The Cut Throat Celts

Horrible Histories #7

by Terry Deary, Martin Brown (Illustrator)

Deary gives you the ghastly truth about the wild warrior race who weren't afraid to fight the rotten Romans - and who had the horrible habit of collecting human heads. He also looks at the dreadful Druids, their strange sacrifices and terrible trials.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Childrens, Humor, Historical, Middle Grade, British Literature

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

A former actor, theatre-director and drama teacher, Deary says he began writing when he was 29. Most famously, he is one of the authors of the Horrible Histories series of books popular among children for their disgusting details, gory information and humorous pictures and among adults for getting children interested in history. Books in the series have been widely translated into other languages and imitated.

A cartoon series has been made of the series of books and was shown on CiTV for a period in 2002.

The first series of a live-action comedy sketch show of the same name was shown on CBBC in 2009 and a second series is due.

Terry is also known widely throughout children and adult reading groups alike for his True Stories series (see below for series list).

He received an Honorary Doctorate of Education from the University of Sunderland in 2000. His numerous accolades also include the Blue Peter "Best Nonfiction Author of the Century" Award in the U.K.

-Wikipedia

Reviews

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to BrokenTune for giving me this book!

A deliberately silly book for kids about everybody's favourite Iron Age culture (everybody who likes washing with soap, anyway - you're welcome). Of course it's superficial in adult terms but it does go a little into how much of what is "known" was written by the enemies of the Celts, particularly the Romans and is therefore possibly unreliable except when backed by other evidence.

Fun!

[Milagros · Rating 3 out of 5]

The series is quite good for getting children interested in history, but this is one of the weakest volumes. Understandably so, since most of what is known about the Celts comes from Roman accounts.

[Osama Siddique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great title from Terry Deary. The enigmatic, blood-thirsty and elusive Celts - though with accounts mostly coming from Romans and later day Christian converts there is much that is unreliable. Various tales of savagery; the significance and training of poets; beliefs in gods everywhere, the sacred mistletoe, the role of druids, possible human sacrifice, the importance of woods and different kinds of trees, superstitions and beliefs, common dreadful punishments, the Lindow Man, the multiplicity of Saints and their miracles post conversion to Christianity, approaches to war (including fighting naked) are multiple interesting themes explored.

There is also an interesting and often quite witty account of the legend of King Arthur. All kinds of superstitions and battlefield belief seemed to be rife during the times. A fascinating chapter deals with the role of women - in many ways stereotypical in terms of role restriction and misogyny but in other ways vibrant and at the forefront, with an account of famous tribal and military leaders. Deidre's Diary is a fabulous fictitious and very funny journal about the hopes and fears, survival needs and romantic pursuits, of a typical young woman of the time. There are interesting insights also into other aspects of Celt living, some recipes, some games, attitudes towards animals, medical practices, life of children, gruesome punishments including trapping people and animals in vast scaffoldings made of wood and ropes and burning them alive, trial by lots (god) and lots of typical Horrible Histories quizzes.

[Chloe Reads Books]

As with all the HH books, I'm not rating these as I'm definitely not the intended audience! I enjoyed this one, there was definitely not a lot I knew about the Celts before reading this.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good quality. Good quick humour for adults to enjoy whilst reading to the kids.

[Sami · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cut-Throat Celts is a non-fictional book about Celtic life, religion, and war. It tells us about everything from Druids to Rome's invasions. It is very fun to read, but the author, Terry Deary makes the people in it look less realistic, unlike a history book. However, in some ways, The Cut-Throat Celts is a well taught history lesson because of the little quizzes in the middle and end of the book. The Cut-Throat Celts is a thoughtful, funny way of describing history. It engages readers and tells us the unknown truth about Celts, like that the Romans tried to give them a bad reputation by saying things like the Celts made human sacrifices and the Celts collect human heads. Terry Deary did a very good job describing the Celts and the Celtic lifestyle.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never in my life did I imagine history could be so much fun! I loved how Terry talked about the Celts but still kept the book easy, understandable, and most importantly fun. These Horrible Histories books are intended for kids, so history is easier on them, but let me tell you, adults can enjoy them too. I learnt so much! And I never felt bored or anything. I mean, I've always liked the Celts, but not every book was easy or nice to read. And this one provides a really good picture of the Celts, feels very complete, and it includes everything from where they lived, to the culture, costumes, calendars, all of it in nice digestible chunks. I think I'm going to like these books very much, and there's a whole bunch of them.

[Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cut-throat Celts in the horrible history collection is one of my favourite books in the series. A great access point for anyone who loves or even hates history, the vivid descriptions of the sights, smells and even the tastes draws a young reader in.

The language isn't particularly challenging but the books are longer than your average primary school book, so requires some determination. Although with the great way it is written the pages fly past. Also the chapter titles allow you to skip to a particular bit you are interested in without really losing the thread of the book.

A little bit gruesome for the younger reader but I believe that 8 to 11 would thoroughly enjoy this book.

[Colm O'brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gruesome and gory account of the Celtic clans that dominated much of Europe before the rise of the Roman Empire. It is suitable for children from the ages of 9-12. Within the first few lines, I was hooked and wanted to read to the end. I found it really witty but also very factual. A great, very enjoyable way to learn history. It is a fantastic way for children to realise that learning can be fun and it really brings the Celtic world to life. Terry Deary continues to make history accessible for the non-history major with this charming book.

[Siobhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a child history was one of my favourite school subjects thus making Horrible Histories the perfect books for me.

Nowadays children have the television series yet I belong to the older group that had the books. Personally, I believe any child who has an interest in history should give these books a go. They’re truly gripping and so many topics are covered.

Honestly, Horrible Histories are well worth a read.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horrible Histories is a series of illustrated books published in the UK by Scholastic. They are designed to get children interested in history by concentrating on the trivial, unusual, gory, or unpleasant. They are exceptionally well loved by my history loving children

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have long been interested in this series of books published in the UK. When I found it at a thrift store I was happy to snap it up. It was a mildly amusing read about history aimed at younger readers.

[Miku · Rating 4 out of 5]

Czy historia musi być zawsze wypełniona datami i nudnymi faktami? Wcale nie musi i ta książka to w świetny sposób ukazuje. W tej części na tapet zostali wzięci Celtowie. Możemy poznać w co oni wierzyli, jak wyglądało ich życie codzienne lub jaką rolę pełniły w tej społeczności kobiety.

Bardzo przyjemna lektura z humorem brytyjskim. Bardzo duża ilość ilustracji sprawia, że na pewno będziemy mieć przyciągniętą uwagę. Ponadto ta historia jest na tyle lekko opisana, że na pewno mało kto będzie się nudzić.

[Rhys Causon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe I enjoy Celtic history a bit more because it’s more like my homeland’s history… I would have said blood’s history but I’m mostly English so that doesn’t work… so it was interesting to read about what life was like for Celtic people.

Whether that be learning about Celtic Poets or about the (possible) history of King Arthur… if he existed at all.

I would like to add that a pronunciation guide would have been nice or at least a phonetic breakdown of how some names could have sounded. I can take a guess at some of the names but I get the feeling I’m very wrong.

[Emily Kathleen]

This was probably my least favourite so far out of the box purely because it's not a time frame that interests me too much. However, I did still really enjoy reading about King Arthur as I love reading about Arthurian legends.

[jeans · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved it. honestly am just caught between this and savage stone age as my favourite so far

[Tao Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

2/50

We Chinese cut throats too so don’t be upset my Celtic fellas

[Gothwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously written for a younger audience, but still a quick and entertaining read.

[John Naylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book I failed to read when reading this series. Just as good, occasionally gruesome and historical as any other book in the series. The history that isn't taught in schools is often the most important and the majority of this book will never be seen on a curriculum.

[sabisteb aka callisto · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a hard life beeing a Celt, dodging the Druids and running from the Romans.
The Romans were horrible historians who tried to give the Celts a bad name. But for 1500 years every other historian has repeated the same "facts". The trouble with the Celts is they didn't bother to write much. So a lot of the things we hear about them were written by their enemies - people like the Romans. Would you trust your enemy to write things about you?
Die "Horrible Histories" sind eine erfolgreiche englische Buchreihe illustrierter, lustiger Geschichtsbücher. Konzipiert ist sie für englische Schulkinder, um ihnen (die) Geschichte schmackhaft zu machen. Die Reihe wurde mittlerweile in 31 Sprachen übersetzt und einige wenige Bände sind auch auf Deutsch erhältlich. Einige Bücher wurden sogar von der BBC als witzige Kinderdokumentation verfilmt, darunter auch dieser Band.
Die Autoren legen darauf Wert, dass die Kinder beginnen die Geschichte, wie sie in den Geschichts-und Schulbüchern steht, zu hinterfragen. Gewürzt wird diese Geschichte dann mit witzigen oder ekligen Details wie den verschiedenen Hinrichtungsarten der Kelten und ihr Kopfsammelleidenschaft (wohlgemerkt sie sammelten die Köpfe der Gegner). Es wird erklärt woher einige unserer Mythen, Sagen (Arthus) und Bräuche (Mistelzweig) kommen, auf die Rolle der Frau und die Rechte der Kinder in der damaligen Zeit eingegangen. Abgerundet wird das Ganze mit kleinen Quizfragen, in denen man seinen Lernerfolg überprüfen kann. Darin wird z. Bsp. Abgefragt warum die Kelten die Köpfe ihrer Gegner sammelten, was "death by air" bedeutete,...

