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Customer Reviews (2)

Great read.
If you are interested in Neo-Druidry please stop reading this review and go read the book.You're still here go read it.














Why are you still here?

Overview of Druidry, ancient, not-so ancient and modern...
Review from October 20, 2004:
According to the author, he started off doing a new edition of "The Elements of the Druid Tradition", but ended up with a (mostly) new book, so some of this may be familiar.

What does this book cover?
A basic history of Druidry - ancient, the 17th century revival, and modern Neopagan (mainly in the form of OBOD - the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, of which the author is the current head).

It will give you an overview of what we know of how druidry was, and is now practiced, especially the theology of OBOD, but despite the exercises at the end of each chapter, I feel they're more designed to get you to confront your ideas of who the Druids were, what it's like now, and establish whether Druidry is the right path for you (all very valuable), rather than actual hands-on practice of Druidry (on the other hand, I'm coming from a Wiccan background, which does have more of a "do first, think later" approach).

While I think different people would get different things out of this book, personally I found the history most interesting, and hope that someday (soon?) some Druid scholar will write a work comparable to Wicca's "Triumph of the Moon" by Ronald Hutton. In the meantime, this covers something of the history of Druidry and Neopagan Druidry in Britain, as well as the connections between the founder of OBOD, Ross Nichols, the founder (to my knowledge) of Wicca, Gerald Gardner, and other occult figures of the time. If someone fleshed it out a bit more, and covered the evolution of Neopagan Druidry in America as well, I think it would be a work well worth reading just for the history. :) ... Read more

Product Description
This collection of views from a wide range of Pagans and academics reflects the diversity of traditions and thinking that characterize modern Paganism. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

a good experience
This company was very good about getting my order out on time.The book is in very good condition and I'm very happy.Thanks!

A Much-Needed Book
Despite being one of the fastest growing religious movements in the world today, contemporary Paganism has lacked a strong academic voice until now. While focusing primarily on Paganism in Britain, this collection of papersgoes a long way towards filling that void. I would strongly recommend thisbook to anyone, Pagan or not, who desires a deeper understanding of thecurrent Neo-Pagan movement worldwide.

Most current and thorough study of contemporary Paganism.
This collection of fascinating papers resulted from the first academic conference on contemporary Paganism in Britain.The chapters cover all the various traditions which fall under the umbrella of Paganism - Druidry,Witchcraft, Heathenism, Shamanism, Goddess Worship, various forms ofmagickal practice, etc.There is also an excellent overview of the rootsof modern Paganism by Bristol historian Ronald Hutton.A good place tostart learning about this "fastest growing religion in Britain"(BBC 'Everyman').Best chapters are by Harvey, Harris, Simes andSutcliffe.Excellent read! ... Read more

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Druid Hill Park lies at the hears of Baltimore and made history as one of the first public parks in America. This beautifully illustrated history tells the story of Druid Hill from the seventeenth century until today, and celebrates this natural refuge for fun and relaxation in urban Baltimore. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Love Phillip!
I bought this book to accent my OBOD studies.I really enjoy Philip's work and think Ross Nichols would be very proud of the work he's doing.Philip always provides a lot of great historical information and I really enjoy his writing.The only thing better is hearing him speak, he's got a wonderful voice.For anyone interested in Druidic studies, you definitely need to have Philips books in your collection.He (and John Michael Greer) are the voice of modern Druidry! ... Read more

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Druidism seen through Celtic eyes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Fascinating, interdisciplinary study
First, the title is relatively misleading.This is not about "preachers" of any sort, and the ideas of immortality get barely any mention in this book.This book, however, is a great study about the Druids, using folklore, archaeology, classical and vernacular sources, and the like.The author is clearly deeply fascinated with the topic and offers a wide range of clear and original insights into various Celtic topics.Some of her insights are deeply fascinating.

One of the more interesting insights I found in this book was between the crane magic posture (one eye closed, one leg, one arm) and sleeping habits of various birds.This has forced me to rethink how I consider this posture in relation to liminality (i.e. it's a bird's "half-asleep" posture and is found in cranes and geese, but also, though the author doesn't mention it, ducks as well).

This book was written before Lindow Man was discovered, and the section on Lindow Moss to a certain extent suggests the author was already considering it as a site of human sacrifice before that discovery.

Overall, an excellent book.Although it is somewhat dated in some areas, the work has a scope which is largely unmatched by more recent works and so still has a great deal to offer. Highly recommended.

