Book Description
Saint-Saveur Cathedral of Aix-en-Provence is an ancient structure of many secrets-a perfect monument to fill the lens of a celebrated photographer, and a perfect place for the photographer's son, Ned Marriner, to lose himself while his father works.
But the cathedral isn't the empty edifice it appears to be. Its history is very much alive in the present day-and it's calling out to Ned.
Customer Reviews:
Fabulous!.......2007-10-09
This is Kay at his finest. If you liked Tigana or A Song for Arbonne, you'll find the same flavor in this book. Kay's writing is superb, his historical elements are well researched, and the plot flows smoothly. Highly recommended!
Not half as good as his other books.......2007-10-09
I love Guy Gavriel Kay, but this book is horrible.
My favorite is Lions of Al-Rassan and the Sarantium Tapestry, if you want to get to know his work.
First of all, this book is dull, the unfolding of events is unexciting, and the entire thing took me a month to read, whereas the others I read in a matter of days. It reads like a bad detective story.
The characters are shallow - the thing with Kay's heroes being always so... Heroic, just doesn't work here. They're not amazing people, they're pompous and boring.
The only intersting bit is the end, but the book is truely not worth the read.
Perhaps it's the fact that the books happens in our time and not in some fantastic past, or it's that there are too few characters. Something is wrong in this book, which is kind of sad for a big Kay fan such as me.
Mr Kay never disappoints.......2007-10-02
"Ysabel" is set in modern day Provence, with a modern American teen, Ned Mariner, as protagonist, and I wondered if I'd like this book, a departure from GGK's normal, historically-based fantasies. I wasn't more than a few pages in when I knew the answer--a resounding yes.
Kay's wonderful feel for setting and language painted Provence in all its colors and flavors--I was transported right back to that magical place, as if I'd flown in Air France. Ned is likeable, believable, a normal teen with a sweet core I found appealing. The storytelling is subtle, and the magic creeps in gently, but in the end, the story is hair-raising and deeply satisfying. As ever with Kay's work, the emotions evoked by the text for the reader are genuine and heartfelt, and that's rare in any literature. Ysabel was an unexpected pleasure, a first-rate read.
Ysabel by Guy Gavriel Kay.......2007-09-19
Ysabel is a different kind of novel for Guy Gavriel Kay, because instead of being about a specific historical period and culture like some of his past novels: Song for Arbonne, The Last Light of the Sun, and The Sarantine Mosaic two-book series; Ysabel is set in the present day, a feat Kay has never attempted before, and while I don't believe this book is in his top three best novels, it nevertheless possesses much of the charm, character, and creative skill that Kay brings to all his books.
Ned Marriner is a fifteen year-old boy with raging hormones, hanging out with his father who is a world-renowned photographer working on a new coffee table book in the south of France. Ned is used to this situation, hanging out with his father and his father's assistants: Greg, Steve, and the overly organized Melanie who he kind of has a crush on. Ned's mother, a member of Doctors Without Borders, is currently helping the sick in Sudan; each day Ned and his father, Edward, spend their spare time worrying about the safety of their mother.
The first fifty pages of the book run kind of slow, as we get to know the characters in this very ordinary setting for Kay with talk of Google, Ipods, and cellphones; but it is well balanced with the amazing and ancient architecture of the cathedrals and other beautiful locations Edward is photographing in Provence. Kay, like all good authors who really go out of their way with the research, spent time in Provence and the south of France, getting to know the people and the places, and the feel, resulting in an honest narrative that makes the reader imagine they're really there. It is at the cathedral that he meets the nerdy Kate, a girl of equal age from New York and they immediately hit it off as friends, with perhaps something more to come. It is here also that Ned has his first weird and "psychic" feeling of someone close by, watching, whereupon they discover a man with a knife waiting to attack them, but they manage to escape.
These feelings that Ned has continue to get stronger and stronger, to the point where he has an extreme migraine and discovers it is because he is standing at the location where a great battle was fought over two thousand years ago. He feels the pain and suffering of all those who died with this new ability that he cannot control. As the story grows it becomes evident that he is involved in an ancient Celtic love triangle that is continuously getting replayed throughout history. The Celtic woman in question is Ysabel. On the eve of Beltaine the ritual begins, as the Celtic ghosts appear from thin air in their all too familiar roles. Ned and Kate find themselves drawn in, to the point where Kate is almost selected as a "host body" for Ysabel, but then Melanie arrives at the last second and is chosen. Ysabel - transformed from Melanie -- gives her two ancient Celtic suitors three days to find her, with the one who finds her first becoming her true love, and the other being sacrificed. It then becomes a chasing game, as Ned and his friends and family - with the arrival of a long lost yet powerful aunt and uncle - must find Ysabel/Melanie before it is too late.
While this is a classic Kay novel with the characterization, pacing, and action, along with a familiar magical element; the overall plot leaves the reader wondering what was the whole point: a Celtic love triangle that repeats itself? Coupled with modern day scenery as opposed to the familiar historical world we are so used to with Kay; Ysabel is an okay novel, but I hope Kay gets back to his regular historical fantasy with his next book.
For more book reviews, and other writings, go to www.alexctelander.com
Ysabel Review.......2007-09-02
Ysabel was a bit of a disappointment. After such well-developed stories, characters and contexts as found in Tigana, A Song for Arbonne, The Fionavar Tapestry, and the Sarantium books, Ysabel falls flat. There was possibility with the premise of the story. There is plenty of history and potential character development alluded to that could have been made part of the story, but it seemed that the book was either rushed out to print or edited down way too far. All that being said, it was a good read, just without the richness one would usually expect from a GGK book.
