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Charles Squire
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Celtic Myth and Legend (Celtic, Irish) Paperback – February 3, 2003

by Charles Squire (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 23 ratings
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The legends of ancient Britain retain a profound allure for readers around the world, assuring a warm reception for this introduction to the colorful pageant of Celtic myth. Its wondrous tales range from the oft-told deeds of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table to the less-familiar adventures of the mighty Finn and his Fenians, Ulster's Champions of the Red Branch, and other figures from the Gaelic pantheon.
Tracing the exploits of kings and saints back to their earliest origins, the author reveals the pagan roots beneath the medieval Christianity and follows the stories' transformations into the fairy tales of the Victorian age. Minimal use of scholarly notes and a highly accessible style make this reader-friendly volume an ideal steppingstone in the path toward the magic cauldron of Celtic myth.
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  1. Print length
    480 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Dover Publications
  4. Publication date
    February 3, 2003
  5. Dimensions
    5.25 x 1 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0486425118
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0486425115
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dover Publications (February 3, 2003)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 480 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0486425118
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0486425115
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.06 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 1 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 23 ratings

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Charles Squire

Charles Squire

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
23 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Gary Carden
5.0 out of 5 stars Wise Fish and women who are made of flowers
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2014
Verified Purchase
Beginning with comic books, I have always been fascinated by the world of imagination and mythology. From Superman, I graduated to Greek myths and from there I eventually found my way to Celtic and Irish mythology, where I felt at home. The gods and heroes of Celtic mythology are not immortal although they have magical powers. They suffer and die tragically. Charles Squires treatment of this world of magical salmon, pigs and the fey folks are tremendously satisfying. I especially love the Mabinogian and the story of the woman "made of flowers" who has no heart.
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R. Wachenheim
5.0 out of 5 stars Good Reference Book
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2015
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Has a lot of good reference material to investigate further.
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Alisa
3.0 out of 5 stars Well researched and accurate, yet dry.
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2018
Another reviewer stated that this would make a good reference book. I would have to agree. I am of Scottish and Irish descent and am currently taking an interest in my ancestral origins. I picked this book up from the library as part of my research, but also because I find mythology to be fascinating.
The level of thought and research that went into this book is impressive. However, the vitality and archetypal potency of these myths is lost in this particular retelling. It is more of an academic history than a retelling, actually. I am still glad I took the chance to read it because it was a greatly detailed introduction to the Celtic Myth cycles. It never gave me that feeling of rapt fascination and awe that one has when hearing a good storyteller recall the stories of ancient gods, though.
So go ahead and read this if you wish to understand these myths from a very thick, academic standpoint, just don't expect Neil Gaiman or Joseph Campbell. I would also recommend reading it as a technical reference paired with a more potent, entertaining narrative.
Myths are supposed to call out to something ancient and vital in our hearts, after all.
3 people found this helpful
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Morgan F
5.0 out of 5 stars Seek This Book Out!
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2000
This book is wonderful! Squire presents the myths and tales of the Gaels and Britons in an incrediblt engaging way. If you enjoyed d'Aulieres Greek Myths as a child, you will love Squire's equally entertaining (albeit more advanced) style. The book is seperarated into two main sections, Gaelic (scotland+ireland) and Briton (england+wales) and covers all aspects of their lore including, King Arthur, Gwydion, the Tuatha de Danaan, Bran, Fomors, Sidhe, and countless more. It also presents historical evidence and comparisons in a completely un-boring way, woven right into the fabric of the stories. An EXCELLENT book!
4 people found this helpful
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Bruce D. Wilner
2.0 out of 5 stars stale and boring, albeit authoritative
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2009
I wonder why it is that Dover insists on resurrecting these centenarian "classics" that reek from the profoundest nadirs of Victorian/Edwardian writing. The material, while bursting at the seams from its completeness and thoroughness of research, is presented in a most unappetizing manner. The author must circumlocute almost forever until he gets down to brass tacks, and--when he finally embarks on the meat of some myth or other--you have to read hard between the lines to torture the actual story line out of the narrative. There's got to be a better way to bone up on the rudiments of Celtic myth, and I think I've found it: "Druids, Gods and Heroes" by Anne Ross, likewise e-available at Amazon. You'd do well to avoid Squire and books of that ilk. Dover tries so very hard to deliver quality stuff, and they very often do, but Squire is *not* a shining example of their success in that direction.
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Top reviews from other countries

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STEVEN
5.0 out of 5 stars Concerning King Arthur
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 20, 2018
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Concerning the Arthurian Question, with authors such as Thomas Green (Concepts of Arthur) N.J. Higham (King Arthur Myth-Making and History) Graham Anderson (King Arthur in Antiquity) and Richard Barber (The Figure of Arthur) Squire seems to have been beyond his time, when he says that he believed that King Arthur was derived from a combination of Bear God-Man (Mercury Artaius or more precisely Arktouros) and a historical individual (my preferences being the earliest on the historical record, Arthur Mac Aiden) mention must go out to Rhys and his 'Studies in Arthurian Legend,' it
just go's to show, that although ignored due to his championing the mythical component he seems to have been on the right track all along.
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Susanne Wegner
5.0 out of 5 stars Erstaunlich modern
Reviewed in Germany on January 2, 2014
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Das Buch ist ein Reprint von 1905. Ich bin über die flotte, gar nicht altertümliche Sprache erstaunt, sowie über den damaligen Wissensstand. Flüssig erzählt, mit Aussprachehilfen, bietet das Buch eine Übersicht über die verschiedenen keltischen spirituellen Vorstellungen und die damit verbundene Literatur.
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