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The Myths That Shape the Way We Think
The Celtic Myths that Shape the Way We Think
A fresh and revealing look at the stories at the heart of Celtic mythology, exploring their cultural impact throughout history up to the present day. The Celtic Myths That Shape the Way We Think explores a fascinating how do myths that were deeply embedded in the customs and beliefs of their original culture find themselves retold and reinterpreted across the world, centuries or even millennia later? Focusing on the myths that have had the greatest cultural impact, Mark Williams reveals the lasting influence of Celtic mythology, from medieval literature to the modern fantasy genre. An elegantly written retelling, Williams captures the splendor of the original myths while also delving deeper into the history of their meanings, offering readers an intelligent and engaging take on these powerful stories. Beautiful illustrations of the artworks these myths have inspired over the centuries are presented in a color plates section and in black and white within the text. Ten chapters recount the myths and explore the lasting influence of legendary figures, including King Arthur, the Celtic figure who paradoxically became the archetypal English national hero; the Irish and Scottish hero Finn MacCool, who as “Fingal” caught the imagination of Napoleon Bonaparte, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, and Felix Mendelssohn; and the Welsh mythical figure Blodeuwedd, magically created from flowers of the oak, who inspired W. B. Yeats. Williams’s mythological expertise and captivating writing style make this volume essential reading for anyone seeking a greater appreciation of the myths that have shaped our artistic and literary canons and continue to inspire today. 100 illustrations
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 28, 2021
39 people are currently reading
791 people want to read
About the author
Mark Williams
3 books6 followersMark Williams is Associate Professor of Global Medieval Literature at the University of Oxford, specialising in Celtic languages and the medieval literature of Ireland and Wales.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 18, 2024
I wrote my thesis on how Welsh bardic culture (and mythology) and warrior culture worked together during the Norman invasions in the Middle Ages. During the classes I took on the mythology, medieval literature, and the Middle Ages in general (there were so many), I read the historical background needed for this book, and I read most of the mythology in this book - although I think we skipped Finn Mac Cool. This book underlined a lot of the conclusions I came to in my thesis - the myths may have some ancient ties - perhaps some of the heroes are representative of some long-lost deities. However, these stories are medieval and they have medieval implications. They tell us all about what the learned cultures believed were important to tell, as well as what these societies thought of themselves and their own history. They also have some older pieces, but those are hard to really sift out of the medievalisation of the stories. I think that Mark Williams really did a great job illustrating this - we want these stories to represent the real mythology because it is fun, but we actually have little information to go one. The writing was engaging and kept me interested through the entire book. It is easy to understand, and the pronunciation guide at the back is super handy!
March 27, 2022
The Celtic Myths that Shape the Way We Think is one of the books that makes me regret that I often give books 5 stars because is by far a better book than most and deserves more stars. I don't fancy myself an expert on medieval history or Celtic myths but like many people, I have picked up a fair amount of exposure to it in popular culture. I had many hazy ideas that were off the mark and appreciated getting Williams' perspective. I will likely reread this book again.
On a side note, the many illustrations are excellent and include many by Alan Lee.
On a side note, the many illustrations are excellent and include many by Alan Lee.
September 16, 2022
A couple of months ago, I read and reviewed Amy Jeff's 'Story land', giving it a rating of 3. My contention was that, whilst much of it was a decent retelling of some of Britain's mythical tales, what it was lacking was an in depth study and explanation of the origins of those stories both familiar and unfamiliar.
Well, Mark William's book is an antidote to the shortcomings of 'Storyland' and is well worth the read for those interested in the developmental stories behind the 'myths' of Wales, Ireland, Cornwall and Brittany. In fact, it could be seen as a companion to the forementioned book.
I refer to 'myths' because Williams suggests that, unlike those from Ancient Greece, Scandinavia, and the Hindu religion, which are all truly ancient and passed down across millenia, Celtic myths are largely fragmented tales which were written down relatively late in comparison. In other words, the versions we are now familiar with were often embellished by later generations, often to fit in with aspects of Christianity. One example which is covered on depth is the legend of King Arthur, and William's analysis of its development over the centuries is fascinating.
This book is rather dry and academic at times but is a good introduction to this fascinating aspect of the culture if the British Isles.
Well, Mark William's book is an antidote to the shortcomings of 'Storyland' and is well worth the read for those interested in the developmental stories behind the 'myths' of Wales, Ireland, Cornwall and Brittany. In fact, it could be seen as a companion to the forementioned book.
