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CELTS
"The Rich Traditions and Ancient Myths" is a 1987 PBS documentary series that examines the origins, growth, and influence of Celtic culture in Great Britain and throughout Europe. The series was directed by David Richardson, written and presented by Frank Delaney, the author of this book.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 1986
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About the author
Frank Delaney
59 books606 followersFrank Delaney was an author, a broadcaster on both television and radio, journalist, screenwriter, playwright, lecturer, and a judge of many literary prizes. Delaney interviewed more than 3,500 of the world's most important writers. NPR called him 'The Most Eloquent Man in the World'. Delaney was born and raised in County Tipperary, Ireland, spent more than twenty-five years in England before moving to the United States in 2002. He lived in Litchfield County, Connecticut, with his wife, writer and marketer, Diane Meier.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 27, 2023
Finished “The Celts” today.. I’d picked it up from Oxfam because despite the my true ancestry genetic analysis putting me very close to that civilisation, I knew little about it really. Typically I could probably tell you more about ancient Egypt than the ancient history of my direct forbears
Based on a bbc tv series from the 80’s with an arguably dungeon synth soundtrack by Enya it’s beautifully written & comprehensive. I got a bit emotional reading some passages
Best thing though was how the author is able to interlace ancient & modern history, too often we see ancient history as fantastic & separate to what’s going on around us
Unexpectedly important book for me I need to have a look for the tv series now on YouTube
Based on a bbc tv series from the 80’s with an arguably dungeon synth soundtrack by Enya it’s beautifully written & comprehensive. I got a bit emotional reading some passages
Best thing though was how the author is able to interlace ancient & modern history, too often we see ancient history as fantastic & separate to what’s going on around us
Unexpectedly important book for me I need to have a look for the tv series now on YouTube
May 27, 2025
Well-written, but reflective of the era in which it was created. Delaney takes an overly romantic view of the ancient Celts, and too credulously reads and interprets the writings of ancient authors about them. The last couple chapters, which deal much more with early modern and modern Celtic nations, are better and elevated this from two stars to three.
November 24, 2022
Turned out to be not necessarily what i was expecting, with a very heavily Irish centric view of celtic echoes of the past, when i was hoping for a more pan-european discourse on Celtic culture ... enjoyable all the same, and hasn't put me off reading the other book of his i recently bought - Ireland - which expands more on the myths and legends of the Emerald Isle, which feature so heavily in this book, but worked in as a work of fiction, so i'm not expecting it to be anything more than entertaining ... whilst this reads like a collections of Irish thoughts, musings and essays with the occasional nod to a wider european presence ... fun, interesting, but not what i'd signed up for ...
February 2, 2020
A book so enjoyable, I had to read it twice! This short volume provides a solid history of The Celts from prehistoric times to the Norman invasion of Britain, exactly what I was looking for when I picked it up. However, 'The Celts' is so much more than a mere history book as it also contains exceptional re-tellings of some of the most famous stories from Celtic mythology which are easily the most gripping chapters of this tome.
October 6, 2017
Well-done: well-researched and well-written. I found it . . . grounding.
"The old Celtic world stood for freedom on all fronts -- imagination, movement, belief -- as witnessed by the brilliant and curvilinear art forms, the great migrations, the multifarious deities." (p. 208)
"In the last, hard analysis, the Celts, therefore, must be defined as an ancient European people who spread across the world and who created a civilization, with cultural and even genetic consideration . . . From the descriptions of the earliest writers we have established clear impressions of their warlike and hospitable behaviour, their mysterious and powerful Druids, their entertaining and clever Bards, their laws and their studies and the equal rights of men and women.We know how all that civilisation subsequently disappeared into the maw of history, overrun, swamped, by fiercer, greater tides." (p. 213)
"The old Celtic world stood for freedom on all fronts -- imagination, movement, belief -- as witnessed by the brilliant and curvilinear art forms, the great migrations, the multifarious deities." (p. 208)
"In the last, hard analysis, the Celts, therefore, must be defined as an ancient European people who spread across the world and who created a civilization, with cultural and even genetic consideration . . . From the descriptions of the earliest writers we have established clear impressions of their warlike and hospitable behaviour, their mysterious and powerful Druids, their entertaining and clever Bards, their laws and their studies and the equal rights of men and women.We know how all that civilisation subsequently disappeared into the maw of history, overrun, swamped, by fiercer, greater tides." (p. 213)
April 12, 2025
An interesting little dive into the Celtic tradition, laced with folklore and a broad sweep of various topics about the Celts as a whole. I did find that the historical context was maybe not as detailed as it could have been, and there was quite a bit of stuff that seemed to go to ends that weren’t quite tied up.