Book Description
WASPs finally get their due in this stimulating history by one of the world's leading geneticists.
Saxons, Vikings, and Celts is the most illuminating book yet to be written about the genetic history of Britain and Ireland. Through a systematic, ten-year DNA survey of more than 10,000 volunteers, Bryan Sykes has traced the true genetic makeup of British Islanders and their descendants. This historical travelogue and genetic tour of the fabled isles, which includes accounts of the Roman invasions and Norman conquests, takes readers from the Pontnewydd cave in North Wales, where a 300,000-year-old tooth was discovered, to the resting place of "The Red Lady" of Paviland, whose anatomically modern body was dyed with ochre by her grieving relatives nearly 29,000 years ago. A perfect work for anyone interested in the genealogy of England, Scotland, or Ireland, Saxons, Vikings, and Celts features a chapter specifically addressing the genetic makeup of those people in the United States who have descended from the British Isles.
Customer Reviews:
Genes and history.......2007-10-16
Last summer I read Sykes' The Seven Daughters of Eve, very much liked his insights into mitochondrial DNA research, but was turned off by his fictionalized Eves. In Saxons, Vikings, and Celts, his detective story is on much firmer footing as he sets out to validate historical events with DNA evidence. As a Scot, I had mixed feelings to find so many of the myths about Celts and Picts somewhat debunked.
important but disappointing.......2007-09-03
In many ways this is a very important book, as it does away with the old Anglo-Saxon myth. But it's also quite disappointing. Having read an artilcle summarizing Sykes' discoveries before I lay my hands on a copy of 'Saxons...' I was already familiar with its main conclusion - most British have very ancient origins preceding Vikings, Saxons, and Romans and perhaps to some extent this was the source of my disappointment. But mostly it comes from my too high expectations. In short, I hoped for a solid work with plenty of data, information and analyses of the genetic roots of Britain and Ireland. But the hard data filled only a few pages and the rest was a waffle, inflating the book to over 300 pages where 10 sentences would suffice.
If somebody wants to read page after page on how Sykes and his team struggled to collect the blood samples then it's a book for them. However, if you want to know the genetic background of peoples who settled in the Isles in more detail, then perhaps wait for a more informative book.
Sykes Latest Hit.......2007-08-16
Brian Sykes does it again with this most interesting book about origins of the people of the British Isles. He makes technical information understandable for the average reader.
More history than DNA.......2007-08-13
I got this book because Oppenheimer's Origin of the British is out of print and not available until 2008. This Sykes book is excellent history, but not as much about the DNA story as I expected. But it is a good read. What is surprising and intersting is that Oppenheimer and Sykes, both Oxford scholars, do not acknowdege each other existance. Does anyone know why?
The Key: Oisin = R1b, Sigurd = R1a, Eshu = E3b, ..........2007-08-09
The apparent result of Sykes' study is that the underlying genetics of the Isles is Celtic through all of the regions: England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland. This may not make Sykes popular with some people. The old stereotypes do not hold up.
In this work, Sykes continues to use the names for the founders of the haplogroups that he created in "The Seven Daughters of Eve" but he does not list all of the standard equivalents. You cannot tell the players without a scorecard. However, I have found the answer on the web. For yDNA: R1b, Oisin; R1a, Sigurd; I, Wodan; E3b, Eshu; J, Re. For mDNA: J, Jasmine; T, Tara; H, Helena; K, Katrina; U, Ursala; V, Velda; X, Xenia.
The Isles were the subject of waves of invasion from Romans, Saxons, Vikings, and Normans among others. One of the results of Sykes work is that two of the best known invaders left very little genetic trace. Sykes could find virtually no evidence of Roman DNA. Where was Titus Pullo? The Normans also left very little genetic evidence. It came as no surprise to me that my own Eshu or E3b yDNA was not significant, comprising a scattered percent or two. My E3b haplogroup is found mostly in the region of the warm and sunny Mediterranean, not the wet and cold Isles.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
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Similar Items:
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History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
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History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
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Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored
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Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory
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They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies
ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Average customer rating:
- Celtic Spirituality at it's Best
- The importance of this book cannot be underestimated; a must read.
- Beautiful Celtic Spirituality
- More of an attack on Reformed Theology than anything else.
- Interesting But Disappointing
|
Listening For The Heartbeat Of God: A Celtic Sprirtuality
J. Philip Newell
Manufacturer: PAULIST/ NEWMAN PRESS
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ASIN: 0809137593 |
Book Description
An overview of Celtic spirituality and its implications for us today.
Customer Reviews:
Celtic Spirituality at it's Best.......2007-07-28
Of all of Philips' books, this is my favorite. His gentle personality shows through this wonderful introduction to Celtic Spirituality. It is the first book that I give to people who have never read anything about the Celtic tradition. Knowing the man, himself, I can hear his voice in each chapter of this book. His scholarship is sound and his ability to explain difficult spiritual concepts in a simple, forthright manner is refreshing.
The importance of this book cannot be underestimated; a must read........2007-05-03
This book has brought me into a closer relationship with God and fostered healing in my life. I am very grateful to Newell for his beautiful weaving of the glorious mysteries of God and the wholesome balance of Celtic Theology. If you are more interested in the institutionalized church, you may have problems with this book. But for those of us who are seeking a deeper meaning to life than the traditional church has to offer, this is the book for you. It will provide everyone with an avenue for deeper worship and possibly enable you to bring this back into your own individual church.
Beautiful Celtic Spirituality .......2006-08-31
Newell adds to his growing collection of insightful works on all things Celtic. From the lives of the Celtic saints to the practices of those who follow the Celtic Way he inspires and informs. Very helpful stuff!