Excellent Use of Gaelic Sources
The author uses a wider variety of sources than other books about the Druids that I have seen.There are no surviving Druid religious texts.I would tend to suspect that they all burned when the Romans invaded Mona, the island that was the center of Druidism.So Ross utilizes secular ancient Gaelic texts which she can read because she is a Gaelic speaker and a scholar of ancient Gaelic.She also read all the standard Roman texts and gives them more cognizance than many modern scholars do. She made the interesting choice of interviewing contemporary Gaelic speakers about folk material and found some ancient survivals.

Ross has a provocative theory about Saint Columba having been trained as a Druid before he became a Christian.Since the historicity of Saint Columba's exploits has not been demonstrated, it remains nothing more than a highly entertaining conjecture.

very well researched, not very well written
First let me preface that I was very impressed with Dr. Ross' research into the subject which is quite evident as the reader moves through the chapters.

The style of the book, however, is not very engaging.It seems as though there was an attempt by Dr. Ross to write to the layman but failed to do so due to her, I am guessing, expertise and deep knowledge of the subject, which can serve to make her falsely believe that some facts about the subject are commonplace and need no clarification.

Although I have to confess that I only read little more than half the book, so far.This is so because I became exceedingly frustrated with its style and I had to put it down, for now.

To corroborate my earlier claim of a failed layman style attempt, I found the deluge of names of locations without any accompanying reference to their modern label rather dizzying, with one half baked exception, Ireland.Ireland is well drawn and labeled in a map.I say half baked because I found I was constantly referring back to the page where the map was to spot a location name that I just read, which can be rather distracting, at least until I get used to the ancient names which did not happen yet, and for that, I can only blame myself.Maps of other locations are also supplied but they are not very clear because they only show a partial (zoomed in) view.It is unclear as to where in the British Isles these views are.I say unclear because the views and the various locations inside them are labeled according to their ancient Celtic names, which is fine, but they have no accompanying labels of any of their modern names (or, at least, one per view) to give us a point of reference.Although I have to add that the book is not unique in this; I found many other history books do the same with geographical references.

I also found at least one logic flaw in which the author seems to have made while deducing some facts; although, to be honest, I refuse to think that Dr. Ross could have made such an error, I just think it was simply badly explained in the book.I also say at least one logic flaw because I found others; but I have to go back and re-read them at least 20 times each before I can safely render them to be so.I would quote the paragraph from the book to prove my claim of the one logic flaw but I am not sure I can do so without the author's permission.

A couple of the several other issues that I came across are rather minor but worth mentioning.At least once, so far, I found that in retelling a legend, a character was referenced without being introduced first...not even later in the story.This may be an example of the author's thinking that some historic facts (legend characters, in this case) are commonplace, but I am not sure as to whether this is so, or just a simple absent-minded mistake.

Another minor issue is the lack of phonetic pronunciation to Celtic names.This need not be an elaborate undertaking.A simple phonetic form accompanying name introductions only would suffice.

For my own benefit, I will finish the book, at some later date; I just wish I picked up another that is written a little more clearly than this one. ... Read more

Product Description
Have you ever had a dream so real that when you awoke, it didn't leave the recesses of your mind for days? Eve McCormick just did, and this experience will change her life and the lives of those around her permanently. A twenty-six year old hypnotherapist who oversees a research project based on discovering the answer to an age-old question, "Is reincarnation fact or fiction?" must learn to trust a Welsh stranger. An ancient Celtic prophecy and long sought-after revenge entangles the past with the present in the struggle for existence that threatens to destroy her project. A druidess and a shape-shifter must join as one to save the Druid way of life, while a Queen conspires to kill Erin's only High King. Will the oaths and agendas of the past reach across the centuries to strengthen or destroy? For more information, please visit The Mark of a Druid ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Poorly edited
I gave this book 5 stars because I thoroughly enjoyed the story. I purchased the book because of a display I saw for it on Second Life. The trailer intrigued me, so I purchased the Kindle version, which was under $8. I can honestly say that if the less expensive Kindle version hadn't been offered, I would not have spent $20 (the current price) for a paperback book-- especially since the author has released a free audio version of this book, which is available online.

The book is filled with difficult to pronounce Gaelic names like Gormfhlaith. It would benefit from having a pronunciation guide in the back. I listened to sections of the audio book to help me with the names.

If I had the ability to assign stars for the editing of this book, I'd give it less than 1. There were enough typos and other errors in this book as to distract me from being immersed in the story. The person responsible for proofreading this edition should be fired.

People who seem evil, are usually evil!
Love the villain in this. She's mean, sexy, and devilishly attractive. The way the author weaves modern day with the past and then with what the characters think are dreams is awesome. Destiny is sometimes a bitch! I felt like I was the one being beat up and waking up in confusion. The only question I have is, where's the sequel!?

THE MARK OF A DRUID is the Best of Both Worlds for the Reader
Rhonda Carpenter gives hungry readers exactly what they expect from a tightly woven storyline: a book you can not only lose yourself in but find a part of yourself after you are finished. Why do we believe the way we do? Who truly influences the way we evaluate our lives and those of others past? Just because we can't wrap our minds around something does that make it any less real?

These are all discussions that any book club or group of friends will have fun dissecting and debating as they manuveur from chapter to chapter.

Carpenter has truly left her "Mark" with this one, and the literary world is a better place because of it.

Mesmerized!
I have never read a book in this genre before and it has opened up a whole new world for me...the way the author wound the two worlds together and fit them all together at the end was a wonderful satisfying end to a beautiful read.It really had me thinking throughout the whole book about things that have happened in my own life and I'll be paying a lot more attention to 'coincidences' that 'happen'.I will definitely keep Carpenter on my list of must read authors, I like the way she tells a story.Recommended read for young and old.

Wonderful book a step beyond the "normal"
What a wonderful story! Rhonda R. Carpenter brings us an elegant, intriguing tale, intricately plotted, with natural dialogue, brave and truthful characters, craven villainess, confused villain, unfolding mystery, arcane druid knowledge, magic and mainstream regression therapists.What else could one want in a fiction book?

I really like how naturally the magical druid sequences are depicted.It simply is what life is like in realms where people are attuned.Makes me feel that such Reality can crop up in sacred groves everywhere. ... Read more

Product Description
Druidism, the ancient shamanic religion of Britain is experiencing a major revival there and in America. This book is both a complete description of the Druid Way as well as a fascinating tour of the major Druid sites, ruins, and "power places." Includes specific suggestions for bringing this ancient wisdom tradition into our own lives and activities. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Every Journey Has Beginnings and Endings...
Philip starts the entire concept as a physical journey through the various aspects of his local landscape.Adding to this journey is the manner of processing the deaths of two people that he had great respect for.Further into the journey comes the addition of a newborn child to his family - completing the motif of endings and beginnings that comprise the concept of making a journey.Interspersed throughout the chapters are various concepts on religious belief, local history, and Philip's own insights into weaving the daily processes of life with the mysteries that we all carry philosophically deep in our own being.Not only was it an enjoyable read for me -- it also helped me process an understanding that life's journey has endings and beginnings strewn throughout it.Personally, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Wonderful book about a spiritual journey
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1KTIQCZ5F5EVE Great book about a druids journey in discovering his relationship with deity. Includes rituals too!

The Modern Druid not Druidism
The religion practiced by the ancient Celts and their priests the Druids, is and will always be a mystery. It is sad to see people wishing, hoping, and praying that they could defy logic and physics and go back in time figuratively or otherwise and follow "Druidism." The sad truth is they would probably tell the Druids they were not worshipping or performing their rites in a historically accurate way either! What these folks believe actually happened is just pure fantasy. They have no crystal ball into the past and are just as at a loss as the historians and archeologists investigating the ancient Celts using scientific means.

The fact is Druidry is a modern manifestation and at best based upon guesses at what the ancient Celtic religion was. Philip makes no bones about it. He is not saying in any of his texts that what he is presenting is the unchanged religion of the Celts. Would we or could we really follow the ancient religion in its entirety today? Do we have the same exact needs, hopes, or world-views? A great deal of history has happened since then.

What Philip does provide is another spiritual path or way for the modern individual; the Druid Way. The Druid Way is not an ancient religion brought out of context for a modern age but a modern look at an ancient religion which can be of use and import for us today.

I have researched the ancient Celts extensively and yet this book is one of my favourites! It is a very enjoyable read.