I do think that there could have been a bit more on rituals and the day-to-day of the Celts, but it was definitely in-depth on the subjects it did cover. A good introduction to the whole world and the history of Britain, but maybe could have done with an extra 100 or so pages.
I do think that there could have been a bit more on rituals and the day-to-day of the Celts, but it was definitely in-depth on the subjects it did cover. A good introduction to the whole world and the history of Britain, but maybe could have done with an extra 100 or so pages.
December 31, 2017
There is some good information in the book, but I found it to ramble quite a bit. There was no focus all the way through. It started out talking about the early history, through Roman times. There are some mythological stories, and it ended up talking about the decline of the current Celtic nations.
September 29, 2019
Very general but also very informative. I began reading purely as part of my Iron Age research, but this book also goes into the current concept of Celtic identity. As a Welshman I found this an unexpected bonus. Anyone with an interest in either the ancient Britons or modern Celtic culture should definitely give this book a go
February 16, 2021
I couldnt follow it, didnt make it through the first chapter
October 5, 2021
A very interesting narrative about the origins and current state of Celtic culture! Although it seems to be a very diverse collection of historical tales it is well documented and researched.
April 23, 2023
A very interesting read into the history of the celts from early periods up to modern day, the differences between the different celtic tribes
April 15, 2010
Based on the television series of the same name, this book is a fascinating read. Frank Delaney is an Irishman with the gift of story-telling and he brings these gifts to his book. Much of the History of the Celts that he covers is covered by so many others but he brings a fresh eye to the subject by enlivening it with well-written prose instead of dry academic text.He covers the subject well and in depth – it certainly makes me want to see the original TV series again!
His unique Irish background, growing up in a rural, agricultural environment, does give him a unique viewpoint on the beliefs of the Celts and how these may have survived in this modern age. I may be judging him unfairly, but it feels as though he has rejected his strict Catholic up-bringing and in so doing, rejected the core concepts of Spirituality that exist in modern life as well as in the lives of the Ancient Celts.The section on the artistic expression of the Celts is well-illustrated with photographs of archaeological finds illustrating his points.
That’s as far as I’ve got so far!
By the time that I had completed the book, I realized my earlier criticism may well have been overly harsh. As he explores the later developments of the Celtic ideal he does approach the idea of Celtic Spirituality through the medium of art and National Identity, for want of a better phrase.
This book covers many aspects of Celtic Culture, from the Ancient Celts right through to the modern Celts. Many scholars dispute the links between the Ancient Celts and the modern expression of the Celtic Spirit, and Delaney does a very good job of showing how the culture does indeed survive, in aspects of poesy and, romanticism and the strength of the Celtic Spirit.
Many of the recent Celtic developments in Ireland and Brittany have left me a bit behind and Delaney's book has really helped me understand some of the complex issues surrounding modern politics.
A book well-worth reading!
His unique Irish background, growing up in a rural, agricultural environment, does give him a unique viewpoint on the beliefs of the Celts and how these may have survived in this modern age. I may be judging him unfairly, but it feels as though he has rejected his strict Catholic up-bringing and in so doing, rejected the core concepts of Spirituality that exist in modern life as well as in the lives of the Ancient Celts.The section on the artistic expression of the Celts is well-illustrated with photographs of archaeological finds illustrating his points.
That’s as far as I’ve got so far!
By the time that I had completed the book, I realized my earlier criticism may well have been overly harsh. As he explores the later developments of the Celtic ideal he does approach the idea of Celtic Spirituality through the medium of art and National Identity, for want of a better phrase.
This book covers many aspects of Celtic Culture, from the Ancient Celts right through to the modern Celts. Many scholars dispute the links between the Ancient Celts and the modern expression of the Celtic Spirit, and Delaney does a very good job of showing how the culture does indeed survive, in aspects of poesy and, romanticism and the strength of the Celtic Spirit.
Many of the recent Celtic developments in Ireland and Brittany have left me a bit behind and Delaney's book has really helped me understand some of the complex issues surrounding modern politics.
A book well-worth reading!
March 9, 2010
Based on the television series of the same name, this book is a fascinating read. Frank Delaney is an Irishman with the gift of story-telling and he brings these gifts to his book. Much of the History of the Celts that he covers is covered by so many others but he brings a fresh eye to the subject by enlivening it with well-written prose instead of dry academic text.He covers the subject well and in depth – it certainly makes me want to see the original TV series again!
