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English Myths: From King Arthur and the Holy Grail to George and the Dragon
English Myths is an accessible, entertaining, and highly informative exploration of the fascinating mythology underlying one of the world's oldest and most influential cultures.
The mythology and folklore of England is as old as the land itself, rich in symbolism and full of tales of quests and heroic derring-do, ghosts and witches, romantic heroines, and noble outlaws. Who hasn't heard of the master sorcerer Merlin, Robin Hood and his merry men, or the legendary monster Grendel? Beginning with the great Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf , English Myths explores the early legends of post-Roman England, many of which blend history and fantasy. The book goes on to examine the rich seam of Arthurian and romantic legends first told in the medieval era, before looking at English folk heroes and the beasts, witches, and ghosts that have haunted the land. Discover the brothers Hengist and Horsa, legendary leaders of the first Angles, Saxons, and Jutes to settle in England. Learn the tragic story of Cornish hero Tristan and his love for the Irish princess Iseult. Tremble at the Black Dog ghost, a nocturnal hellhound found stalking the country from Suffolk in the east to Devon in the west, and enjoy the tale of George and the dragon, who saved the nation from a rampaging serpent and became the country's patron saint.
The mythology and folklore of England is as old as the land itself, rich in symbolism and full of tales of quests and heroic derring-do, ghosts and witches, romantic heroines, and noble outlaws. Who hasn't heard of the master sorcerer Merlin, Robin Hood and his merry men, or the legendary monster Grendel? Beginning with the great Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf , English Myths explores the early legends of post-Roman England, many of which blend history and fantasy. The book goes on to examine the rich seam of Arthurian and romantic legends first told in the medieval era, before looking at English folk heroes and the beasts, witches, and ghosts that have haunted the land. Discover the brothers Hengist and Horsa, legendary leaders of the first Angles, Saxons, and Jutes to settle in England. Learn the tragic story of Cornish hero Tristan and his love for the Irish princess Iseult. Tremble at the Black Dog ghost, a nocturnal hellhound found stalking the country from Suffolk in the east to Devon in the west, and enjoy the tale of George and the dragon, who saved the nation from a rampaging serpent and became the country's patron saint.
224 pages, Hardcover
Published July 14, 2022
5 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Michael Kerrigan
174 books21 followersMichael Kerrigan is a seasoned freelance writer and editor with over thirty years of experience across a wide spectrum of publishing work, from advertising and catalogue copy to book blurbs and specialist nonfiction. A prolific author, he has written around sixty full-length books on subjects ranging from ancient warfare and Slavic myth to modern architecture and the science of consciousness, all aimed at a general readership. He contributed a weekly Books in Brief column to The Scotsman for two decades and has reviewed extensively for the Times Literary Supplement, The Guardian, and Financial Times.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 27, 2022
England. Michael Kerrigan’s English Myths, From King Arthur and The Holy Grail to George and The Dragon covers all the dynamic ‘mythology and folklore’ of England from Anglo-Saxon epic, Beowulf, to modern J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. I so enjoyed reading this book as many of the stories, myths, or legends, I taught as part of my British Literature curriculum to high school students. As the Celts did not put their culture to paper but used word of mouth transition, when the Celt culture was finally written is was by Irish monks, Christianity had entered The British Isles. That being said the author presents England’s first epic poem, Beowulf, “the greatest poem of the Anglo-Saxon age.” Beowulf though not set in England presents the attributes an English leader should possess. Beowulf is a hero who fights evil in the form of the monster, Grendel-a really ugly monster who attacks King Hygelac’s hall and eats his warriors, but Beowulf ultimately defeats him and his monster mom. Then the Vikings invade England bringing their own pagan myths. Then in medieval times chivalry became all important. The Battle of Mount Badon stops the Anglo-Saxons. Arthur Pendragon leads the Britons to victory. “Nine hundred fell by his hand alone,….” King Arthur, his knights, and the Round Table are well-known and continue to be. Gawain and the Green Knight, a tale of courtly love, an ‘anonymous poem’, is also presented. “England’s identity was forged in deeds of derringer-do.” Additional myths found here are Lady Godiva, Tristan and Yseult, Galahad and the Holy Grail. All myths are accompanied by the beauteous paintings of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and other great paintings. Robin Hood makes a solid appearance showing how Robin and his crew change with the times, but there is much much more. Informative! Entertaining! Beautifully presented! 5 glorious stars!