More of an attack on Reformed Theology than anything else........2006-07-25
This book is basically an attack on Reformation Theology. It's presuppositions and themes are decidedly anti-Calvinistic. I was expecting to Listen for the Heartbeat of God, but what I heard is that Pelagius (the misunderstood heretic) was right and Augustine was wrong. The book is clearly too simplistic and does not do any justice to the Augustine and Pelagian controversy. Either Newell is actually characterizing Celtic Spirituality for what it is, or worse, he his imposing his own Pelagian paradigm under the guise of "Celtic" spirituality. Thus, either he's right and I don't like it, or he's just got an agenda--and I still don't like it.
P
Interesting But Disappointing.......2006-02-01
Some of what J. Philip Newell writes I found interesting, like his chapter on Pelagius (a Celtic Christian and theologian). While I admit that I do not agree with everything that Pelagius believed I also believe that he was misrepresented and maligned by the Roman church leaders of his day. His being labelled a heretic sounds more like a political issue than a theological one. If more listening occurred there might have been more understanding.
But I found some of Newell's ideas to be historically inaccurate. For example, during the 5th century, when the Celtic Christian communities were being formed, there was only one recognized church, the Roman Catholic Church. Even though the Celtic Christian communities had there own distinctives they still saw themselves as part of the Universal Church. To say or even imply that there was a seperate Celtic Christian Church is not true. I admit that I am not an historian but I have read enough to know that this is one area where historians still argue about even using the expression "Celtic Christianity."
I seem to recall a statement that the Iona community was the last Celtic Christian community to hang on to the Celtic distinctives. In my 15 years of reading about Celtic Christianity I have never come across that idea before. I think it has more to do with his own involvement with the current Iona community than with anything historical.
Overall, the book was OK but I've read better.
Book Description
The Worlds Largest Collection in Print
New third edition now includes 28 volume index to the Irish Families series
The Best and Final Edition.
Over 45,000 entries total:
700 illustrated coats of arms
Origins & Locations
Includes families settled from Scotland, England, etc...
Ancient Maps and illustrations
All 32 counties of Ireland and Northern Ireland (Ulster).
396 full size pages.
There is no other like this one ! A magnificent world class illustration of Irish Family History, this book is the culmination of 4 decades of research by the I.G.F.. Hundreds of families from each county are given in Part One with family history. Over 45,000 family names are given in specific counties or Poor Law Unions.
This is the new third edition (2003), which includes select family histories. For the first time ever, the index for the first 28 volumes in the Irish Families set is also included. The famous and large families like Murphy, Kelly, Sullivan, O'Brien, Ryan, Kennedy, Walsh, Daugherty and Donahue are of course in this book, as are thousands more, including rarely found families that settled in Ireland from England, Scotland, Wales, and the continent. Among the hundreds of settler names are those of Betagh; Coppinger; Trench; Coplan; Hall; Green; Hunter; McKenzie; Baker; Howell; Bellew and many more.
Families from England
Many English families have settled in Ireland from the 12th century onwards. Often, the native Irish were forced to "translate" their names into English sounding ones. The 50 most numerous names from England in 1853 are given, along with hundreds of family history extracts on specific families like Smith; Jones; Williams and Taylor.
Families from Scotland
Due to the proximity of the north of Ireland and the south of Scotland, migration between the two countries has been constant. A great settlement of Scottish families took place in the 17th century during the plantation of Ulster by the British Crown. Later, some of these 'planter' families came to America, becoming known as the Scotch Irish or Scots Irish. The 50 most numerous names of Scotland are given, along with hundreds of family histories, including families like McDonald; Brown; Thomson and Robertson.
Families from the German Palatinate
Families came to Ireland in the 18th century from the Palatinate of the Rhine. In 1709 some 7,000 arrived in England and many settled in Co. Limerick, Ireland and America. Some of these are families like Bowen, Baker; Delmege and Pyper.
Danish or Viking Families
The Danes (Lochlainders, Ostmen or Vikings), had colonies in Ireland for centuries. Centered in Dublin and Meath (in Fingall), and in Wexford, Waterford, Cork and Limerick, settling primarily in the coastal counties of Ireland from the 8th century on. These Viking families include: Betagh; Coppinger; Palmer; Plunket and Skiddy, among many others given in this work.
Jewish Families in Ireland
Many Russian and Polish Jews settled on the south side of Dublin city from the late 1800's. These included the families of Coplan, Fridberg, Greenberg, Weiner, Maisell and many others given in this work.
Welsh Families in Ireland
Families by the name of "Walsh" (in Irish, Brannagh or Breathnach), meaning a Briton or Welshman, are found early in Cork, Dublin, Kerry, Killarney, Tipperary, Wexford, Waterford and Galway. Some of these families were: Howell, Lawless, Lillis, Lynagh and Rossiter. Many are included in this work
Anglo Norman Families in Ireland
The Anglo Norman invasions of the 12th century brought many new families to Ireland. Some took on Irish names. Anglo Norman families in Ireland include: Barry; Bellew; Bermingham; Burke; Carew and Clare, among hundreds of others given in this book along with family history notes.
Huguenot Families in Ireland
French and Fleming Huguenot families settled in the 17th century in Dublin, Kilkenny, Waterford, Cork, and Lisburn, etc... They were noted for making linen, cloth and lace. Some of these families were those of Barre; Perrin; Hazard; Hassard; Lefanu; Trench and many others as given in this work.