His unique Irish background, growing up in a rural, agricultural environment, does give him a unique viewpoint on the beliefs of the Celts and how these may have survived in this modern age. I may be judging him unfairly, but it feels as though he has rejected his strict Catholic up-bringing and in so doing, rejected the core concepts of Spirituality that exist in modern life as well as in the lives of the Ancient Celts.The section on the artistic expression of the Celts is well-illustrated with photographs of archaeological finds illustrating his points.
That’s as far as I’ve got so far!
By the time that I had completed the book, I realized my earlier criticism may well have been overly harsh. As he explores the later developments of the Celtic ideal he does approach the idea of Celtic Spirituality through the medium of art and National Identity, for want of a better phrase.
This book covers many aspects of Celtic Culture, from the Ancient Celts right through to the modern Celts. Many scholars dispute the links between the Ancient Celts and the modern expression of the Celtic Spirit, and Delaney does a very good job of showing how the culture does indeed survive, in aspects of poesy and, romanticism and the strength of the Celtic Spirit.
Many of the recent Celtic developments in Ireland and Brittany have left me a bit behind and Delaney's book has really helped me understand some of the complex issues surrounding modern politics.
A book well-worth reading!
His unique Irish background, growing up in a rural, agricultural environment, does give him a unique viewpoint on the beliefs of the Celts and how these may have survived in this modern age. I may be judging him unfairly, but it feels as though he has rejected his strict Catholic up-bringing and in so doing, rejected the core concepts of Spirituality that exist in modern life as well as in the lives of the Ancient Celts.The section on the artistic expression of the Celts is well-illustrated with photographs of archaeological finds illustrating his points.
That’s as far as I’ve got so far!
By the time that I had completed the book, I realized my earlier criticism may well have been overly harsh. As he explores the later developments of the Celtic ideal he does approach the idea of Celtic Spirituality through the medium of art and National Identity, for want of a better phrase.
This book covers many aspects of Celtic Culture, from the Ancient Celts right through to the modern Celts. Many scholars dispute the links between the Ancient Celts and the modern expression of the Celtic Spirit, and Delaney does a very good job of showing how the culture does indeed survive, in aspects of poesy and, romanticism and the strength of the Celtic Spirit.
Many of the recent Celtic developments in Ireland and Brittany have left me a bit behind and Delaney's book has really helped me understand some of the complex issues surrounding modern politics.
A book well-worth reading!
March 30, 2016
Written as a companion volume to a 1987 BBC miniseries, The Celts has the grand ambition of covering the entire sweep of Celtic history in an accessible format, and does a good job, with some compromises in terms of organization and systematic oversight.
Starting with the Hochdorf and La Tene archaeological finds, moving through Roman and Greek interactions with high Celtic culture, decline and Christianity, and the modern Celtic revivals. Art and stories are the center points, with lots of beautiful photographic plates of Celtic grave goods, along with translations of several Celtic myths. Unfortunately, a lot of what made the Celts tick as a culture is lost to time: their druid priestly class refused to write anything down to preserve their own power, which means that the accounts we have are Roman and Greek. From a culture which controlled territory from Austria to Ireland in the centuries BCE, the Celts were consistently forced backwards, by Roman invasion and cultural domination, by waves of Germanic migration, and then by Christian missionaries, who replaced some local heroes with saints, and then by Medieval and Early Modern monarchs who colonized Ireland, enclosed the Scottish highlands, crushed independent Brittany, etc.
For the Celts, history was very much written by the winners, and Delaney is aware that much of contemporary Celtic culture was made up wholesale by folklorists in the 19th century, that there are enough gaps in the oral tradition that reconstructing something from an old fisherman storyteller who died in 1956 may not be sufficient, that the modern (i.e. 1980s) Celtic language revival is about identity rather than history. But read with a critical eye, this book is a useful survey and introduction to the topic.
Starting with the Hochdorf and La Tene archaeological finds, moving through Roman and Greek interactions with high Celtic culture, decline and Christianity, and the modern Celtic revivals. Art and stories are the center points, with lots of beautiful photographic plates of Celtic grave goods, along with translations of several Celtic myths. Unfortunately, a lot of what made the Celts tick as a culture is lost to time: their druid priestly class refused to write anything down to preserve their own power, which means that the accounts we have are Roman and Greek. From a culture which controlled territory from Austria to Ireland in the centuries BCE, the Celts were consistently forced backwards, by Roman invasion and cultural domination, by waves of Germanic migration, and then by Christian missionaries, who replaced some local heroes with saints, and then by Medieval and Early Modern monarchs who colonized Ireland, enclosed the Scottish highlands, crushed independent Brittany, etc.