June 10, 2022
From Beowulf, King Arthur, Robin Hood, through pixies and fairies to lesser known characters like Spring-heeled Jack, this is an engaging and thorough look at English myth. Beautifully illustrated throughout as well. An excellent read for somebody like me who enjoys mythology and especially Arthurian stuff.
June 23, 2022
It was so interesting to learn about the different stories in English mythology. I enjoyed seeing all the pictures in tandem with the origins/facts about the different times in British history. We saw fairies, King Arthur, Robin Hood and even saints. I liked how it was all put together and created a culture in a snapshot. This book is not in-depth but that would be impossible with only 225 pages. I am appreciative of the view I got and I am curious to read more now.
I received an arc via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
I received an arc via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
June 3, 2022
English Myths covers the history and what is known about eight English myths or legends. It contains beautiful illustrations including art, photos of artifacts and landscapes illustrating the stories being discussed. My favorites which I knew the most about were Arthurian Legend, Beowulf and Robin Hood. The writer is a freelance writer and not an historian. But he is the writer for many historical non-fiction photo books. The photos added a lot to the telling of the story and have a blurb saying what is being shown. But I was disappointed that paintings and artifacts were not identified as to the where they can be seen. For example The Lady of Shallot can be seen at the Tate Museum in London.
This is the kind of book I can easily imagine in public libraries or for someone who really wants to know about the topic. But I didn’t find it as easily readable as Chernobyl, the last book I read by the author. It is geared toward adult and not school age teens. Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd. for a temporary eARC in exchange for an honest review.
(3.5 stars)
This is the kind of book I can easily imagine in public libraries or for someone who really wants to know about the topic. But I didn’t find it as easily readable as Chernobyl, the last book I read by the author. It is geared toward adult and not school age teens. Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd. for a temporary eARC in exchange for an honest review.
(3.5 stars)
March 21, 2023
Read like a text book at times but hey I’m a nerd.
November 10, 2024
Light read and entertaining. It was confusing at times mixing the English historical narrative with the mythology.
June 29, 2022
A perfectly readable and highly pictorial telling of a story I didn't expect to read. I clicked on this expecting it to be a compilation of legends – Robin Hood, the Green Man, Arthur and the sword etc etc, but no – this is a history of English/British belief. So we have the neolithic ideas, which we have no firm knowledge of except for all the people of similar ilk thinking similar things, and deciding in their own similar ways how the world was born, how it got flooded, what the seasons mean etc. We have the Celts, and wherever and however they came about we know just as little, and the Romans with their habit of bringing their variation on Greek myth and mixing it up big time with what they found here, before the first documents belatedly tell us of the encroachment of the Anglo-Saxons, Hengist and Horsa principally.
We finally, at about the quarter mark, hit a fictional/mythic narrative – that of the earliest we know of, Beowulf. Now, none of this is to say that this is wrong or unwanted – it has just as much merit as the legends themselves. Much like it's of benefit to know what the temples looked like and how the people in them operated while they worshipped the Greek gods, it's of merit here to know who the Brits were as well as what they were telling each other. Reading around the myth is just as entertaining as the myths themselves, too, on this evidence.
Hence we not only get the Arthurian legends, in higgledy-piggledy fashion as befits the number of authors of what we might think of as the whole thing, but how people like William Morris and Tennyson responded to it. We get the Chartist reaction to Robin Hood when he crops up, too. And we even get a potted history of our thinking about fairies, before closing with more arcane thought – from witch-hunts to Spring-Heeled Jack.
Visually, this is as superb as this publisher's better pictorial efforts, even if at times the imagery is a little out of alignment with the written information. Elsewhere, the habit of dropping pull quotes into a margin to enliven the page where no artwork is available is a tad annoying and unnecessary. Box-outs convey more knowledge where possible, and the whole is a real feast of a book to scan, what with those and the captions. You can easily be here for longer than you intended, despite or because of it not being what you thought you'd signed up for. Four and a half stars.
We finally, at about the quarter mark, hit a fictional/mythic narrative – that of the earliest we know of, Beowulf. Now, none of this is to say that this is wrong or unwanted – it has just as much merit as the legends themselves. Much like it's of benefit to know what the temples looked like and how the people in them operated while they worshipped the Greek gods, it's of merit here to know who the Brits were as well as what they were telling each other. Reading around the myth is just as entertaining as the myths themselves, too, on this evidence.
