Myths & Legends of the Celtic Race

I liked with all the myths of from all over of the UK. It was fast and easy with the notes

This is one of the most complete and successfully succinct surveys of Celtic myth I have ever seen compiled all in one volume. It's easily readable and despite its academic nature, it's pretty entertaining. It covers not only detailed overviews of all the major legends, myths, mythological cycles (and more) from nearly all Celtic cultures (from the UK, Ireland, AND throughout Europe and beyond), BUT it also covers the history of the Celts, tracing their cultures back to their pro-Indo-European roots. It also covers the ancient Celtic connection to the neolithic peoples that first inhabited western Europe.Some interesting stuff, and even though this book was written in the early 1900s, despite some outdated research, much of it is still fairly valid info.The best thing of course, is the myth and legend. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more complete collection of all the stories of the Celts. Not only is the Irish mythology very complete (which believe me, is hard to find a complete collection everywhere--because there's an awful lot!), but there's a great collection of myth from all the other Celtic cultures, i.e., Wales, Brittany, etc. There's even a section on the origins of the Aurthurian legends, and a good one at that. It's hard to find such good stuff all in one place.I like the fact that, rather than displaying each myth word for word (which would take volumes and volumes of reading), the author just gives a succinct, but detailed, overview of each story. It's like reading the Sparks Notes. He really helps describe each story in a way that explains WHY the stories are significant. He puts everything in context, which just makes it all the more entertaining.Thanks for reading my happy rant, but being a lifelong student of all things Celtic, this book made my day so much that I bought a printed version of it pass on to my son when he's old enough. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about Celtic culture, heritage, history, myth, and beliefs.

I was hoping to find Myths and Legends, not a scholarly discourse about the origins and history of the Celts from the start (or as near the start as anyone can ascertain). Is their history a myth or legend? I wouldn't have thought so, unless you might consider the retelling of it as anecdotal and, by extension, legend, which can easily become myth. After three chapters of such history, I lost interest. That I should have read that far is only an indicator of hope on my part that the book might, eventually, become relevant to its title.After a few weeks, I picked up the book again and found not only the telling of the Myths and Legends I had expected, but explanations of them that I hadn't dared to hope for. I am, of course, still confused by it, as I am by most myths and legends from other sources, but that's just me. A few years from now, I'll likely have an awakening and understand more of it. I'm glad I returned to reading the book, and have enjoyed it very much.

Having Studied the Mabinogi, several Authurian Sagas, and many other myth books and collections, I found this to be one for a scholarly study of the past and a glimpse into the Celtic myth cycle. There is a lot of historical data and a lot of research in this one volume one rarely finds in modern books attempting the same subject. I would consider it a text book for launching a detail study of these myths and literature as the references are astounding. One can see how the turn on the Century and Mid Century Writers took great pains to study their subject, study myths and legends before setting ink to paper. The additional comments about culture, the waves of immigration and cultural context of the matter is nicely done to accompany the text of the stories and myths. Some of the stories material is presented in brief summations instead of a full text, but that is done to save time and did not distract from the overall intent of the book.

Purely as a book to read for entertainment it is not great maybe a 2-3 star book. But as window into the Irish peoples struggle to remember who they are and where they came from and more important to take pride in there heritage the book becomes very interesting. Mr. Rolleston's anthropology lessons include some large leaps, and his condescending view of Welsh and Scott Celts for being more diluted than the purer Irish seem to undermine his stated purpose of the volume. I think his real point was if the Irish don't save Celtdom no one else can, and without that heritage the Irish would become another island of conquered Brits.

I found this to be an excellent introduction to Celtic myth and legend. There are still some loose ends with the mythology, but this was still very helpful (and it could just be the loose ends are lost to obscurity). I would say the mythology is mostly centered on Ireland, whereas the legends are split between Ireland (Ulster Cycle and Fenian Cycle) and Wales (the Mabinogion includes the Mabinogion proper and extra material with some early Arthurian lore). There wasn't as much on Scotland or more exotic "Celtic" territory, but it was interesting to read about the origins of Arthurian legend and the role played by Brittany in France.

Wow, lots of information that was not easy absorb, very good historical research

I loved this book. The legends et cetera, were very interesting. But I didn't pay much attention to the history bits. Other than that it was quite a cool book. I've always been very interested in Celtic myths and this book gave me a few to chew on.

"Myths & Legends of the Celtic Race" von T. W. Rolleston ist eine herausragende Sammlung keltischer Mythen und Legenden. Mit seiner fesselnden Erzählweise, der sorgfältigen Auswahl und dem historischen Kontext bietet dieses Buch eine unvergleichliche Reise in die Welt der keltischen Kultur und Spiritualität. Für jeden, der sich für Mythen und Legenden oder die faszinierende keltische Geschichte interessiert, ist dieses Buch eine absolute Empfehlung.

Thomas William Rolleston has presented the reader with a chunk of a taster into Celtic Mythology. With such a vast amount to cover, he has highlighted a selection of Myths/legends focusing predominantly on the early Irish books and the later Welsh Celtic series. The on going debate of what is historical and what is mythical has never been answered, but there are reasonable explanations/theories how or why both sides of the coin have become intermingled. He touches upon an enormous range from the Ulster cycle to the Cymraeg saga's and highlights significant differences between style and cultural aspects of both, and the interesting theory why pre-believed legend King Arthur may have well generated from Brittany in France at a much later period, and not originated in Welsh tradition. For somebody wishing to have an overview of Celtic myths and legends both as historical and fictional, this would be ideal. If the reader just wishes for myths in the form of stories only, there are other books which cover a broader variety of such works. Again, if you seek historical fact and theory alone, this work presents some of the main themes, but not them all. Over all I found it a very enjoyable read with interesting ideas woven competently throughout.A good stepping stone into the pool of Celtic myths and legends

A very good book for those interested in Celtic Myth and Legend. Useful for students, druids, witches and many others wh have a great interest in the Celtic Nations history. Excellent!

Some of the historical references are a little wild, and I guess some of the Celtic lineage, but as a first timer I thought the myths, especially the early Irish, were fascinating. He understandably, both in terms of his own Irish ancestry and the amount of written legends he has to draw upon, devotes more space to the Irish than the Welsh myths, but a good read for all that.Will have to read again if much of it is to stick.

I have read this many times in paper form, but this version allies me to have a reference copy always to hand. One of my favourite books, a little old fashioned, but I am not young.