I refer to 'myths' because Williams suggests that, unlike those from Ancient Greece, Scandinavia, and the Hindu religion, which are all truly ancient and passed down across millenia, Celtic myths are largely fragmented tales which were written down relatively late in comparison. In other words, the versions we are now familiar with were often embellished by later generations, often to fit in with aspects of Christianity. One example which is covered on depth is the legend of King Arthur, and William's analysis of its development over the centuries is fascinating.
This book is rather dry and academic at times but is a good introduction to this fascinating aspect of the culture if the British Isles.
February 6, 2024
Nearly perfect, but lacks Scottish representation (compared to Welsh and Irish). Great read though, I do feel like I understand a lot more about the topic then before which is the point.
May 27, 2025
Absolutely fascinating! Though I did find it a touch repetitive at times, on the whole it was well written and argued. Great read
October 29, 2021
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★★★☆☆.75 I was provided a copy of The Celtic Myths That Shape the Way We Think by Thames and Hudson.
The Celtic Myths That Shape the Way We Think by Mark Williams is a new look at the history and development of the tales at the centre of Celtic Mythology. Not only that, but he highlights the issues surrounding them, and ways in which they have been retold and reimagined for millennia. By the time the ‘Celtic myths’ were written down in the Middle Ages, not only were they already hundreds of years old, but were written after the influence of the Catholic Church. Williams works from the roots of these tales, he interrogates the sources in which we have drawn these legends and stories from, and unpacks the multiple meanings of, and the cultural impacts made by these legends.
It is clear that this book has been researched, developed and written by someone with an incredible depth of knowledge and understanding both of the languages he is working with, and the entire corpus of source material. One of the highlights of this book is the times in which Williams includes his own translations to the tales in focus, which will definitely help the lay reader (me). It is these times that it becomes clear that you are reading a book written by a person who could not be more qualified to do so, not to mentioned the translated snippets were so helpful for someone like me who isn’t familiar with the tales focussed on in the book. Williams takes you on a journey through Celtic mythology, with first introducing what Celtic mythology is (which is especially important given that the writings of Celtic mythology all come from the medieval ages, and the term ‘Celtic’ is a very broad term), and then dives into well known figures like Arthur and Merlin, and perhaps less well known figures like Branwen, Cú Chulainn and Blodeuwedd. As William puts it in his introduction to The Nature of Celtic Mythology:
“…for us, as for many heroes in Welsh and Irish tales, there is a fall of mist, and we find we have to enter an unfamiliar world with different rules.” (7)
I’m torn with this book, because on the one hand I really enjoyed reading it, but on the other, I wish I knew more about the general history of Britain, Ireland, Scotland and Wales and their development of mythology and literature before jumping into this book. You can definitely enjoy it and get a lot out of it without any preexisting knowledge on Celtic literature and mythology, but Williams truly deep dives into the cultural history and impact of these legends as well as the development of the tales that you would definitely get more out of it if you were already at least familiar with the characters and stories he explores. Even just having some sort of familiarity with the Celtic/Irish/Welsh languages you will have an easier time reading it for the pure fact that you won’t get all the names and characters mixed up like I did. There is a pronunciation guide at the back though, which was so incredibly helpful though, a good touch and very appreciated! Every now and then Williams made some really fascinating comparisons to other ancient literature, like the parallels between The Aeneid and Rome’s founding story and Britains founding story in Chapter Four titled ‘Brutus,’ as well as the comparison between the tale of Deirdriu in Chapter Nine (‘The Celtic Love Triangle’) and the structure and features of Greek tragedy.
“Once again we are reminded that what we call ‘Celtic mythology’ is not a pure substance handed down from the pagan past, but a rich amalgam that developed over centuries.” (213)
This quote really encapsulates the essence of William’s book - he is both introducing stories and characters that may or may not have been developed in the ‘pagan past,’ and aims to reconcile what we do know about it, how we know it, and how we came to think about these particular tales and characters in the modern day. Truly, this is a monumental task, and the sheer amount of information in this book is unfathomable.