Hence we not only get the Arthurian legends, in higgledy-piggledy fashion as befits the number of authors of what we might think of as the whole thing, but how people like William Morris and Tennyson responded to it. We get the Chartist reaction to Robin Hood when he crops up, too. And we even get a potted history of our thinking about fairies, before closing with more arcane thought – from witch-hunts to Spring-Heeled Jack.
Visually, this is as superb as this publisher's better pictorial efforts, even if at times the imagery is a little out of alignment with the written information. Elsewhere, the habit of dropping pull quotes into a margin to enliven the page where no artwork is available is a tad annoying and unnecessary. Box-outs convey more knowledge where possible, and the whole is a real feast of a book to scan, what with those and the captions. You can easily be here for longer than you intended, despite or because of it not being what you thought you'd signed up for. Four and a half stars.
May 23, 2022
English Myths: From King Arthur and the Holy Grail to George and the Dragon is the thorough volume covering eight major legends from the history of England. The book is full of helpful illustrations, maps, and works of art pertaining to the different myths.
The author explains how most of what is known about the Anglo-Saxons is spotty so scholars and writers alike filled in the gaps with mythology. The introduction gives a brief history and cultural climate of early England as a basis for the birth of these legends.
Overall, anyone who enjoys reading about mythology or legends from different cultures will find this to be an interesting book. It is also a great jumping off point if you are interested in one particular story as a reference. English Myths is well suited to any upper grades or home library.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd!
The author explains how most of what is known about the Anglo-Saxons is spotty so scholars and writers alike filled in the gaps with mythology. The introduction gives a brief history and cultural climate of early England as a basis for the birth of these legends.
Overall, anyone who enjoys reading about mythology or legends from different cultures will find this to be an interesting book. It is also a great jumping off point if you are interested in one particular story as a reference. English Myths is well suited to any upper grades or home library.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Amber Books Ltd!
June 16, 2022
English Myths by Michael Kerrigan is a very good overview of the myths and legends of England. The major groupings are explored and there is a wealth of wonderful illustrations.
The writing is good and the reader is taken from whatever part of each legend might be grounded in actual events into how the myths spoke to different aspects of the society over time.
The only complaint I have, and it isn't a major one, is the absence of a bibliography of any type. That is just something I find useful in books for a wide readership to compensate for not going into a lot of detail. That said, anything that interests a reader can easily be researched using the names and titles in the text of the book. So not a big deal.
I would recommend this to readers who want an attractive overview of English mythology and legend. Whether as an introduction or as a refresher, the book should satisfy.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
The writing is good and the reader is taken from whatever part of each legend might be grounded in actual events into how the myths spoke to different aspects of the society over time.
The only complaint I have, and it isn't a major one, is the absence of a bibliography of any type. That is just something I find useful in books for a wide readership to compensate for not going into a lot of detail. That said, anything that interests a reader can easily be researched using the names and titles in the text of the book. So not a big deal.
I would recommend this to readers who want an attractive overview of English mythology and legend. Whether as an introduction or as a refresher, the book should satisfy.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
July 26, 2022
There have been plenty of books about Greek and Norse myths and legends. There are even many about the Romans. But it's not often I've come across one about English myths that goes into much detail. This was a lovely book that covered the expected well-known myths and some that are not so well known too. The book is well-illustrated and is presented in a way that the reader can randomly open the book and delve into the material. That said, it benefits the reader to read the introduction first. Historical context is provided in the introduction, giving the reader a better understanding of where the stories come from. This is very much a volume aimed at mainstream audiences and is easy to read.
Overall, I give this 3.5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and Amber Books for this advanced reader copy. This review has been provided voluntarily.
Overall, I give this 3.5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and Amber Books for this advanced reader copy. This review has been provided voluntarily.
May 21, 2022
From Horus to Celtic conquerors and the defeated Romans English nits is a plethera of interesting stories. I loved reading myths to my children as they grew up. I only wish I had had this book then but I will definitely share this with my grandchildren. Stories like these always have a moral compass in them and I love sharing and discussing them with my children and grandchildren. This is a book I highly recommend even if you want to keep it for yourself it is so interesting and tells a lot about the country the Mets are from. I was given this book by Net Gally but I am leaving this review voluntarily. Please forgive any grammar or punctuation errors as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own.
June 6, 2022
"English Myths" by Michael Kerrigan is a well written overview of the history and fascinating tales that have come out of the UK, along with over 180 illustrations that fuel the imagination. It was pleasurable to read summaries of well known tales about Beowulf, Robin Hood, and King Arthur and his knights, and even Tom Thumb. Less well known tales of invaders, romance, daring, betrayal, ghosts, fairies, and other monsters were also a treat. I should not have been surprised that the the final chapter included well deserved modern classics by J.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. But it rounded off the collection very nicely.
This was a fun read. I thank Amber Books and Michael Kerrigan for kindly providing a temporary electronic review copy of this work.
This was a fun read. I thank Amber Books and Michael Kerrigan for kindly providing a temporary electronic review copy of this work.
May 14, 2022
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you so much Amber Books Ltd and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.
I am someone with some knowledge of English Myth, stronger in some areas than others. I found this to be a very readable and accessible intro to English Myth.
The author wrote engagingly and made the subject easily digestible. This would be perfect for those who are just starting to learn about English Myth or want to improve the knowledge they may already have. I think this would be an excellent addition to school and public libraries. The images also helped to place and contextualise the text.
Thank you so much Amber Books Ltd and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.
I am someone with some knowledge of English Myth, stronger in some areas than others. I found this to be a very readable and accessible intro to English Myth.
The author wrote engagingly and made the subject easily digestible. This would be perfect for those who are just starting to learn about English Myth or want to improve the knowledge they may already have. I think this would be an excellent addition to school and public libraries. The images also helped to place and contextualise the text.
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June 8, 2022I read this as an ARC from Netgalley.com.
English Myths by Michael Kerrigan was lovely to read. He summarized each myth and then discussed possible historical origins, as well as actual happenings of the time. Beowulf, King Arthur, chivalrous knights, Robin Hood, faeries, and beasts all were discussed.
I found the writing to be very engaging and there were plenty of beautiful full page illustrations dispersed throughout the book. Definitely check this book out if you're interested in mythology or English history.
English Myths by Michael Kerrigan was lovely to read. He summarized each myth and then discussed possible historical origins, as well as actual happenings of the time. Beowulf, King Arthur, chivalrous knights, Robin Hood, faeries, and beasts all were discussed.
I found the writing to be very engaging and there were plenty of beautiful full page illustrations dispersed throughout the book. Definitely check this book out if you're interested in mythology or English history.
August 3, 2022
A great book for reference or just pure interest, English myths is a highly entertaining book detailing almost all of the myths and legends connected to England through the ages. The author is confident in his knowledge of his subjects and writes with a light hand. This book contains lovely illustrations which would appeal to all ages and levels of interest, I loved the experience of reading this book and would be happy to buy this for a friend and will be buying for myself too. Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and Michael for a great read
June 6, 2022
This was an interesting book! Each myth is carefully explained, going through the story itself, then the historical, or mostly historical background. I enjoyed reading through these, from Beowulf, to Robin Hood, Arthur, and even Lord of the Rings - there are quite a few different tales and myths woven through the pages of this book,
Great weekend read for those looking for something with a little weight to it, and a bit of storytelling pieced through as well,
Great weekend read for those looking for something with a little weight to it, and a bit of storytelling pieced through as well,
November 7, 2024
Kdo očekává mytologické vyprávění ve stylu Eduarda Petišky nebo i Stephena Frye bude zklamaný. Jedná se o literaturu faktu, která v hrubých obrysech vykresluje nejranější dějiny Británie a vysvětluje, proč velkou část z nich známe jenom z mýtů. Ty jsou tady popisovány, ne vyprávěny. Takže takové ani ryba, ani rak. Obrazová příloha je ale krásná.
July 6, 2022
A beautifully illustrated and comprenshive excursus of the English Myth. Some are well know, are were an interesting discovery.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
June 10, 2022
This was such an interesting read that combined both history and myth. It was a read that was full of facts but also didn't feel to heavy. Really enjoyable read.
July 29, 2023
3.75/5 stars
January 21, 2025
While not heavy on the actual telling of myths, this book has a wonderful level of context for them and the time they originated in.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews