Celtic Gods, Celtic Goddesses

by R.J. Stewart

Offers a detailed analysis of Celtic mythology, and discusses Celtic myths on the levels of adventure story, tales of gods and goddesses, and manifestations of the stars and planets

Genres: Mythology, Nonfiction, Paganism, Religion, Reference, Spirituality, History

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Robert John Stewart (Bob Stewart) was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. His father came from a Gaelic speaking family originally from the Western Highlands. His mother was Welsh, from a Welsh speaking family from the Gower Peninsula in South Wales, with a tradition of singing and playing the Welsh triple-harp. He is known today as a composer, author, and teacher, with 40 books in publication, translated into many languages worldwide. He is widely experienced in theater, film, and television, and is a skilled performer and presenter.

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a weird one. Unlike most works on the Celtic deities, Stewart here presents a cross-culture view that enables him to get at his understanding of the underlying roles and similarities of the various god/desses. It usually works, but ends up being rather cursory on any individual deity's lore. Fine, of course, but expectations, etc.

The format (7 x 9.5 inches, soft cover) is a bit off-putting; it feels unserious in a way that belies the effort Stewart puts forth — though it does allow for a series of full color plates of deity images, which are an interesting touch. The odd format feels somehow symbolic; though engaging and, yes, sometimes enlightening, the work as a whole feels incomplete; it could easily have tripled in size, to its benefit.

[Alexa Cascade · Rating 3 out of 5]

R.J. Stewart's idiosyncratic take on Celtic mythology.

[G.K. Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this very much, and especially enjoyed the line drawings (one of which I recognized as a stone I'd leaned against quite casually in a churchyard in Ireland, so that was delightful) but Stewart has some odd quirks of writing -- his insistence on using "therapy" as a stand-in for any reference to healing or medicine is... very disarming, and he abandons a subject nearly as soon as he brings it up only to return to it some thirty pages later without warning. I had trouble following some of his assertions about Greco-Roman parallels with Celtic deities (I remain thoroughly unconvinced that Brigit and Athena have anything to do with each other, likewise Lugh and Apollo), and while he clearly had some Ideas about serpents and goddesses, I never actually figured out what he was talking about. His non-separation of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and other Celtic territories also made it pretty difficult to follow.

...I know it sounds like I didn't actually enjoy this but I promise I did. I learned a lot of stories I didn't know and got context for the ones I did, and I'm planning to check out his source works.

[Lisa James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written, easy to read & understand book on the Celtic pantheon. Tells you the stories of the deities, what they preside over, what is associated with them, & gives you very nicely drawn illustrations. I have this one in my personal pagan library, & I would highly recommend it.

[Maya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Please read my review here: Celtic Gods, Celtic Goddesses

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked it and I would have rated it as 'amazing' as there is some amazing art, but RJ Stewart has the tendancy to rub me the wrong way from time to time. Still and all I liked it!

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm planning to read this book as part of an online discussion group.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certainly colored by Stewart's personal opinions and philosophy, yet informative, interesting, and full of sources and clues for further study. (I don't think the book description is correct.)

[Brendan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful Art and a good overview of some of the Celtic Pantheon.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

RJ Stewart's short, concisely written, straight forward analysis of Celtic polytheism is a good introduction to what is a very difficult to study subject. Stewart does a good job of looking at those aspects of Celtic religion that make it unique, but always with the caveats that much of information about the Celts comes through a Roman lens, or from puzzle pieces to a puzzle that has far more pieces than the ones we know of. Though the text can be a little dry or repetitive in places, for the most part it remains engaging, and the organization of the book presents the information in a fashion that helps one organize the information for themselves- no small task, when the religion in question is far from organized. In this regards, the book also goes far beyond the implied title, discussing not just the deities of the ancient Celts and their respective stories, but also helping the reader build a better understand of the religious practice and cosmological understanding amongst the ancient Celts, while also linking these Iron Age people with their contemporary descendants through those rituals, traditions, beliefs, and works of art and literature which survive until this day or reflect those bygone influences. The book is definitely a product of its time, but the third wave feminism and neo-pagan movement of the late 20th century, though discussed, does not dominate the text, and as a basic intro to the religion beyond the folktales, you probably can't do better than this one.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good introductory read for anyone interested in the Celtic gods and goddesses. I especially appreciated the bit at the beginning covering the history of the ancient Celtics, before diving fully into the deities themselves.

[Michael Neal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concise guide in a complex mythology.

[Annette Fuller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great introduction to the gods and goddesses of the Celts. Stewart doesn't shy away from mentioning that historical evidence cannot completely confirm our suspicions when it comes to these gods. So much of what we "know" about them is second-hand, passed through the Romans and monks seeking to preserve some aspect of the older culture. I appreciate the extra step that Stewart takes in his analysis, speaking of the cycles of life as the Celts would have seen them, and what the worship of these gods *means*, what it says about the people and their culture and their land.

This book hit the right balance for me between historical reference, critical analysis, and theoretical musings. I'm curious to read more of Stewart's work, as the writing is approachable and easy to take in.

This and other reviews by me can be found at www.annaimber.com

[Pamela B · Rating 2 out of 5]

very text-book structured