removes alienation and anxiety. It is a rune of fellowship, shared aims, and general well-being.

And so it goes for most of the book, Copy, paste, and change a couple of words to avoid copyright.

Nowhere in the book are these copied authors acknowledged or even mentioned. There is not even a bibliography. The paragraphs are just taken out of context, and jumbled together. As these source authors are quite speculative, the interpretations are very dependent on their perspectives and "systems". Out of context, the paragraphs lose any value as information about runes.

The few parts that are relatively original amount to trivial information on Wiccan customs, with little relevance to runes. The only positive point is that she does not mention the spurious "blank rune", although one has to suspect that it is only because she didn't happen to have a copy of Blum handy to scan into her PC.

If you are really interested in reliable source information on runes, there are many good books available.

Rudiments of Runelore

Runes (Reading the Past, Vol 4)

Runic Amulets and Magic Objects

This small book has a lot of good examples for your essential rune stone divination procedure.Yet,i wished the book was a bit larger in size,like a paperback.It was difficult to turn the pages over because of the stiff binding.It should just be published in regular paperback style rather than like a mini-paperback.I guess it was meant to be for the 'Runester on the Go!',on a plane or a train-trip.Yet,this book can be read anywhere.So,with the exception of the small physical size of this excellent glossy mini-book aside,i would recommend using this book.It can only enhance ones understanding of the rune stone meanings and for your divination practices.

This book was very helpful to me. It showed me the things I wanted to know about Runes; how to make them, use them and learn from them.

Are you familiar with the saying, "10 pounds of (stuff) in a 5 pound bag"? This is an example of such. This silly little book is a mish-mash of runic systems, with a lot of contradictory and questionable data. If, however, you happen to be a typical "New-Ager," this will not be a problem. I was disappointed with this one. Flipping through it at the bookstore it appeared to have some merit, but after I had more time to see what she had to say for herself, I found that there was an abundance of filler material. She seems to have copied information from several conflicting systems without a clear understanding of what she was doing. An understandable error for a neophyte, and a worthy attempt at a difficult undertaking -- but she simply was not up to the task. The runes are a complex subject which require a deep understanding on many different levels before one can presume to instruct others. There IS some good information here, but it is mixed in with far too much fluff and filler to do any good. This text will only confuse and disappoint most readers (provided that they, indeed, have a sincere interest in the subject). Unfortunately, a sad example of "The blind leading the blind."

I have always had a fascination with Runes, but most of the good books on the subject are poorly written and hard to understand. "The Little Giant Enclyclopedia of Runes" brings a lot of information together in a way that is enjoyable and worth reading.

I love the style of writing in the Caledonia Series! Phillips really draws you into the story! I love the history flash backs as well as the main line of the story. A great read definitely!

I am still awaiting receipt of this book. My order is over a month old.

I just finished it. It's brilliantly done. Very enjoyable the way the author weaves scraps of fact into the fiction that is this novel. I enjoyed every page.

I am always on the look out for good Scottish historical novels and a love of that land has been ingrained in me since I was a child. While browsing the shelves at B&N one day, looking for something entirely different, I stumbled upon this jewel of Scottish history. The cover and title snagged my attention and I only had to read 3 sentences to get completely drawn in. Unable to put it down, I bought it for a price I probably shouldn't have payed but it was entirely worth it! The touching story of the Maiden of Glencoe had me, someone who doesn't usually get emotional over books, in tears and it leaves you with a feeling of great despisement for the English (not that I hate the English... but you get my point!). The book does slow a little toward the end but it still carried me away to a place that I never wanted to come back from! An excellent read and I would recommend it to anyone with a love of history, particularly that of ancient Caledonia! Even if you dislike and were bored with other books by this author (like I was), you will be in for a lovely treat!

On the historical novel scale, this one is pretty good for its information although it is no Michener in its historical accuracy. It is somewhat disconcerting to read detailed stories of ancient people who are completely made up, but the spirit of the ancient Celts who settled present day Scotland permeates the novel. Another fault is the perspective that all Druid practices were evil and satanic which smacks of fundamental Christian prejudice and intolerance, when in fact, the Roman Catholic Church was successful in such places by incorporating the good in pagan religions with Christian beliefs.
The modern story of a North England MP entranced with his Scottish roots is well done even though the theft of the Stone of Scone by Irish Druids is a bit far fetched and barely resolved thematically. Characterization is strong and empathy is developed for the characters.
There is much beautiful description of the Scottish landscape, especially in the historic chapters which flip from various ancient periods in non-chronological order; however, at least a third is repetitious and should have been left out. Despite the negative comments, the book as a whole gives a good if not totally historical account of Scotland's beginnings and what causes the modern Scot to have such fierce pride in his heritage.

Modern, fun and to the point! De Grantis did it again! Wisdom and spiritual growth was never so fun and easily accessible.

I like that this book really gets to the point on how to be a REAL sexy witch. Her other book was spiritually healing, but where was the part about learning how to be sexy? This book is modern, flirty, progressive and fresh. Good going Francesca Degrandis!!
My best friend (who has picky taste in books) was entertained and even many non-Wiccans will find it useful.

It's not earth-shattering to hear that women fill many roles. But who would have thought "Goddess of Wrath and Unintentional Destruction"?

With tongue in cheek, this book guides us through self-acceptance and encourages the creation of more goddesses. My friends and I have shared many glasses of wine while naming each other's best characteristics.

This is a wonderful book. Ms. DeGrandis is OBVIOUSLY one who lives closely with the Feri folk. Part of the magic of the fey is that they teach great lessons--such as how to identify your own flavor of magic/goddesshood--while distracting you with laughter, glitter, and play. And goofy quizes (which I thought were a lot of fun!)

For those who are not yet ready (or able) to find the wisdom hidden in the joy and play of this book, I'd recomend that they read BE A GODDESS or GODDESS INITIATION, two of Ms. De Grandis' other books.

What a gift, being able to learn more about myself and the Goddess without a lot of dry dogma or bad "poetry". When I start to forget the joy which is at the root of my spiritual practice, this is the book I grab to remind me to laugh.

Nope! This book is silly, pretty, sparkly and fun. With profound magical workings thrown in. Growing does not always have to be painful, and those of us who are always working on self-improvement and mystical power sometimes need to get off the high horse and giggle a bit. This is not one of Francesca's "serious" magical/spiritual/personal development books (Check out Goddess Initiation and Be A Goddess for that flavor), but it resonates with her silly humor and impeccable mystical work.

Book two of Rhiannon's Ride is yet another example of Forsyth's fantasy and writing prowess. Being a fan of her first Witches of Eileanan series, I was a bit iffy about this one at first, not knowing how it would compare-if it could compare at all. But once again Forsyth does not disappoint, seamlessly meshing new characters with old and creating a riveting, fast-paced storyline.
The first book stands on its own more easily than this one, which brings back many more characters from the first series and so could be confusing for those not familiar with it. But for those who know and love the original series, it is interesting to see how the characters have grown and their personalities changed. Forsyth's character development is one of her strongest points. This may be a fantasy novel, but just as in the real world, everyone has their good points and their bad, and no one is perfect. Their thoughts, feelings and motivations are as compelling and complex as those of real people, and she is not afraid to take beloved characters from the first series and cast them in an entirely different light this time around, nor does she spare them from suffering in order to create a moving and thrilling plot. Once again, the land of Eileanan and its inhabitants are about to undergo epic adventure and change, and I can't wait to see where Forsyth will take us next.

having read the other two books of Rhiannon's Ride, and the Witches of Eileanan Series, this book is the worst of both series. The plot really does go almost no where. Yes of course there are major, very exciting developments, but they're scattered between pages and pages of nothing. Forsyth's writing and style are up to par, but i didn't find the plot as enjoyable as all the rest

The Shining City is a wonderful continuance of The Witches of Eileanan. This gives Forsyth's wonderfully complex characters in her first series some relief to grow up in relative peace. This second book of the new trilogy is based in the next generation of Witches, some fifteen years after the end of The Witches of Eileanan saga. This Trilogy stands alone; however, I seriously recommend reading The Witches of Eileanan series first. This sequel is full of angst while Rhiannon waits to be tried for treason and murder.

If you've read the first novel in this series and are uncertain about getting the second one, trust me on this: GET IT. You will love it. And if you've never read any of Kate Forsyth's work before, get it too - it's a great introduction to her richly imagined world of witches, faeries, and lords.

Rhiannon is a half-satyricorn who unwittingly gets herself caught up in the affairs of the country of Eileanan when she flees her tribe. Found to possess strong magic, Lewen, a young man who finds her hurt in the forest on a winged horse, urges her to cultivate her powers at the Tower of Two Moons. But first she must face charges of murder and treason: Rhiannon has killed a Yeomen of the guard.

We get to really delve into all the characters in THE SHINING CITY. From Lachlan, the ruling Rìgh of Eileanan, to seemingly flighty Bronwen, engaged to the heir, every single character is driven by their own beliefs, ambitions, and wants. The best part of it all is that it's all completely believable, and when I say "completely," I mean it. Forsyth is gifted with the ability to really get to the heart of every single driving force in her characters.

The constant change in perspective Forsyth provides us with gives us a better look at the bigger picture, and it really works to illustrate the scope and depth she has imbued her world with. Some authors might stumble here, but she does it with grace and careful attention to detail.

Speaking of detail, the characters all speak in dialect, something that becomes a fun sort of "secret language" that only Forsyth readers know.

This is that rare sequel that is better than its counterpart. While THE TOWER OF RAVENS was wonderful in and of itself, I find that it worked much better as a set-up to all the events in this second book. THE SHINING CITY is jam-packed with adventure, intrigue, romance, drama, and a rich, well-imagined history and fantasy world. This is a book to enjoy!

After taking a full year to devour the six books in Kate's Eileanan Series and enjoying them, I have enjoyed in a way, a new three book series sequel. Devoured The Tower of Ravens the first book in two days and read this book in one day. Can't wait for the third and final book in this series. Won't go into a full over 500pgs. review but will say what goes around for Llachen and Iseult. They took the throne from Maya and evantually would have taken Bronwan. Her daughter away, except that Bronwan was destined to marry Donn their first son. Rhiannon is in jail for murder and Lewen is being bespelled by Olwynn, Donn's sister. Now Bronwan is back on the throne, Llachen has been murdered, Iseult's three children kidnapped, and everything is in an uproar. At the end Rhiannon is pardoned, and promises to rescue everyone that was kidnapped. The third book called will be excellent. I can't rave enough about this series just to say that I enjoyed it and highly recommend it. It is good,though not necessary to read the earlier series, but Kate covers it so well that you will understand the situation. Read this series,and if your unsure about the words she includes a glossery at the end of the book so you can understand many of her difficult Celtic words.

If you are wondering what to read about the Celts, with little previous exposure to the subject, then you only need to know one thing: "The Ancient Celts" by Barry Cunliffe. In fact, forget about this review and just buy it now, it is that good. I am not joking! Go. Now. Why are you still reading???

Since you persist, you will find "The Ancient Celts" to be a thorough going introduction to most aspects of Celtic research and history. Cunliffe gives a broad overview of previous Celtic study, the sources and the different influences and prejudices that have wormed their way into the sources and works through history. This provides an excellent back-drop to Cunliffe's own book, and puts it into an historical context of scholarship.

For the Celts themselves, the book presents broad overviews of different aspects of Celtic society, culture, art and so on. This is necessarily brief and focuses on those Celtic peoples who are amply attested to. For those others who dwelt more on the fringes of Celtic territory, Cunliffe is rightly more cautious in the few conclusions he draws. Despite this, the treatment is reasonably detailed and will certainly give you enough to go further should you wish to do so.

This might sound a bit puerile, but another bonus for me was the ample supply of photos, pictures and diagrams that helped put a more visual facet on the text. One might think that this is a pretty banal comment, but I found it a real boon to be able to see the artifacts that Cunliffe refered to, and appreciate them for myself. The Celtic art was a classic example of this.