'Irish Families' Contains many family names left out of other popular works, including those of Edward MacLysaght, Patrick Woulfe and John O'Hart. The best single book for finding any Irish family surname, there are more names, arms, and locations here than in any other book . Truly a 'must have' resource for finding numerous and scarce names in Ireland.Format of this Book
Entries on family names are arranged in the following order:
(1) When available, the coat of arms linked to the name appears above the name which is in bold type. All arms shown in this volume were actually used by families in Ireland, acknowledged by recognized authorities.
(2) Beneath the name is the source from which the arms are taken.
(3) Occasionally we list a Gaelic or more ancient form of the name on the next line in regular type. (note we have not punctuated these). We suggest those interested in the gaelic consult Irish Names and Surnames by the Rev. P. Woulfe. The IGF edition of that work contains a new surname index, which proves most helpful to researchers.
(4) The next line, in italics, gives variant spellings of the name as available.
(5) The history associated with the name
The amount of information found will vary with each name. Please consult all possible spellings of the name. More information may appear in other volumes to this Irish Families set. Names not covered here will appear in other volumes of our Irish Families, great & small series. The surname index to this first volume , (and to volumes 2 through 28), is found in part III of this book. The researcher should consult that index as well as the location index found in part II of this book.
The location index (see part II) represents extracts taken from larger, more detailed listings found in the Master Book of Irish Surnames. Space limitations do not allow reprinting all the index listings found in that book. In fact, there are over 50,000 listings from that book which we did not have room for at all! We have included as many surnames as possible to give hope to Irish family researchers. These listings may prove particularly helpful for those with less common names. The student of Irish family names would do well to consult that work independently.
Maps and Illustrations
Province Map
showing Munster; Leinster; Connacht; Meath;
Oriel; Aileach; and Ulster.
Key to Terms
Including useful terms and abbreviations used.
Ancient Map
Showing territorial divisions upon the coming of the Vikings to Ireland. Includes Tirconnell; Tirowen; Uladh; Uriel; Brefney; Hy Fiachrach; Hy Many; West Meath; East Meath; Offelan; Fine Gall; Offaly; Omurethy; Leix; Ormond; Thomond; Desmond; Decies; and Hy Kinshelagh.
13th Century Norman Map
Showing unconquered areas, and areas of Norman Rule & influence.
Administrative Divisions
Listing the major territorial divisions of Ireland, including: The Province; The County; The Barony; The Parish; The Townland; and Poor Law Unions.
Ireland, showing railways map
Showing railway routes in Ireland on the map.
Source List
List of helpful resources.
Key to Poor Law Unions and registrars dist.
A Listing of the Unions along with registrars districts that they contained.
Family Research sources and tips
Tips for the family researcher.
Barony Map
Showing 325 baronies of Ireland on the map by county. The barony was used an a unit in 19th century land valuations.
Ireland Map
Written Chart naming Families settling in Ireland
Showing families from other nations known to have settled in Ireland.
Ireland upon coming of the Vikings.
Showing the divisions of Thomond; Desmond; Decies; Ossory; Hy Kinshelagh; Ormond; Hy Many; Offaly; Leix; Omurethy; Offelan; Fine Gall; Brefney; Hy Fiachrach; Tirconnell; Tirowen; Uladh; and Uriel.
A One of A Kind Resource
This is the number one collection of Irish Families ever to appear in print. This Master volume alone, exceeds any other single book in the field. It is a one of a kind beauty - never equalled. There are more Irish Family names, spellings, locations, arms and sources here than in any other single book ever published.
The Final Word This book contains information on families in all 32 counties of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Later volumes in this series focus on individual counties, and contain additional information, not found in this volume.
New Third Edition. Available only with Thread sewn soft binding. 396 pages. maps, resource list for family research. Family Histories. Additionally includes Master Index to the Irish Families series. Full 8 1/2 x 11 in size.
Customer Reviews:
Total Waste Of Money.......2007-09-08
This book is a huge disappointment. All it lists is surnames and if any a short sentence about the name. For instance Moylan: an old irish family.
Totally a huge waste of money.
Irish Family names.......2007-08-01
A great book giving information on Irish Family names and regions they are found in. A very useful book for those doing Irish family research.
Disappointed.......2007-01-14
This book covers a huge range of Irish names, however only provides minimal information on each and coat of arms for the select few. It provided the same information that is easily found on the web.
Be sure you get the third edition.......2005-04-29
The third edition of this work is definitely the best. It contains the index to the entire 28 volumes in the series, which covers every county in Ireland. The second edition was published earlier, and does not contain the complete index to the series. The third edition has all the family history information from the second edition, PLUS the complete series info. This book contains the largest collection of Irish Family Names, locations and arms ever put to print.
A solid and accessibly presented genealogical reference.......2003-02-14
Now in an expanded and updated third edition, The Book Of Irish Families Great & Small by genealogy expert Michael C. O'Laughlin (Editor of the monthly "Journal of Irish Families) is a solid and accessibly presented genealogical reference based upon ancient and modern manuscripts. Offering 20,000 Irish family names, 700 illustrated coats of arms, ancient maps and illustrations, step-by-step guides for tracing Irish family roots, and so much more, The Book Of Irish Families Great & Small is a first-rate and enthusiastically recommended reference for any dedicated genealogist or aspiring family historian seeking to track down their Irish roots.
Amazon.com
Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom offers an exploration of the secret universe we all carry inside us, the connections we forge with the worlds of our friends and loved ones, and the products of our worlds reflected in the things we create outside of ourselves. Anam Cara, Gaelic for "soul friend," is an ancient journey down a nearly forgotten path of wisdom into what it means to be human. Drawing on this age-old perspective, John O'Donohue helps us to see ourselves as the Celts did: we're more than just flesh, blood, and bone; we comprise individual worlds. The comprehension of the sublime architecture of the worlds we are born with will engender a new appreciation for the outside world and the way we contribute to its evolution.