The book itself is beautiful, with green foiling on the naked hardback and a beautifully designed dusk cover and end pages. It is also gotten with images, both coloured and black and white which is always a plus for me! There were a few grammatical errors in this book, and it’s not like, one time a word is misspelled which happens in most books - but at one point a character had her name spelt three different ways on one page. A couple of times it felt like words were missing, and there were sentences that seemed to be cut off and unfinished. These were scattered throughout the book and although overall it didn't affect my ability to understand what was going on, it just feels like it might have needed one more edit to pick up on these errors prior to publication.
“We must remember that these stories are not myths, though there is definite myth in them: they are medieval tales, written in medieval Irish for a medieval audience.” (252)
The Celtic Myths That Shape the Way We Think is now available to purchase, and I would recommend this book to those who are looking to really sink their teeth into the intricate and layered history of Celtic Mythology, it’s development, history and prevalence in modern day pop culture.
★★★☆☆.75 I was provided a copy of The Celtic Myths That Shape the Way We Think by Thames and Hudson.
The Celtic Myths That Shape the Way We Think by Mark Williams is a new look at the history and development of the tales at the centre of Celtic Mythology. Not only that, but he highlights the issues surrounding them, and ways in which they have been retold and reimagined for millennia. By the time the ‘Celtic myths’ were written down in the Middle Ages, not only were they already hundreds of years old, but were written after the influence of the Catholic Church. Williams works from the roots of these tales, he interrogates the sources in which we have drawn these legends and stories from, and unpacks the multiple meanings of, and the cultural impacts made by these legends.
It is clear that this book has been researched, developed and written by someone with an incredible depth of knowledge and understanding both of the languages he is working with, and the entire corpus of source material. One of the highlights of this book is the times in which Williams includes his own translations to the tales in focus, which will definitely help the lay reader (me). It is these times that it becomes clear that you are reading a book written by a person who could not be more qualified to do so, not to mentioned the translated snippets were so helpful for someone like me who isn’t familiar with the tales focussed on in the book. Williams takes you on a journey through Celtic mythology, with first introducing what Celtic mythology is (which is especially important given that the writings of Celtic mythology all come from the medieval ages, and the term ‘Celtic’ is a very broad term), and then dives into well known figures like Arthur and Merlin, and perhaps less well known figures like Branwen, Cú Chulainn and Blodeuwedd. As William puts it in his introduction to The Nature of Celtic Mythology:
“…for us, as for many heroes in Welsh and Irish tales, there is a fall of mist, and we find we have to enter an unfamiliar world with different rules.” (7)
I’m torn with this book, because on the one hand I really enjoyed reading it, but on the other, I wish I knew more about the general history of Britain, Ireland, Scotland and Wales and their development of mythology and literature before jumping into this book. You can definitely enjoy it and get a lot out of it without any preexisting knowledge on Celtic literature and mythology, but Williams truly deep dives into the cultural history and impact of these legends as well as the development of the tales that you would definitely get more out of it if you were already at least familiar with the characters and stories he explores. Even just having some sort of familiarity with the Celtic/Irish/Welsh languages you will have an easier time reading it for the pure fact that you won’t get all the names and characters mixed up like I did. There is a pronunciation guide at the back though, which was so incredibly helpful though, a good touch and very appreciated! Every now and then Williams made some really fascinating comparisons to other ancient literature, like the parallels between The Aeneid and Rome’s founding story and Britains founding story in Chapter Four titled ‘Brutus,’ as well as the comparison between the tale of Deirdriu in Chapter Nine (‘The Celtic Love Triangle’) and the structure and features of Greek tragedy.
“Once again we are reminded that what we call ‘Celtic mythology’ is not a pure substance handed down from the pagan past, but a rich amalgam that developed over centuries.” (213)
This quote really encapsulates the essence of William’s book - he is both introducing stories and characters that may or may not have been developed in the ‘pagan past,’ and aims to reconcile what we do know about it, how we know it, and how we came to think about these particular tales and characters in the modern day. Truly, this is a monumental task, and the sheer amount of information in this book is unfathomable.
The book itself is beautiful, with green foiling on the naked hardback and a beautifully designed dusk cover and end pages. It is also gotten with images, both coloured and black and white which is always a plus for me! There were a few grammatical errors in this book, and it’s not like, one time a word is misspelled which happens in most books - but at one point a character had her name spelt three different ways on one page. A couple of times it felt like words were missing, and there were sentences that seemed to be cut off and unfinished. These were scattered throughout the book and although overall it didn't affect my ability to understand what was going on, it just feels like it might have needed one more edit to pick up on these errors prior to publication.