For the Celts, history was very much written by the winners, and Delaney is aware that much of contemporary Celtic culture was made up wholesale by folklorists in the 19th century, that there are enough gaps in the oral tradition that reconstructing something from an old fisherman storyteller who died in 1956 may not be sufficient, that the modern (i.e. 1980s) Celtic language revival is about identity rather than history. But read with a critical eye, this book is a useful survey and introduction to the topic.
April 12, 2010
Based on the television series of the same name, this book is a fascinating read. Frank Delaney is an Irishman with the gift of story-telling and he brings these gifts to his book. Much of the History of the Celts that he covers is covered by so many others but he brings a fresh eye to the subject by enlivening it with well-written prose instead of dry academic text.
He covers the subject well and in depth - it certainly makes me want to see the original TV series again! His unique Irish background, growing up in a rural, agricultural environment, does give him a unique viewpoint on the beliefs of the Celts and how these may have survived in this modern age. I may be judging him unfairly, but it feels as though he has rejected his strict Catholic up-bringing and in so doing, rejected the core concepts of Spirituality that exist in modern life as well as in the lives of the Ancient Celts.
The section on the artistic expression of the Celts is well-illustrated with photographs of archaeological finds illustrating his points.
That's as far as I've got so far :)
He covers the subject well and in depth - it certainly makes me want to see the original TV series again! His unique Irish background, growing up in a rural, agricultural environment, does give him a unique viewpoint on the beliefs of the Celts and how these may have survived in this modern age. I may be judging him unfairly, but it feels as though he has rejected his strict Catholic up-bringing and in so doing, rejected the core concepts of Spirituality that exist in modern life as well as in the lives of the Ancient Celts.
The section on the artistic expression of the Celts is well-illustrated with photographs of archaeological finds illustrating his points.
That's as far as I've got so far :)
April 16, 2010
Based on the television series of the same name, this book is a fascinating read. Frank Delaney is an Irishman with the gift of story-telling and he brings these gifts to his book. Much of the History of the Celts that he covers is covered by so many others but he brings a fresh eye to the subject by enlivening it with well-written prose instead of dry academic text.
He covers the subject well and in depth - it certainly makes me want to see the original TV series again! His unique Irish background, growing up in a rural, agricultural environment, does give him a unique viewpoint on the beliefs of the Celts and how these may have survived in this modern age. I may be judging him unfairly, but it feels as though he has rejected his strict Catholic up-bringing and in so doing, rejected the core concepts of Spirituality that exist in modern life as well as in the lives of the Ancient Celts.
The section on the artistic expression of the Celts is well-illustrated with photographs of archaeological finds illustrating his points.
That's as far as I've got so far :)
He covers the subject well and in depth - it certainly makes me want to see the original TV series again! His unique Irish background, growing up in a rural, agricultural environment, does give him a unique viewpoint on the beliefs of the Celts and how these may have survived in this modern age. I may be judging him unfairly, but it feels as though he has rejected his strict Catholic up-bringing and in so doing, rejected the core concepts of Spirituality that exist in modern life as well as in the lives of the Ancient Celts.
The section on the artistic expression of the Celts is well-illustrated with photographs of archaeological finds illustrating his points.
That's as far as I've got so far :)
January 27, 2011
The great companion book to the 6 part series, The Celts.
A serious case to be made about the fact that races are not bound by the maps of countries that might contain them, and that we carry the brilliance of our races within us, in personality, skill and talent, inherited as DNA -- as real as the hair on your head.
A serious case to be made about the fact that races are not bound by the maps of countries that might contain them, and that we carry the brilliance of our races within us, in personality, skill and talent, inherited as DNA -- as real as the hair on your head.
September 12, 2014
I enjoyed reading this book and learned history without making an effort, since the book was so easy to read. It made me want to visit Ireland! :) And based on the storyteller, I learned a good lesson for fiction writers: keep listeners wondering, "What's going to happen next?"
If you love a good story, Ireland or history, I recommend this book.
If you love a good story, Ireland or history, I recommend this book.
September 27, 2014
Engaging and exquisite language that manages to capture and present to the reader something as intangible and evanescent as Celtic culture, literature and history.
September 27, 2014
Engaging and exquisite language that manages to capture and present to the reader something as intangible and evanescent as Celtic culture, literature and history.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews