The Druids [FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING]

Ellis, Peter Berresford

Verlag: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1995

Beschreibung

As new condition blue boards with gold spine lettering contained in an as new condition color photographic dust jacket. Includes Author Dedication; Preliminary Page Poem; List of Illustrations; Introduction: Identifying the Druids; Select Bibliography; and Index. Illustrated with a section of black-and-white photographic plates. "Readable and well-researched . A useful guide to those who wish to learn more." -- Count Nikolai Tolstoy in Times Higher Education Supplement. "Finally, a book that separates fact from mythology, telling us what we can and cannot know about the ancient Druids. This remarkable book by a leading historian of the Celts offers much for the academician as well as the general reader. Fascinating reading!" -- Joseph A. King, author. "The Druids penetrates the veil of fiction and folklore by painting a compelling picture of a central aspect of Celtic society that has been shrouded in mystery for centuries. The author's insights are extremely fresh, based on impeccable scholarship, and presented in an engaging style certain to interest readers from all backgrounds. Once again Peter Berresford Ellis has made an invaluable contribution to Celtic studies." -- Peter Cherici, author. "A thoughtful, comprehensive, and highly informative study that corrects many of the ill-founded theories propagated concerning the Druids. It is one of the best books available on the topic. Ellis approaches his subject with realism, respect, and impeccable scholarship, providing a balanced view not only of the Druids but of Celtic society and achievements in general. His book will be equally valuable to the scholar and the interested reader." -- Glenys Goetinck, author. "Shrouded in legend and lore for centuries, the mysterious lives of the ancient Druids continue to invoke fascination to this day. The various interpretations of the Druids range from images of white-clad priests who practiced human sacrifice and forecast the future from human entrails to portraits of them as the intelligentsia of ancient Celtic society. Yet the fascination that the Druids continue to exert appears almost in inverse proportion to what is actually known about them. In this compelling and highly reliable study of the Druids, respected Celtic scholar Peter Berresford Ellis sifts through the historical evidence and, with reference to the latest archaeological and etymological findings, gives the first authentic account of who the mysterious Druids were and what role they played in Celtic society. The Druids emerge as the intellectual caste of ancient Celtic society. They were the doctors, the lawyers, the ambassadors, the advisers to kings. They also had a religious function. Ellis describes the special Druidic training, their philosophy, their belief in auguries, and their intriguing origins. He also shows that the current "New Age" image of the Druids as benevolent wizards comes from a woefully inadequate interpretation of the facts. "An authoritative study of a historic people whose influence spans many countries and cultures." -- Irish World. "Ellis's agruments are sensible and convincing, and his chapter on the wisdom of the Druids is the highlight of book." -- Colin Wilson, London Evening Standard. "The making of history -- the painstaking construction of a valid understanding [of the Druids] -- comes alive in this book." -- Focus. Bestandsnummer des Verkäufers 006569

Bibliografische Details

Titel: The Druids [FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING]

Verlag: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Erscheinungsdatum: 1995

Einband: Hardcover

Zustand: As New

Zustand des Schutzumschlags: As New

Auflage: 1st Edition