“We must remember that these stories are not myths, though there is definite myth in them: they are medieval tales, written in medieval Irish for a medieval audience.” (252)
The Celtic Myths That Shape the Way We Think is now available to purchase, and I would recommend this book to those who are looking to really sink their teeth into the intricate and layered history of Celtic Mythology, it’s development, history and prevalence in modern day pop culture.
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December 11, 2023A brilliant look into ten Celtic myths and how they have inspired stories throughout history and how they could be tapped into and utilised to inspire stories for years to come.
A must read if you have an interest in Celtic mythology or if you are a creative looking for inspiration.
As Mark William’s finishes the book saying “It is time to reclaim the myths from the mists”
A must read if you have an interest in Celtic mythology or if you are a creative looking for inspiration.
As Mark William’s finishes the book saying “It is time to reclaim the myths from the mists”
August 28, 2025
Read after the author's previous book, Ireland's Immortals: A History of the Gods of Irish Myth. In my review of that previous book I complained at Williams leaving out folk memory and fairy-stories from his sources; it became clear from this book that the reason Williams leaves out fairy-stories is because he is really only interested in medieval literature. Unfortunately, the broader ‘brief’ of this book exposes the author's limitations limitations. When it comes to folktales, for example, Williams has to explicitly admit that the oral-tale afterlife of Fionn and the fianna is incredibly rich; but he then proceeds to tell us almost nothing about this oral material, except to mention the Giant’s Causeway story that everyone already knows—no matter that this oral material really did ‘shape the way we think’. I take it that Williams, a scholar of literature, just doesn’t know enough about the oral tradition to write about it. But, worse, his narrow expertise in medieval literature leaves him on unsure ground when it comes to modern Irish culture, which he does try to write about. He discusses Fionn’s cultural afterlife without mentioning nineteenth-century Fenianism, and acts as if the most important modern work adapting the character of Suibhne is Neil Gaiman’s American Gods: is it possible he just doesn’t know that At Swim-Two-Birds exists?
January 1, 2023
This was a super interesting read!
The authors takes its readers into a journey of discovering famous Irish myths that we take for granted, call "Celtic" and believe they are very old, stories that we don't question much. But to discover them at their source, the source that survived (and they are very few compared to other regions) and that we can draw information from. A lot of these myths are retellings from Christian centuries, a lot have been transformed and filled by romantic poets so it was very enlightening to see glimpses of the true Celtic tales, and the author does a splendid work of connecting them with other mythologies, showing the political aspects of them and how, truly, as the title goes, they shaped the way we think.
More than being a very interesting, insightful and complex work, the book in itself is beautiful, with glossy visuals that create a complete picture for the references presented.
The authors takes its readers into a journey of discovering famous Irish myths that we take for granted, call "Celtic" and believe they are very old, stories that we don't question much. But to discover them at their source, the source that survived (and they are very few compared to other regions) and that we can draw information from. A lot of these myths are retellings from Christian centuries, a lot have been transformed and filled by romantic poets so it was very enlightening to see glimpses of the true Celtic tales, and the author does a splendid work of connecting them with other mythologies, showing the political aspects of them and how, truly, as the title goes, they shaped the way we think.
More than being a very interesting, insightful and complex work, the book in itself is beautiful, with glossy visuals that create a complete picture for the references presented.
June 10, 2025
Отличная книга, в которой автор излагает основные сюжеты мифологии кельтов, а также исследует, что из того, что дошло до нашего времени, является отголосками древней системы мифов, а что более поздними, уже средневековыми вставками.
В отличие от предыдущей книги того же автора (“Ireland's Immortals”) здесь более широкий набор сюжетов, а изложение более простое, без тысяч перекрёстных ссылок.
Хотелось бы также отметить множество отсылок к современной культуре — фильмам и книгам, где используются те или иные сюжеты и персонажи, вдохновлённые мифологией кельтов. Также у автора замечательное, ненавязчивое и тонкое чувство юмора. Он шутит, но делает это уместно и очень уважительно по отношению мифам.
Также несомненный плюс книги — великолепные иллюстрации, включающие работы таких мастеров, как Алан Ли (художник в серии фильмов «Властелин колец» и «Хоббит» Питера Джексона).
Рекомендую всем любителям мифологии.
В отличие от предыдущей книги того же автора (“Ireland's Immortals”) здесь более широкий набор сюжетов, а изложение более простое, без тысяч перекрёстных ссылок.
Хотелось бы также отметить множество отсылок к современной культуре — фильмам и книгам, где используются те или иные сюжеты и персонажи, вдохновлённые мифологией кельтов. Также у автора замечательное, ненавязчивое и тонкое чувство юмора. Он шутит, но делает это уместно и очень уважительно по отношению мифам.
Также несомненный плюс книги — великолепные иллюстрации, включающие работы таких мастеров, как Алан Ли (художник в серии фильмов «Властелин колец» и «Хоббит» Питера Джексона).
Рекомендую всем любителям мифологии.
November 14, 2021
O livro é de linguagem mega acessível e se propõe ser uma bela introdução ao tema dos usos e recepções dos mitos e lendas presentes na literatura céltica.
De fato, cumpre a proposta. Mark Williams demonstra um belo poder de síntese e consegue conectar alguns temas acadêmicos de forma leve, com exemplos contemporâneos da recepção do celtismo.
Para além disso, o livro não demanda nenhum conhecimento prévio, até porque não se pretende acadêmico e não perde tempo com maiores referências e citações. Se você está acostumado com os estudos célticos vai saber de onde saíram às ideias abordadas.
Claro que mesmo assim Williams deixa seu próprio ponto de vista sobre os usos contemporâneos dos elementos irlandeses e galeses no seu texto, alguns deles controversos.
Independente disso, é um excelente livro que indica caminhos bem assertivos dentro dos estudos célticos.
De fato, cumpre a proposta. Mark Williams demonstra um belo poder de síntese e consegue conectar alguns temas acadêmicos de forma leve, com exemplos contemporâneos da recepção do celtismo.
Para além disso, o livro não demanda nenhum conhecimento prévio, até porque não se pretende acadêmico e não perde tempo com maiores referências e citações. Se você está acostumado com os estudos célticos vai saber de onde saíram às ideias abordadas.
Claro que mesmo assim Williams deixa seu próprio ponto de vista sobre os usos contemporâneos dos elementos irlandeses e galeses no seu texto, alguns deles controversos.
Independente disso, é um excelente livro que indica caminhos bem assertivos dentro dos estudos célticos.
March 1, 2025
This book goes directly to the earliest sources to unravel the world of the Celts.
The scholarly angle of focusing on the earliest sources works so well because the sources are so vastly different to our modern day reinterpretations and the author unpacks them with great insights.
It was also refreshing that the author didn't criticize Christianity;
"But enthusiasts for Celtic myth - buoyed aloft on the pure oxygen of romantic fantasy - went further by adding a countercultural element. They tended to think that pagan myth held the secret of a system of profound religious wisdom, corrective and superior to Christianity"
He also gave credit to the Christian monks who actually took the time to record these stories.
4 stars.
The scholarly angle of focusing on the earliest sources works so well because the sources are so vastly different to our modern day reinterpretations and the author unpacks them with great insights.
It was also refreshing that the author didn't criticize Christianity;
"But enthusiasts for Celtic myth - buoyed aloft on the pure oxygen of romantic fantasy - went further by adding a countercultural element. They tended to think that pagan myth held the secret of a system of profound religious wisdom, corrective and superior to Christianity"
He also gave credit to the Christian monks who actually took the time to record these stories.
4 stars.
June 23, 2025
This reads like my Arthurian Legend professor from undergrad wrote it in the descriptions of correct interpretations of mythology and in the description of King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017) as dire. (My professor showed us the trailer and laughed at it.) Okay, cool, y'all are fancy scholars and aren't into video games, soundtracks with bass, or action movies. The rest of us will have fun because y'all can't. Best of luck 😔🙏
March 19, 2022
Essy to follow & insightful. Very much enjoyed it! A good introduction.
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September 9, 2022Started, abandoned. Too technical for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 14, 2023
Overall a bit dry of a read. The author tries for an accessable work but fails a bit.
September 21, 2023
Great book, uses lots of references to explain different views and takes of the same stories, and has wonderful images to help show specific details of the tales.
December 16, 2023
Informative, lively, and entertaining, Williams deftly tackles the many problems of "a Celtic mythology" (namely, that there isn't one, but MANY).
August 19, 2024
Engaging and creative
November 29, 2024
I love Dr Mark Williams's scholarship so much and for a good reason. This is one of the best books on Irish myths I have ever read.
March 16, 2025
Whooo i fucking love celtic history and mythology <3
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July 31, 2025Picked this up on a whim, and it far exceeded expectations. It’s an excellent and entertaining introduction to Welsh and Irish legends, mostly based on medieval epics.
July 17, 2023
A very fine book, which dispels the magic of Celtic mythology, legends and fairy tales, without spoiling it. Williams goes back to the source material, the oldest Celtic (mostly Irish and Welsh) texts and investigates the way those stories are received, understood, investigated, interpreted, reimagined and reworked over time and how they made their way into our collective body of tales and knowledge. Having studied Celtic languages in university, it came as no surprise that everything people claim to “know” about the Celts and their stories has a very shaky basis in the old texts at best. Even speaking of “the Celts” as a single cultural body is wrong.
Williams discusses druids, fairies, year-kings, annual festivals and more, showing that all these time-honoured traditions are at most two centuries old (and usually significantly less). He makes it clear that those mysterious Celts, veiled behind the mists of time, were just men and women, loving, fighting, eating, drinking, having sex, waging wars, telling tales, being petty and honourable, powerful and unlucky, strong and weak. They were no more spiritual than us. In fact many stories emphasise the gritty, hard times when life was cheap and easily lost or taken. No Galadriels showing mystic visions of the future in the ancient sagas. However, the stories can be difficult to understand, have been transmitted in fragmented and isolated ways and contain very odd elements, leaving much room for all kinds of interpretations and readings.
It would have been easy to ridicule the self-termed “ancient druids”, prancing around at Stonehenge at the equinox as being slightly crazy. Williams, thankfully, chooses a different route. He explains how and when these rituals came into being, how they connect to older and younger tales and how they are of value in different ways. Even a completely misunderstood element of ancient cultures can have value in his own right. The most misguided writer can still write a good tale, even if they had no idea of the original tales and were writing within their own frame or with their own political, financial or spiritual agenda. He shows how the ancient Irish and Welsh stories are a rich well of material that have spawned many, many different, beautiful children. But he also, rightfully, argues that it is worth your while to delve into the stories proper. They are interesting, rich, diverse and gripping as they are. They may need a bit of explaining, which is to be expected of a 1500 year old text, but with a little effort a fascinating world opens for you. Williams gives modern editions and translations for each text he mentions, so there is no excuse: read about Branwen, Deirdriu, Cu Chulainn and Finn, not through anyone else’s lens, but as they were written in their oldest, original forms.
Williams discusses druids, fairies, year-kings, annual festivals and more, showing that all these time-honoured traditions are at most two centuries old (and usually significantly less). He makes it clear that those mysterious Celts, veiled behind the mists of time, were just men and women, loving, fighting, eating, drinking, having sex, waging wars, telling tales, being petty and honourable, powerful and unlucky, strong and weak. They were no more spiritual than us. In fact many stories emphasise the gritty, hard times when life was cheap and easily lost or taken. No Galadriels showing mystic visions of the future in the ancient sagas. However, the stories can be difficult to understand, have been transmitted in fragmented and isolated ways and contain very odd elements, leaving much room for all kinds of interpretations and readings.
It would have been easy to ridicule the self-termed “ancient druids”, prancing around at Stonehenge at the equinox as being slightly crazy. Williams, thankfully, chooses a different route. He explains how and when these rituals came into being, how they connect to older and younger tales and how they are of value in different ways. Even a completely misunderstood element of ancient cultures can have value in his own right. The most misguided writer can still write a good tale, even if they had no idea of the original tales and were writing within their own frame or with their own political, financial or spiritual agenda. He shows how the ancient Irish and Welsh stories are a rich well of material that have spawned many, many different, beautiful children. But he also, rightfully, argues that it is worth your while to delve into the stories proper. They are interesting, rich, diverse and gripping as they are. They may need a bit of explaining, which is to be expected of a 1500 year old text, but with a little effort a fascinating world opens for you. Williams gives modern editions and translations for each text he mentions, so there is no excuse: read about Branwen, Deirdriu, Cu Chulainn and Finn, not through anyone else’s lens, but as they were written in their oldest, original forms.
December 4, 2023
An excellent book, covering a broad subject area with nuance and colour. There is a small blemish which is a rather strange commentary on Patrick Pearse—I don't think the author meant to equate homosexuality with predatory behaviour, but maybe that section could have done with the editor's closer scrutiny.
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