Bright, Mercurial, Energizing
Philip Carr-Gomm's intelligence - not unlike Andrew Harvey's - has a bright, mercurial and energizing quality that immediately stimulates interest and attention. Far superior to a rote historical study, his book is an experiential pilgrimage, a first-hand account that could only be charted by someone as sufficiently steeped in the ideas from the inside of his skin as is Philip. And here is where it begins: high on the downlands above Lewes on the South Downs Way, as he stands on Itford Hill at the outset of his circular journey of excursion and return. From here, in twenty-one chapters, he unfolds a compelling narrative that is both story and exploration, memory and discourse, homily and lyric exposition, coloured with his own immediate psychic perception.
`I plead very guilty to being indeed my own ancestor', as Nuinn is quoted in the book...and what is everywhere present here is the presence of the past that the whole landscape resonates, and that Philip unearths, naming original place names, tracking lost paths gone to grass and cut through by our present roads - and he does so with a sense of detail reminiscent of Gilbert White, though his canvas is larger.
Jay Ramsay

This whole book is a delight!
This whole book is a delight. It is the diary of a sacred journey, through sacred space, and through the heart and mind, as well as a useful practical guide to the countryside and its associations and history. It is a book to use and to keep and to remember.
Asphodel ... Read more

Product Description
Now fully revised—the classic study of Neo-Paganism

Almost thirty years since its original publication, Drawing Down the Moon continues to be the only detailed history of the burgeoning but still widely misunderstood Neo-Pagan subculture. Margot Adler attended ritual gatherings and interviewed a diverse, colorful gallery of people across the United States, people who find inspiration in ancient deities, nature, myth, even science fiction. In this new edition featuring an updated resource guide of newsletters, journals, books, groups, and festivals, Margot Adler takes a fascinating and honest look at the religious experiences, beliefs, and lifestyles of modern America’s Pagan groups.Amazon.com Review
Popular demand for this clear-sighted compendium ofinformation about the rebirth of Pagan religions hasn't waned sinceits initial publication in 1979. Distinguished by the journalism ofNational Public Radio columnist Margot Adler, Drawing Down theMoon explains this diverse and burgeoning religion's philosophiesand activities while dispelling stereotypes that have long beenassociated with it. Most people don't realize that pagan simplyrefers to pre-Christian polytheistic nature religions, such as thevarious Native American creeds, Japanese Shinto, Celtic Druid, andWestern European Wicca. Originally, the word pagan meant"country dweller" and was a derogatory term in Rome in the thirdcentury A.D., not unlike calling someone a hick today. If you findyourself feeling queasy when you hear the words witch orpagan, a healthy dose of reeducation via Drawing Down theMoon could be the cure. --P. Randall Cohan ... Read more

Customer Reviews (131)

One of the old Classics
Adler, herself a witch, and an NPR associate with PBS commentary on the radio, is by far one of the most intelligent authors.
The book is very academic, and dry reading, therefore, there are no spells, rituals, etc. This is a REFERENCE book, not a workbook, remember.
Therefore, I do not recommend it for Seekers/Novices, but I belive it is geared towards the Adept/Elder/High Priest/ess of a coven, etc.

Very good historical references.

Informative, but difficult to get through
This book reads more like a college-level textbook than a book for "common folk". I found it very difficult to get through, very verbose, and at times even impossible to get through.That said, it is full of historical facts and information, I just found myself skimming and skipping large portions of text. The resource guide at the back is wonderful!

Witchcraft
This commentary is coming from a born again Christian. Raised in a Baptist-catholic family, after reading The SatanicBible realized Christianity is out dated and this craft is for real. After connecting to high profile satanists online and involvement in the black metal scene, the craft had gotten to my home town. I became a brother in Crowley's O.T.O. on correspondance Association before it had gone mainstream. Joined an online wannabe coven. All of these occult groups I was either kicked out of, or lost interest. Overall this is a good book on witchcraft for those of at least the teen dabbler rank. You can do all the tarot cards, astrology and love spells you want, and if you don't do something in reality it will never happen. This is a chapter of my life I can now shamefully close. The lord be with you.

Choosing to create the myths we live by
An insider's chronicle, a journalist's survey, and a participant's history of "witches, druids, goddess-worshippers and other pagans in America," this third edition's welcome. Myth-busting and myth-celebrating, Adler combines scrutiny with compassion, analysis with enthusiasm. Her depth of research matches a brisk yet contemplative style I found easy to read yet often profound in its conclusions.

Adler entered as a '60s activist bridging the social reforms she sought with a spiritual dimension that appealed to her even as a girl admiring the Greek deities while growing up in a secular Manhattan family. She explores in this feminine-based, earth-connected, non-salvific, and sexually freer array of practices and lore a fascinating variety of people who yearn for change, but who cannot find it within conventional intellectual, political, or religiously dominant frameworks. Pagan seekers built an alternative that doesn't proselytize or threaten, but a lower profile system of thought and action which awaits those who tend to find in freedom of divine choice what they have always sought but did not know how to name.

Diversity counts. "Most Neo-Pagans I know see polytheism not as competitive factions but as facets of a jewel, harmonious but differing." (28) It's bracing to watch a belief option much more open to cooperative rather than hierarchical decision-making coalesce. "Modern Wicca descends 'in spirit' from precisely those fragments of pre-Christian beliefs and practices nobody denies: myths, poetry, the classics, and folk customs." (83) Way back, all of our ancestors practiced a similarly rich combination.

This worldview may not, for Western Europeans, have survived after the Christian centuries, but practices did, if severed from their ancient roots. The flexibility of modern pagans lies in their good-natured humor about how they choose which myths to live by today. As one Sicilian witch tells Adler, his mother may have taught him what she knew, or made up. The point isn't fidelity to a venerable lineage, but to what works for people now to restore their ties to a broken past. "The important thing is that I'm 'working' with a fragment. I'm not accepting it, putting it in my pocket, burning a candle to it, or wearing it around my neck on a gold chain." (86)

Magic is often confused with the supernatural, but Adler finds many who argue for it as an alternative form of controlling reality, one that science may simply not yet be able to define or explain. Magic's a pragmatic, often far more rationally based approach to reclaim the natural bonds severed by monotheistic and technocratic groupthink. It's less romanticized or mystified than outsiders suppose; Adler models the witch's circle as opening a separate place to explore psychic growth for those disenchanted with commodified secularism or inculcated dogma. Emerging perspectives for pagans in this 3rd ed. show that the Mother Goddess turns now a model for the Craft rather than a figure that carries the same need to be worshipped as a male sky-god, with heavy hierarchical baggage. Archetypes and images evolve for today's neopagans that aren't necessarily "real."

An interview with an Irish-American witch, Sharon Devlin, from 1976 may be dated, but it's a wise choice to keep for it shows the creation of a combination of inherited and constructed frameworks upon which pagans build their ideology and ritual. Devlin concludes reminding us of the "people's spirituality" within the oppositional power summoned by witchcraft against the powers that seek to stop it. Similarly, Adler starts her involving chapter on feminism in the Craft with a quote from 1 Samuel 15:23: "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft."

Drawing on her skills for public radio as an NPR veteran, Adler has visited a hundred pagan communities. Investigating the formation of a new religion, or array of such, the classifications of her subtitle themselves may defy easy categories. Late in the book, she considers whether "witch" can ever be reclaimed or if the word should be abandoned. Throughout the book, tension between those outside Wicca or the Craft or Neo-Paganism continues, due to mainstream religious misunderstanding and media sensationalism, but what in the 1979 or 1986 eds. seemed to be more common by those fearing satanic or magical dangers appears to have subsided by 2006 as tolerance begins to ease prejudice. Some readers may be intrigued to know that computer technicians play a prominent role among occupations pursuing neo-paganism.

I wish Adler's thoroughly updated edition devoted more time to non-Unitarian interfaith efforts, for Jewish-Christian ties seemed barely mentioned, as did pagans as chaplains and soldiers, or Celtic Reconstruction. A few sections appeared to keep quoting people at great length to little effect, but her scope and range of six-hundred packed pages of information keeps this the standard source on the topic. Three appendices appear: international festivals, meetings, and websites; scholarly debate about occult and "new religious movements;" and a glimpse into rituals.

As Tom Wilson of the Church of All Worlds, a Heinlein-Maslow-Ayn Rand inspired,invented and revised faction muses, we can choose consciously what myths we choose to live by. This freedom, for exploring bolder and more daring, if comforting and surprising, realms where the material and spiritual realms mingle, permeates the utopian visions and difficult realities of many who speak to Adler in her narrative. These results will reliably inform, entertain, and guide anyone curious about the truth of witches, pagans, and nature-situated subcultures in our nation now.