Behandelt wird die Zeit von 750 v. Chr. Bis 520 n. Chr. Wobei der Hauptaugenmerkt auf den Ereignissen in UK liegt, aber Vergingetorix auch abgehandelt wird. Man sollte wirklich gut Englisch können, um den Wortspielen folgen zu können. Da das Buch hauptsächlich die Kelten in UK behandelt ist es für deutsche Zwecke wohl eher unübersetzbar

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay let's talk about the Horrible Histories.

You may be aware of them as a TV show, which I highly, highly recommend, but you may not be aware that they are also books! Which I also recommend!

It's hard to talk about the Horrible Histories specifically. They're hysterical short nonfiction books consisting of maybe 120 pages tops? Aimed at children, they set out to tell you all about the really nasty side of history, which I am always down for. They're smart and funny with great illustrations, and I would never, ever have a problem recommending them to anyone, with two caveats.

The first is that they can be a little inaccurate. I really do mean a little inaccurate; it's mostly erring on the side of "we don't know which is really true but this makes a better story," and occasionally "research marches on." The second is that the author, Terry Deary, is kind of an asshole, particularly on the subject of libraries. I won't repeat his comments here. Suffice to say he's kind of a jerk.

But the books remain absolutely hysterical. A+ would read and love again.

[A Bit of Earth · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's quirky, macabre, and hilarious-not to mention educational! I have to admit, I knew very little about the Ancient Celts before reading this book, and as soon as I finished, I was so intrigued I went to my local library and checked out a big stack of books about them (none of which were written for children-not that any other children's Celtic history book could quite compare with Deary's). I appreciated how he spent a lot a talking about the Celts' daily life in addition to the major historical events, and, of course, Deary's humor never disappoints. A thoroughly entertaining read!

[Eule Luftschloss]

trigger warning
slavery, gore, human sacrifice

These are short and sweet. Okay, no, not sweet, but fun.

[Liesje Leest · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Horrible History and Horrible Science series (published as one series in Dutch called Waanzinnig om the Weten) were my everything as a child. I had all the books and would check the bookstore at least twice a month to see if they had a new book. And I still love the series. The books might not be very in-depth, and sometimes the historical information is a little dodgy, but they are very fun to read and great books to keep young children interested in history and science. I didn't know much, if anything, about the Celts so even if it's a kids' book....I still learned a thing or two from reading it. Not my favorite in the series (perhaps because the Celts themselves, while a fascinating people, are not a subjects I am really drawn to) but I still love this and every other book in the series!

[Joseph Leskey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like nearly all Horrible Histories books, this was a good one. It includes incredibly gruesome and engrossing historical facts which are just lovely to read, but nothing much (if anything at all) in the way of other possibly objectionable content.

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Please Note: I accidentally neglected to review some Horrible Histories books until February 2, 2017 and Horrible Histories are best reviewed the selfsame hour a person finishes the reading of them. Therefore, I have written the above as a generic review which would indeed apply to all applicable. Thus, there will be a few more reviews of this exact lettering attached to other Horrible Histories books.

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[Dane Cobain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was always fascinated by history as a kid, and so the Horrible Histories series held me enchanted for a good half-decade. In particular, I loved the Vicious Vikings and the Rotten Romans, but the Celts were interesting too, mainly because of the druids.

Considering Deary had the unenviable task of teaching me about Celts when I'd rather be learning about Thor and Valkyries, he pulled a blinder - I'm pretty sure I could read a Horrible Histories book about the history of agriculture and find it fascinating if Deary wrote it. The Cut-Throat Celts is yet another expertly crafted example of children's non-fiction, still recommended today.

[Kayleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I've always loved the Horrible histories books. They are quit hard to find in the Netherlands. They are translated but ofcourse, I wanted the English editions.
I found this one in a thrift shop in Dublin. Was so excited.
It is just a fun little book filled with information about the Celts and a lot of jokes.
The information can be incorrect but the jokes are awesome.
I was a fun quick read.
I recommend it if you want to read something funny and something about celtic culture.

[Beccy Swanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of jokes about how terrible school is! I was impressed at the amount of factual information disguised with cartoons and jokes, and the beginnings of concepts like historiography and treatment of sources. The series in general strikes a good balance between conveying information and maintaining attention, but possibly uses lowest-common-denominator humour to the extent of reinforcing damaging stereotypes.

[Deirdre]

ah, pan celtica. where what happened in one place is a universal celtic experience, even without some of the modern doubts about celtic being a true racial and not social experience.

most good but very generic, it's like claiming that the experience of being irish in Dublin is applicable across the whole country

[Anuszka Gojke · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an interesting book to read. I had always been interested in Celtic history because it always seemed so confusing. (I always got it mixed up with the Scottish history but now I've got that all cleared up). Horrible History books are the best for those who usually find the subject really boring. Definitely read it!