For those with little geographical knowledge of Europe, I have only one quibble about the book: the paucity of maps. Cunliffe uses a few geographical features, like rivers, which are less than famous. A map or two would have been fantastic for placing events in their proper location. This is just a small point which does nothing to detract from the book in its entirety.

While there are other authors out there, I would agree that Cunliffe has achieved possibly the best introduction available on the Celts. If you have not already got it ordered, I suggest you do so now. It is a great book and you won't regret the purchase.

For anyone wanting an understanding of the Celtic people, Cunliffe's "The Ancient Celts" is an excellent introduction, as well as a fine review for those with a foundation in Celtic history. Cunliffe gives us a picture of the Ancient Celts from 1300 BC forward. The Celts had a most fascinating and expansive culture, dominating much of Europe up until the time of the Roman conquests. Following the Roman conquests of Europe and the Celtic lands, Celtic society faced the onslaught of Christianity which crushed some of the Celtic culture and absorbed other parts thereof. Still the spirit of the Celts survives even today... for those that know where to seek it.

As a student of Celtic Theology, I found Cunliffe's chapter on `Religious Systems' to be most interesting, but as Irish scholar Proinsias MacCana has described it Celtic religious beliefs are a "fertile chaos". There is a wide array of material reflecting the beliefs of the Celts, all of which offers us insight into their spirit and none of which fully explains it. Still, Cunliffe has done an admirable job in his explanation thereof in "The Ancient Celts".

Caesar (in "Commentaries on the Gallic War") writes that the Celts were extremely superstitious. This may be the case, but I feel that what Caesar calls superstition is nothing more than the `faith of the Celts'. One never sees superstition in one's own religion, only in the belief and practices of others.

Within the Celtic society religion was mediated by the Druids. These were the Celtic priests, but much more than mere teachers of religion, the Druids were the keepers of knowledge of the Celtic people. Also within this religious class were the `Faithi' or the seers ~ those who were inspired by the Gods to understand the `otherworld'.

Today the Celtic religious festivals survive in the forms of Samain (Halloween), Imbolc, and Lugnasad to name but a few. These and other rites were officiated at by the Druids.

I believe that the `path of the Druid' and an oneness with nature is an essential element for those who would learn the way of the Celts.

Although we tend to think of the Celtics as being centralized in the British Isles, it is important to note that the Celts established settlements across Europe into even Western Asia. Furthermore, it must not be forgotten that the Celts served to slow and curtail the expansion of Rome.
Cunliffe's "The Ancient Celts" reveals the Celtic people to be of a poetic / warrior society which contributed greatly to the development of the soul of the European nations of today. Even today in television advertisement (for travel to Ireland) we see Ireland being described as a land of warrior-poets.

In a warrior society the way of the warrior contributes to the development of religion and religion contributes to the morality of the warrior. This combination of warrior ethos and religious faith make for greater equality within the society itself.

Cunliffe states: "Women clearly occupied a more significant position in Celtic society than they did in the Greco-Roman world..." Women in the Celtic Society have had a good deal of input into the development and working of that society, and this shapes the society in ways that are simply not present in a purely male-dominated society (i.e. Arab-Muslim society).
It is also interesting to note that although Celtic society may have been overshadowed by both the Romans and later by the Christian Church there is still a strong Celtic influence in modern society.

Overall, I found Cunliffe's "The Ancient Celts" to be a very interesting book, serving to build a good foundational knowledge of our Celtic heritage.

Although this book has a lot of interesting information and photos, it it so tediously written and so focused on specific archeological finds that it was very disappointing overall. There was very little "overview information" about the Celtic lifestyle. If you want a lot of archeological detail this book is for you. But if you are looking for a more general book with information about the Celtic lifestle you will never make it through this textbook-like work.

Wonderful book, Cunliffe is a well-known scholar who's an expert on celtic archeology, and has been in numerous television shows and documentaries. Wonderful author, well written, and indepth. He shows you the archeology, and what it could've meant, but leaving enough room for you to draw your own conclusions. I loved the chapter "Religious Systems" as it's very informative, and solid in the archeological record. Love it, love it, love it. I fully intend to re-read it next year to see if I re-learn what I've learned. There's just so much information in this book, that it warrants another read!

The pictures are beautiful, showing many unusual pieces, but the content is often only school-book level, with little in-depth analysis or contextualizing. I found myself wishing for more information, and a deeper, more serious treatment of the cullture, the beliefs, and the everyday life of the people.

I really liked this book. As someone who's been been pregnant five times I've read most baby name books and this one has some great options. (The pronunciations are so helpful). But I had one enormous problem with this book. It's not arranged according to gender. All names are just lumped together in each section. (This bothered me so much I wrote to the author.) I finally went through with a pink highliter and underlined all the girls names (since that's what I was pregant with at the time). It may not be a big deal to you, since many of these names are unheard of anyway; but I hated it.

Wonderful assortment of names (not definitive and maybe difference of opinion on some)> Not divided into male and female names, but then these days with a penchant for giving male names to females maybe I am being picky.

It gives the meaning of the names,drawn from Celt Languages of Scots Gaelic, Welsh, Manx, Beton and Cornish - 1200 traditional first names from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall, and the Isle of Mane, with the pronunciations, and interesting tidbits about people that had the name. The only US book with names offering this wide of a selection. Since many people have trouble with pronouncing these names, the pronunciations guide is every helpful.

Of special interested to writers looking for Celt derivative characters for their books.

My husband and I really liked this book. While I can't attest for historical accuracy of references, at least this book had many of them and seemed to be thorough with the info it provided. There were some names I learned a lot about, and some I decided NOT to choose due to information provided. I lent this to my brother for his children. We all love it. we chose Fiona and Gwendolyn for my red-headed twins.

I'm a name lover. Always have been; always will be. Heck, I even spend most of my free time posting on a message board full of other name lovers. But more specifically, I love Celtic names. I look at every Celtic name book I see. And this is by far one of the worst, in my opinion. So many of their pronunciations are wrong, which means that when I find a name I haven't seen before, I don't know whether or not I can trust the pronunciation that they have listed. If you want a really good Celtic name book, check out Loreto Todd's "Celtic Names for Children". If I had to pick my all time favorite name book, that'd be it.

My husband and I have really enjoyed leafing through this excellent resource. We are searching for baby names that reflect our heritage, but are not ridiculous to spell or pronounce (like my Scottish name is). I haven't ordered any other baby name books...who wants to wade through a sea of 1500 names, when we know we will probably select a British name for our child?

It is difficult to write a review of this piece, without being redundant, my apoligies if I am.
It is an excellent primer in Celtic mythology, and I'd recommend it to anyone delving into such.
The Aryan undertones are not as pronounced as some other point out,they are there. I must confess being totally oblivious to them until it was pointed out in one of the other reviews. It is in the right of every author to put their own spin to their work, even one that might be used as reference. I do believe in a mythological reference one has literary license to do so, as long as the readers have the intellect to take any of it with a grain of salt, and move on with their own research for a more ecclectic view.

The back cover splash nails it with this statement, "With over forty delightful illustrations, Celtic Mtyhs and Legends provides and immensely readable introduction to Celtic Tales."

For the holed stone Dolmens I had to give it a high rating, but
for Celtic history is seems dated from an archaeological point of view.
This book isn't the first book I've read in this area and I've done extensive web searches.
A lot was old hat but some was new.
I like the old fashioned pictures.
This book is again one of Dover books' classic revivals.
And as usual dated material is going to go out of date.
In recent times we have gotten a better idea of who the " Megalithic People" were
and they don't appear to be Aryan, but pre- Aryan , maybe more related to
the Basque. Yet the book brings a lot of the tales of these early people
into the light.

This is another wonderful collection of myths and legends along the lines of the Celtic Myth and Legend by Charles Squire. Published in 1911, it of course suffers from outdated scholarship, but here is the tales are the more primary focus and what tales they are. We are taken through the standard cycles of Irish myth and into Welsh stories, but these retellings are well done. The book includes long narratives on Cuchulain and Fion MacCumhal, as well as a complete itinerary for the legendary Voyage of Maelduin. Geneological tables help the often tightly woven familial relationships come alive and the Glossary and Index is notable for helpful, understandable pronunciations for some of the more difficult words and names. This is a fine fireside read.

Despite the fact that this book is almost a century old, it is a remarkable and exhaustive collection of both Gaelic (Irish) and Cymric (Welsh) legends. I have not even read all of it yet, but I am utterly impressed with the sections that I have. An analysis of how Arthurian legend grew out of (and eventually separate from) Celtic oral tales, the only retelling of the Voyage of Maeldun that I've seen in such a volume as this, and a wide variety of tales from the Ossianic cycle are only a few of this books excellent features. Best of all is the handling of the Irish invasion myths. I had read three accounts of this cycle of Gaelic mythology, but this was the first one where I was able to keep track of who was who among the many characters and groups that walk on and off the stage. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in Celtic mythology, whether they are whetting their curiosity for the first time or are already familiar with that body of remarkable literature.

This book is meant to give the reader a general conception of the subject of the Celtic myths. The stories are too abundant to be added in their full content in a volume of this size.

Celtic Myths and Legends breaks the myths into eight chapters starting with Celts in Ancient History, Religion of the Celts and takes the reader on a trip through the Irish Invasion Myths, Early Milesian Kings, Ultonian Cycle, Ossianic Cycle, Voyage of Maeldun and Myths and Tales of the Cymry. There is a brief, but insightful explanation of the Arthurian Myths. The numerous black and white illustrations reveal the rich clothing and armor of the ancient Celts.

I have read many books on the Celtic myths and this one was the most helpful to me. I like the way the stories are broken up into shorter paragraphs with subtitles to make them easier to read and understand. There are dates given as to when these tales may have been written and when some of the legendary characters may have lived. The dates were really helpful to me and made it easier for me to understand the stories. It is interesting to see how the stories change as Christianity takes over. I think this is a great book for students and general readers who are interested in the Celtic myths.

My wife and I gave this book as a gift to her dear friend and she loves it.
She is very happy with the content and the set up of the book. It gives little side notes and she is finding , although she know quite a bit about the subject , some new tidbits to further explore.

I've always been intrigued by Irish and Welsh culture, not just a lot of famous Irish blessings which I enjoy but also their music (some of my favorite musical artists are Irish and even Welsh in origin). When I found out about this book, I was further intrigued and was very pleased by what I read. This book takes a great overall look at the great amount of information known about "Celtic lore." The book's chapters cover topics like the history of the Celts, the "otherworld," information about bards, ovates, and druids, Irish & Welsh mythology, "Celtic Christianity," revering your ancestors, "befriending the good people," and a lot more. Reading this book brought up some emotion for me in that I felt reading through it I was being transported "back home" in a way, which probably is no surprise given my Celtic heritage.

The book is an excellent introduction to all things Celtic. Anyone like me who has an interest in Celtic lore will definitely enjoy this book and it will likely leave the reader wanting to know much more. In fact the author includes a great number of related book titles throughout the book and at the book's end for that very reason. I'm looking forward now to doing more reading and studying of the Celtic world thanks to this book.

Carl McColman has successfully done the improbable - he has synthesized the pith of Celtic Spirituality in all its branches into one volume. Often I find Celtic spirituality texts to be poorly researched and too far out. Not so in this one - a gold mine of cultural gems. Presented in a clear and straight forward manner, this book speaks to me on many levels. Buy it for its clean review of Celtic history, wisely conveyed versions of traditional myths, and gentle guidance along your own personal path. A real find for the novice or advanced seeker alike.

This is a great start to research in the topics of Celtic wisdom and mythology, as well as Wicca, Grail lore, and more. It is very readable, and well laid out. The sidebars are more interesting that some other Idiot's Guides I have read.

A great investment for your mythology or occult library!

I quite honestly bought this book on a lark but found it to be jam packed with useful information. I still have copies of his "Living the Celtic Life" as well as others copied in my day planner. Full of mythology, practice, and, yes, wisdom, I truly recommend this book to absolutely anyone with an interest in Celtic wisdom streams.