Book Description
Discover the Celtic Circle of Belonging
John O'Donohue, poet, philosopher, and scholar, guides you through the spiritual landscape of the Irish imagination. In Anam Cara, Gaelic for "soul friend," the ancient teachings, stories, and blessings of Celtic wisdom provide such profound insights on the universal themes of friendship, solitude, love, and death as:
- Light is generous
- The human heart is never completely born
- Love as ancient recognition
- The body is the angel of the soul
- Solitude is luminous
- Beauty likes neglected places
- The passionate heart never ages
- To benatural is to be holy
- Silence is the sister of the divine
- Death as an invitation to freedom
Customer Reviews:
The Philosophy, Poetry and Spirituality of Life.......2007-09-08
John O'Donohue's best-selling "Anam Cara" is one of the most profound books I have read this year and is a must read for those searching for the deeper meaning of life, purpose and eternity. "Anam Cara" (soul friend) is a rare synthesis of philosophy, poetry, and spirituality with O'Donohue moving your mind, heart and soul on every page. He has packed so much into this book that you may, as I did, want to read just few pages a day.
O'Donohue integrates philosophy, poetry, and spirituality as he reveals the mystery of friendship, the spirituality of the senses, the importance of solitude, the poetry of work, the beauty of aging, and our daily companion, death. You will be rewarded with uncommon wisdom and unique insights on each topic.
On friendship, O'Donohue speaks to the circle of belonging, love being the nature of the soul, and the soul being the divine echo.
On the senses - the holiness of the gaze, listening as worship, the language of touch, and the body being both the angel and mirror of the soul.
On solitude - the world of the soul is secret, transfiguring the ego is to liberate the soul, the natural is to be holy, and one of the greatest sins is the unlived life.
On work - the expression of the soul, weakness and power, the false trap of belonging, work and imagination, and how heartful work brings beauty.
On aging - time as a circle, our harvest, memories, passion and aging, wisdom as poise and grace, and the freedom aging brings.
And death - the unknown companion, the faces of death in everyday life, death as the root of fear
the dead are our nearest neighbors, birth as death, and how the dead bless us.
"Anam Cara" is a beautiful book that will increase your understanding of yourself, your relationships, the world around you, and how we relate to the divine in all aspects of life.
Anam Cara.......2007-05-31
Parts of this book were very readable and understandable, but much of it was too philosophical and only understandable if raised in the Celtic traditions.
Excellent Overview of Celtic Wisdom.......2007-05-23
John O'Donohue truly has the Irish gift of storytelling, and the skills with language to make this topic come alive.
One of the best in this genre..
"Soul Friend".......2007-05-12
Anam means Soul and Cara means Friend in Irish Gaelic. This is a truely wonderful and spiritual book.
Its funny. When we think of rich culture and spirituality most of us look to the east and far east for inspiration. It's amazing how much spirituality and culture is here at our doorsteps and especially in Ireland!
I love this book because it echoes the wisdom of all the philosphers and prophets that have lived throughout history. It talks about how each of us has an "Anam Cara", a soul friend to help us learn and develop along this lifes journey. It describes how your Anam Cara helps you to see yourself completely and honesty. Even the bits you don't like and would rather hide!
John Donohue combines the rich Irish culture with christianity to discribe a way of being that requires no religion. A way in which each soul can be free and know its full potential.
Thank you John for enriching my life with this gem of a book.X
Words to ponder.......2007-01-18
This is a Sunday afternoon read or before a time of meditation. The author gives words of wisdom,inspiration and comfort. He speaks to the mind, heart and spirit.
Customer Reviews:
The Mysterious Spirit of my Hearth Inheritance.......2007-07-18
This book is mainly concerned with the format and content of pre-Christian Scandinavian religion, using Celtic and Germanic equivalents as a means of reference, support and comparison. I first became aware of Scandinavian culture during my schooldays in North-East British Northumberland, and the lessons were mainly concerned with depicting the savagery of the Viking raiders, the terrible `dragon-headed' long-ships, and their rape, pillage and plunder of civilized Anglo-Saxon Christian settlements. This image of barbaric ice-warriors filled my imagination until the mid-eighties when excavations and archeological discoveries at Coppergate in York revealed many interesting and highly cultured facets of Viking life in the early medieval period. Much of these discoveries and subsequent research was installed as a permanent museum now called `Jorvik Viking Centre.' A decade later I was fortunate enough to visit Bergen in Norway and experience Scandinavian culture and history first hand, the Bryggens Museum is a showcase of finds from the earliest settlements and includes ceramics, rune inscriptions, artifacts and the remnants of a principally shipping and commercial society up to the Middle Ages. `Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe' provided me with a carefully researched and detailed account of the spirituality of the Scandinavian peoples, and which brought to maturity all my previous thoughts and experiences, to an understanding which gives considerable credit to those communities for their important cultural legacy in Western Europe.
Davidson has used the medieval literature, myths and legends of Iceland and Ireland as the primary reference source for this book, in combination with archeological research papers and sources, and iconography of pre-Christian Western European culture. Her main inspiration appears to come from many scholars of Celtic history including Nora Chadwick, Kenneth Jackson and Anne O'Sullivan, although the principle thesis of the this research is prompted by Georges Dumezil (1898-1986) the religious historian who specialized in the analysis of Indo European civilization, who asks; "Is it possible to fit these Norse and Irish legends into a general pattern of Indo-European religious beliefs, extending back far into prehistory?" This question it seems, is the answer that Davison was seeking to explore within her work, and she does so with imagination, clear perception and a satisfying conclusion. With a broad yet defining sweep she manages to assess and investigate seven principle areas of interest; sacred places and sanctuaries, feasting and sacrifices, warriors, codes and rites and battle, land spirits, deities and ancestors, prophetic knowledge, divination and the priestly caste, cosmology and the other worlds, and finally the ruling gods, goddesses and divine pantheons.
Davidson begins with the earliest sources of a broad Indo-European culture, the archeological sources of Halstatt and La Tene circa 800 BCE to 200 CE, and follows through her study to approximately 1000 CE when the Scandinavian Vikings began to convert to Christianity. She employs free use and comparison of geographical sites, archeology, linguistics, cultural, social, artistic and spiritual characteristics, and the dynamics of the anarchical tribal-feudalism of early European society to successfully accomplish the study.
I grew up within a traditional working class British community. There, the cultural inheritance was composed of remnants of ancient and medieval thought whose pattern and dynamic has evolved little beyond the concept of `indentured servitude.' Tribalism still exists albeit in the form of soccer, and beyond the boundaries of the town there still exists a fear, a dreaded chaos, of foreigners and disorganization. Even when I was a lad in the seventies there was a strong sense of home, a hearth and odd yet valid seasonal customs whose origins may be traced back a thousand years. From a curious perspective, even a psychological one, this volume (and others like it) helped me to understand my background, language, beliefs and culture from a traditional point, and subsequently how those traits still influence my perception and actions today. It is not a book that changed my life, but illuminated facets of it and helped me in understanding myself more.
A broad overview with some problems and gaps, but overall scholarly, useful, and intelligent. Recommended.......2006-08-17
A useful introduction to the structure, key concepts, and beliefs of ancient Scandinavian and Celtic religions. Davidson covers a number of topics, including holy places, feasting and sacrifice, battle rites, land spirits and ancestors, divination, the Otherworld, and what she calls "the ruling powers." Her text is an overview and an introduction: not very deep, but a good place to begin one's study. Because she discusses both Germanic and Celtic religions, there is too much ground to cover to do so in depth. Sometimes the religions feel confused or one of the other is ignored in order to move on to the text subject. Nonetheless, the text is scholarly, well-footnoted and clearly based in research; for the most part her analysis manages to identify key themes and symbols in an analytic, readable fashion. I believe that her attempt to categorize the gods at the very end of the book fails, but with that one exception the book is on the whole a useful, intelligent introduction to these ancient religions, and the writing style is approachable while still scholarly.
The student of either Scandinavian or Celtic religion may find this text unusual: rather than focusing on one of these religions, it discusses both concurrently. Germanic and Celtic religions appear to have a shared origin and a number of similarities, and so the analysis of both together should be interesting and provide a wider background for students of either religion. However, the broader subject matter makes for more cursory analysis and less detail: some subjects are only mentioned briefly; some subjects are discussed only in terms of one of the two religions. Furthermore, Davidson spends a lot of time talking about the similarities between the religions and often fails to discuss the differences beyond the rare mention that they exist. In comparative religious studies, sometimes it's the differences that matter more than the similarities. As such, the comparison between the two religions can at times be frustrating and degrade both.
Near the end of the book, Davidson attempts to group the gods of both Celtic and Norse religions into major groups and types, such as warrior gods and provider gods. She makes this attempt despite a preface which warns that it may be impossible and may even limit or corrupt our understanding of the gods. In her attempt, she categorizes only male gods: female goddess are ignored for the most part of the book. There is some interesting discussion about valkyries and battle goddess earlier on, but other goddess (Such as Brigid and Danu) are not even mentioned. I don't know why she omits them (perhaps they have no Nordic equivalent?); regardless, both the attempt to group the gods and the omission of the goddess do a great disservice to both religions and are the weakest parts of the book.
Despite these complaints, Myths and Symbols of Pagan Europe is still an interesting and scholarly introduction to both Nordic and Celtic religions. Davidson discusses the relationship between history, culture, and location in the formation of a religion. She looks at the root of Celtic and Nordic myths, including the relationship between the two; she looks at how natural and man-made locations and symbols impacted religious practice and the concept of sacred spaces; she looks the nature of religious practice and its role in the life cycle of the ancient Germans and Celts. She searches for symbols, correlations, and derivatives, and her analysis is clear and easy to follow. The book introduces some useful and easily applicable ways to approach a study of the Celtic and Scandinavian faiths, one that depends more on the underlying structure and purpose of the religion rather than its small, contradictory, poorly-understood or unreliable details. I do recommend this book, although I encourage further reading on the specific religions in order to gain a better grasp of their depths, individuality, and roles and identities of the gods (and goddesses in particular).
Disjointed, but alright.......2006-07-16
I had to keep flipping back to remember what this page was referrencing, as it jumped around a good bit. The information was badly put together, I wish it had a more coherent form - it seems like really interesting information -
great overview.......2005-11-01
This is a marvelously fascinating book detailing both Scandinavian and Celtic religion. It covers an amazing sense of similarity as well as differences between the two cultures. Davidson covers the subject from the evidence in archaelogy, iconography, literature and folklore in a search for basic patterns which are enlightening in regards to the Indo-European hypothesis. A good read, not too terribly dry, it is well worth reading.
Great book!.......2005-10-22
Davidson has done a great job with this book in setting out to show the similarities in the religious/cultural practices and beliefs of the Germanic and Celtic heathens. My personal belief is that the Gods of the Norse and other Germanics are the same Gods as those that the Celts worshipped, even if the names, lore and rites differed in various ways. She draws heaviest from the Irish sources instead of Welsh, Brit and continental Celts for drawing comparisons to Germanic peoples but even those are far from being totally neglected. Personally I don't how anybody could deny, even coming from the academic egghead perspective , that Odin and the Irish/Welsh/Gaelic Lugh/Lleu are anything other than the same God after reading this book.
From an academic/historical perspective this is argueably the best book ever written on Odinsim.
Book Description
The Celtic way of seeing posits a direct link between the eye and the heart, a link that connects seekers to forces, energies, and knowledge that exist beyond the corporeal world. Here, Frank MacEowen explains this intuitive way of seeing by retelling a traditional Irish story, "The Settling of the Manor of Tara." The story is essential because it introduced to Irish culture the concept of the four directions — north, south, east, and west. For the Irish, just as for Native Americans, the directions act as guides and protectors. Once seekers learn to “see” the directions, spirituality becomes a living thing, making each seeker not just an observer but a participant. After retelling the ancient story in beautiful, prose evocative of ancient Ireland, MacEowen then places its wisdom in contemporary terms, and shares exercises and practices that help readers incorporate the teachings into daily life.
Customer Reviews:
Celtic Way of Seeing?.......2007-09-04
I really disliked this book. I really had trouble with the author's idea of the Tuatha De Danann as doe eyed, peace loving people that didn't understand violence. Interesting take on a warrior class of people that used force and violence to take the island from the Fir Bolg ... especially since they brought a sword and a spear as two of their treasures and the direction North is associated with battle. His take was too happy and shiny, hold hands and sing Kumbiaya for me. I prefer Celtic books to have some basis in Celtic history and Celtic values. To me it's really a slap in the face of Irish people everywhere to dumb down what it means to be a warrior to fit a new age peace loving sugar and spice agenda.
The Celtic Way of Seeing.......2007-08-17
Looking at the Celtic Spirit Wheel, we see a Mandela that defines our life. In the north is the battle: the aggressive part of ourself as well as the addictions that we come against. In the South is music. Music is the soul, the art, and the passions of our lives. To the west is knowledge, not just academic knowledge but also intuition, spiritual knowledge, and the sight. To the east is prosperity, prosperity in financial ways but more importantly in the ability to give to others and live a fulfilled live. In the center is sovereignty. Sovereignty encompasses destiny, peace, and contentment.
The Celtic Way of Seeing examines each of these Mandela directions and explains how they can be used to reflect one's life and how they can be used to work through particular issues. The key is balance and harmony, being pulled in one particular direction usually creates imbalance in the other aspects. By reflecting on these notions, the real heart of issues becomes very apparent.
I really enjoyed reading The Celtic Way of Seeing. The Celtic spirit wheel is quite easy to use and brought me a different perspective.
I Love this book.......2007-08-02
I really loved this little book. I bought it on the strength of Tom Cowan's many mentions of Frank MacEowen in *his* books, and he has not steered me wrong. Frank MacEowen has become a favorite, and this book is a gem. Being a Caucasian Westerner who practices neoshamanism from the core shamanism traditions of Michael Harner, I've never felt it proper to coopt apsects Native American spirituality nor have I been particularly drawn to them; I just felt my direction lay elsewhere, but didn't have any tools with which to even *find* the path. Mr. MacEowen lays them out in gentle, beautiful and grand detail, and they fit what I've always felt was the Way that is my own.
More Mysteries to Unfold.......2007-06-06
Once again Frank MacEowen takes us beyond the surface to find the mysteries within and around us. This slim volume seems so simple, and it is, yet time and again it has been proven to me that the simplest things yield the most profundity. That is certainly true here, and the imp in me suspects he gave us this pared down volume on purpose; he could have said a great deal more about all the meanings of each direction, etc. but the whole point he is making here is that we wade in and "get it" for ourselves. In fact I believe he even writes of the necessity of moving the material out of the cerebral realm we in the industrialized West live all too much, and know this stuff with our hearts and intuition, which is where the needed balance comes from, from being centered properly in all the various parts of life. No matter what your way, or faith or path, I can't think of anyone who wouldn't benefit from working with this material.
Beautiful Book.......2007-05-28
There is a lot that I could say about the book but that would take pages and pages, and this is supposed to be a review.
This book takes you on a journey to realign yourself and your goals. It mixes Myth and reality in a very beautiful way to give you a map to your soul.
The meditations are enlightening and very interesting to perform. Something you can easily encorperate into your life. But don't let the name fool you, as the author says this is not just the CELTIC way of seeing as each culture that has seers can lay a claim to this book.
Book Description
At last, the haunting sequel to Morgan Llywelyn’s phenomenal epic Druids. The Greener Shore unfurls the story of a brave and mystical people who learned to manipulate the forces of nature–in order to control magic.
As druids in Celtic Gaul, they had been the harmonious soul of their tribe, the Carnutes. But when Julius Caesar and his army invaded and conquered their homeland, the great druid Ainvar and his clan fled for their lives, taking with them the ancient knowledge. Guided by a strange destiny, they found themselves drawn to a green island at the very rim of the world: Hibernia, home of the Gael.
Here they would depend for survival on an embittered man who had lost his faith–and a remarkable woman who would find hers. Burning with hatred of the Romans, Ainvar can no longer command his magic. But his mantle falls on unexpected shoulders. In a beautiful, war-torn land of numerous kingdoms and belligerent tribes, Ainvar and his beloved wife, Briga, struggle toward an uncertain future. Their companions include the volatile Onuava, widow of their fallen chieftain; Lakutu, Ainvar’s dark and mysterious second wife; Ainvar’s son, Dara, who seems more drawn to poetry than to combat; and the “Red Wolf,” the young warrior who is as close as kin and is determined to find Ainvar’s missing daughter.
Other forces are at work in Hibernia as well–the spirits that haunt the island, forces older than even the magic of the druids. Through them Ainvar seeks his redemption . . . as Briga seeks her rendezvous with history.
Filled with the deep feeling, stunning detail, and rich characters that made Druids a masterwork, The Greener Shore is a superb saga of an amazing world and its wondrous ways–a much-awaited novel that will delight all the devotees of this admired author.
Customer Reviews:
Historic Fiction.......2007-10-06
This book kept my interest and helped me to understand the many cultures that influenced Irish life before Chrisitanity. Very interesting!
Llyweylyn does it again.......2007-08-07
The Greener Shore, the anticipated sequel to Druids, answers questions and continues the journey. Beautifully written, Llywelyn's style captures the poetry, the music, the tragedy, the heart and the soul of this druid's journey.
A Richly Distillled Tale.......2007-07-26
Whatever I found lacking in this novel's predecessor,Druids, has been aged to perfection in the years since the first novels appearance. This one was so well told and well formed, I can only say I just kept dreading the end. It felt like a story becoming myth as it was unfolding for me. I could go on for pages about what I liked in this book, but surely one thing I ought to mention is how wonderfully Llywelyn weaves the ancient Celtic teachings into the narrative as it is being related. Ainvar proves a worthy vehicle (as a character) to transmit this knowledge. Knowledge still, and perhaps even more,useful to us in the dark days of the 21st century as we come ever closer to paying the awful price for our separation from nature, the greatest teacher of them all.
There is much truth in fiction if you know where to look, and though she does not burden the reader with these gems, they are there to be pondered. Though I rarely say this, this book is too good to be read only once. I really, really hope she continues this tale into the next generation, though that would mean parting with characters to dear to consider having to say goodbye to! Very highly recommended.
THE GREENER SHORE.......2007-01-04
Fantastic! A story told in the Celtic tradition of teaching and entertaining. I'm usually a fast reader, but I had to put this one down a few times just to absorb the spirit behind the words. More than just fiction --- this book/author channels the past to the present.
THE GREENER SHORE Is a Tale Spun By a True Bard!.......2006-11-05
Wow, it's been over 15 years to get a sequel to DRUIDS! I really never expected it; however I'm glad this one finally surfaced.
This novel continues the adventures of Ainvar, High Druid, along with his three wives, Briga, Onuava (widow of great albeit defeated Vercingetorix), with Lakutu and a small contingent of others as they journey to a new land after Caesar destroys their people, the Carnutes of Gaul and their Sacred Grove. They eventually end up in Eire or Hibernia as it's known to travelers. Ainvar and his people discover it's a land of many kingdoms and warlike tribes and struggles to find their own place among them. Ainvar wants their settlement to become permanent and reasons that they are among Celts even though they are different in many ways.
He additionally discovers that the true forces of the land are older than the druid's magic and comes to an understanding with the original inhabitants, the Túatha Dé Dannans, the true spirit(s) of Eire.
Although the story started out slow, it eventually increased to a swift pace and became a genuine page turner until the very end. This novel was penned by a true bard!
Book Description
Before its decline in the first century B.C., the Celtic world stretched from the British Isles to the Carpathian Mountains and Asia Minor, and the Celts possessed their own vital and highly original civilization, revealed in the rich profusion of ornamental motifs that decorate Celtic weapons and artefacts. Their traditions live on in customs, names, and crafts, and they contributed greatly to the formation of Europe.
Archaeological excavations have recovered some of the beautiful treasures of the Celts, as well as much evidence of their social and economic life. This revised paperback edition of the landmark volume that accompanied an exhibition at the Palazzo Grassi takes the reader on a voyage through many eras, places, and themes to rediscover the story of a people still in some ways shrouded in mystery. It reveals the aggressive voyages of the Celts to the shores of foreign civilizations, and evidence of their great sophistication-- the Gallic calendar, their advanced agricultural techniques, their craftsmanship and metalwork. Written by scholars in the field, this is the ideal handbook on the Celtic culture.
Customer Reviews:
Coffee Table Book.......2007-02-18
A plethora of information adorned with absolutely gorgeous pictures. The only real downside is the massive size of this tome--it's a bit ungainly to sit & read unless you have a lot of table space. Otherwise, a solid piece of work.
A must for the Celtophile........2005-04-07
Although I would not recommend this book for the beginner it is an excellent and comprehensive work. As it is a compilation of articles by many authors I found some of the chapters uneven in their quality but this is a slight quibble.
The book is lavishly illustrated with quality illustrations and photographs. A good read as well as a good reference book.
Recommended.
Useful compendium.......2001-05-24
This is a very nicely illustrated book, useful for quick reference and short introductory chapters on a wide variety of topics. The book was written to accompany the 'I Celti' exhibit held in Italy in 1990, and presents the work of many European scholars (all in English).
However, this is not really an introductory text. It would be a wonderful companion to a number of syntheses (The Ancient Celts, The European Iron Age, Exploring the World of the Celts, etc.) but the quality and depth of each entry is variable. It is not a book that is conducive to sitting down and reading all the way through, but can be dipped into whenever the need arises.
Still, this one may be worth purchasing for the illustrations alone, as there are many colour pictures throughout.
The Celts is the definitive book on the history of all Celts.......1998-03-24
This is by far the most thorough book on the Celtic people who once inhabited all of Europe. The authors cover their history, art, archaeological digs, clothing, food, migration paths, jewelry, and everything else having to do with the Celtic people. When they discuss the early Celtic religions, they are honest enough to say that very little is actually known. The Celts is a treasure trove of fascinating information. I would highly recommend this book. It is worth every penny!
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