Great book!
I love this book. I wanted to check out the new edition, and replace the old one that my dog chewed up. ... Read more

Product Description
An account of who and what the Druids were, covering their Druidic training, philosophies and beliefs, portraying them as doctors, lawyers and advisers to kings and arguing that they were the intellectuals of ancient Celtic society. First published in 1994. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Non Fiction
Beresford Ellis has written an introduction to Druid society and culture.It is not overly long, and reasonably accessible, I think.It looks at clearing up the misconceptions (or Asterix caricatures :) :) ).For those interested in learning something about this group of people, this book is certainly worth a look.

food for thought
Ellis's writing style can be a bit frustrating for the pagan reader, but as a student of history I found this book most enjoyable. The author's theories about the similarities between Celtic and Indian culture are, if nothing else, intriguing. I feel that the material was presented in the manner intended: as a sampling of the evidence that will hopefully inspire others to do the research for themselves. As a Celtic reconstructionist pagan, I personally share his views on "new agers" claiming to follow a Celtic path. A triumphant book that delivers us from the New Age dregs of revisionist religion to at least a plausible level of ancient custom.

Enigmatic
Who were the Druids? This group, surrounded by legend and folklore for millenia, continues to fascinate moderns, perhaps because of the enigmatic character of their identity. Probably most of the popular images of Druids -- of being tree worshippers, of being itinerant poets and prophets, of being priests who practiced human sacrifice and built strange structures such as Stonehenge -- are generally misperceptions, perhaps even deliberate 'character assassination' attempts by the victorious political and religious authorities that moved into Druid areas. Indeed, the bulk of Classical information on the Druids comes from anti-Druid writings of the Romans.

`By the time the Celts themselves came to commit their knowledge to writing, they had become Christianised and, not surprisingly, the Druids continued to get "a bad Press". Their portrayal remains an extremely biased one.'

In this very readable book on The Druids, Peter Berresford Ellis presents an examination of the archaeological, etymological and historical evidence to give an account of the identity and importance of the Druids in early Celtic societies.

`The Druids emerge as the intellectual caste of ancient Celtic society. They were the doctors, the lawyers, the ambassadors, the advisors to kings. They also had a religious function.'

One historical fact that is often overlooked is that the early Celtic 'empire' was as expansive as the Roman Empire, stretching from Britain and Ireland in the northwest, through Gaul and central Europe north of the Alps, stretching as far as Turkey to the east, and also extending down into Iberia. The Celtic language group includes influences on all major European languages as well. However, the Celtic empire had no imperium, no central structure or organisation, but was rather a loose confederation, in which the Druids, as the intellectuals, helped to keep a cohesion of social life if not political and economic life.

The Druids operated largely without writing, following the tradition of many early peoples by using an oral tradition of learning and history. Thus the earliest appearances of the Druids come from Greek and Roman writings. The Druids were seen as a philosophising, priestly caste, also somewhat of a civil authority. Indeed, both Julius Caesar and Cicero mention the Druids in their writings, and one Druid ambassador even addressed the Roman Senate in search of an alliance against the barbarian Germanic tribes (Caesar, however, with intent to conquer Gaul, persuaded the Senate to support the Germans so as to facilitate the conquest of Gaul -- of course, shortly thereafter the Germans became the enemies of Rome, and would remain so for the most part for the rest of Roman history).

Ellis examines the Druids from many vantage points, looking at the writings about the Druids by both insiders (Celts) and outsiders. Ellis also examines the religion, rituals, and wisdom of the Druids, which includes subchapters on schools, books, philosophy, law, history, poetry, music, medical knowledge, art, astronomy and astrology, and mysticism.

Ellis argues in his final chapter that the Druids never truly disappeared. As a social class, rather than as a narrowly-defined group of wizards and priests, the Druids as an intelligensia remained under a new classification, but this social strata was slowly destroyed by the nations who conquered the Celts and made strides to assimilate or eliminate the Celtic peoples. Ellis traces the literary/historical chain of events that led to the identification of the Druids as a small subset of this intelligensia, mostly those dealing with religion and the arts, most commonly associated with secret rites or witchcraft, which is present in today's thinking about the Druids.

`Celtic and Druidic "truth" of every description -- from "arcane knowledge", "karmic destiny", "the true path", to "mystic awareness" -- are solicited in the commercial deluge of New Age philosophies. The Druids and the Celts were there when our seventeenth and eighteenth century ancestors sought "Romanticism" as a counter-balance to the "Age of Reason" and industrialisation. It is not surprising that they are still being reinvented at this time because, in our sad and sorry contemporary world, people still want a quick fix on spirituality.'

This is a fascinating and highly readable text on the history of the Druids, and the history of the way the Druids have been portrayed (and misrepresented).

Misses both the general reader and the historian
To defend his lack of academic documentation in the book, Peter Berresford Ellis claims he writes for the "general reader," not the historian.I'll leave it to the other reviewers to explain how Ellis's book disappoints historians, but as a general reader I feel qualified to say it disappoints me.Here's why:

1) The book's writing style is a lengthy listing of names and places with minimal transition or elaboration to string them together meaningfully.For a general reader, Ellis makes a fascinating subject tedious to follow.

2) Some of the arguments Ellis makes are weakly supported and, frankly, appear unobjective.In a tone that crosses to sarcasm, he attacks several sources as pro-Roman (i.e. untrustworthy) without explaining his evidence thoroughly.

A good introduction to the Druidic controversies
Peter Berresford Ellis is a popular historian, not an academic historian.The primary difference between popular and academic historians is that they write for different audiences.Ellis' work has been criticized for lacking the kind of detailed references that a peer-reviewed book or article would include.The reader must guess where the citations and allusions may be researched and accept the citations and translations as accurate.

Hence, you're not likely to find many historians recommending an Ellis book to their students.But students who have read Ellis will have a very clear idea of what materials to look for.And he does a very good job of challenging long-standing interpretations which have always been flimsy or weak at best.Unfortunately for him, the science of historical analysis requires accountability and Ellis refuses to be accountable.He takes his case to the popular audience and hopes to influence the broader imagination.

That's all well and good, but some of his research has been challenged and Ellis has had to make at least one major retraction in his career.He is a Celto-centric writer and people of Celtic heritage should be glad to know there is still a dedicated flag-waver around.But in the end, no matter how well he writes, no matter how thorough his research, Ellis must be regarded only as a popular historian.In that respect, he is one of the finest popular historians I've had the pleasure to read. ... Read more

Product Description
Early in the first century B.C. a Greek philosopher named Posidonius began an ambitious and dangerous journey into the little-known lands of the Celts. A man of great intellectual curiosity and considerable daring, Posidonius traveled from his home on the island of Rhodes to Rome, the capital of the expanding empire that had begun to dominate the Mediterranean. From there Posidonius planned to investigate for himself the mysterious Celts, reputed to be cannibals and savages. His journey would be one of the great adventures of the ancient world.

Posidonius journeyed deep into the heart of the Celtic lands in Gaul. There he discovered that the Celts were not barbarians but a sophisticated people who studied the stars, composed beautiful poetry, and venerated a priestly caste known as the Druids. Celtic warriors painted their bodies, wore pants, and decapitated their foes. Posidonius was amazed at the Celtic women, who enjoyed greater freedoms than the women of Rome, and was astonished to discover that women could even become Druids.

Posidonius returned home and wrote a book about his travels among the Celts, which became one of the most popular books of ancient times. His work influenced Julius Caesar, who would eventually conquer the people of Gaul and bring the Celts into the Roman Empire, ending forever their ancient way of life. Thanks to Posidonius, who could not have known that he was recording a way of life soon to disappear, we have an objective, eyewitness account of the lives and customs of the ancient Celts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Gallic and Greek
Philip Freeman gives an adventurous account of the ancient Druids and Gaulish tribes through the eyes of the Greek Stoic philosopher Posidonius. Through a careful academic, but lively reconstruction he charts the philosphers journey from the country of his birth (Syria) to Rhodes, through Rome and his extensive travels through Gaul before it was fully crushed, occupied and converted to 'civilisation' by Caesars legions.

Any attempt to assess the culture, society and lives of the Celtic people in Gaul through the eyes of neighboring regimes is partially doomed to failure. Posidonius was a fanatical supporter of Imperial Rome, and in the view of other scholars (Peter Berresford Ellis) his works represented a clearly designed formula with the object intention of supporting the colonial machinations of a particularly unsympathetic power, whose sole project was to conquer, subdjugate and rule as much land and peoples as their resources would allow.

From an academic point of view very little remains of the original writings of Posidonius. What Freeman has contructed is from the remnant quotations of later historians. But this I will concede; Posidonius had an enquiring nature, his adopted brief was to discover the nature of the Gauls for himself rather than rely on rumor, and that he made an attempt at objectivity. Yet we must realize that this book is purely an observation and account of the perspectives of others which in turn are derived from the original master. How can we be absolutely certain that the information has not been watered down, altered or changed at some point in the past, to bolster propoganda or confirm tendencies towards a misplaced sense of xenophobia?

One of the most unfortunate conclusions of the author is his lament at the lost wisdom and teachings of the Druids; sad because one only has to live a native-spiritual life to understand that the Celtic heritage and perspective is still alive, being based on natural philosophy and diligent eco-environmental observation and translation. A living heritage is not academic, although it may involve research and analysis in the beginning it soon blossoms into a vibrant world-view that characterizes the primary dynamics of the culture. Only the acceptance of a few remaining toothless islanders off the coast of Scotland as the last of the Celtic cultural inheritance, can signify the poverty of the authors imagination.

As a living Celt I can assure you that, as far as my heart, hands and head are joined and not dislocated or dismembered that we will continue; nothing is lost that cannot be recovered, and what is gone was never meant to be! Wait for the book to appear in your local thrift store at an incredibly discounted price.

Unimpressive
The chapters in this rather superficial book are only tenuously held together by Freeman's imagined journey of the Greek historian Posidonius among the Gauls of the 1st century BC. The large majority of the book rehashes second or third hand information, with little independent research, analysis or synthesis byFreeman who simply appears to have compiled easily obtainable evidence into a book with a flashy title. Unfortunately, there are only a few fragments from Posidonius splattered across the book as opposed to a lot of needless filler information.

There is almost nothing, and certainly nothing new, about the druids.

Archaeology, history, religion
I received this book for Christmas and have been so impressed by the wonderful way it tells the story of the Celts. I had heard of the Celts before, but I never really knew who they were or what they did. I especially liked the focus on women and archaeology. I'm recommending this book to all my friends.

Not a bad introduction
I got the feeling reading this book that the original title may have been "the philosopher and the Celts", but that the publisher thought stressing the Druidic connection would sell more books.It's not bad for an introduction to Celtic interactions with Mediterranean cultures, and it's an easy read, but it necessarily deals mostly with pre-Roman Gaul, and the Druids get only one chapter.Check it out of the library, or buy it on sale, but don't expect it to make you an expert on Druids.

Freeman does his best
The "Philosopher and the Druids" attempts to develop an ethnographic account of the Gauls, focusing on the 1st century BC when they were visited by the Greek philosopher Posidonious, who had the same objective.The book achieves only modest success, through no fault of Freeman.The problem is that only small fragments of Posidonious' study are extant, and other sources are also very incomplete.To supplement first person accounts, Posidonious makes use of what we know of Celtic Ireland, even many centuries later, as well as what we know of Bronze Age Greece (think Homer).In fact Celtic culture comes out looking a lot like that of Bronze Age Greece, supplemented by their unique priestly class, the Druids.The Druids may have been primarily a civilizing influence, promoting justice and morality, but this is not entirely clear.For me it was disappointing that a culture which had already interacted with Roman and Greek culture for centuries by the first century BC did not, as far as I can tell from Freeman's book, seem to have progressed except in a material sense.Certainly, some of their craft work as shown in the book's pictures is stunning.Freeman's book is almost always interesting, if you don't mind quite a bit of political history.

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Product Description
Reveals the actual teaching methods of the druids.

* Provides new insights into the vast store of knowledge every druid was expected to know--knowledge that took fifteen to twenty years of rigorous study to acquire.

* Translation of the classic Celtic text, Imcallam in da Thuarad, generally translated as The Colloquy of Two Sages.

* By eminent Celtic scholar Christian J. Guyonvarc'h, author of Magic, medecine et divination chez les Celtes (Magic, Medicine, and Divination among the Celts).

Because ancient druidic knowledge was transmitted orally, most of what has been represented as the teachings of the druids has been conjecture or fantasy. Now eminent Celtic scholar Christian J. Guyonvarc'h tears away the obscurity surrounding what the druids taught and how they taught it with his magisterial examination of the little-known Celtic text, Imcallam in da Thuarad, generally translated as The Colloquy of Two Sages.

Up to now, this text has been regarded as merely an elaborate battle of wits between two bards, a dispute centered on a younger bard's attempt to unseat an older bard's position in the court of Conchobar. Thanks to the present translation and its accompanying commentary, we now can see that this text depicts the examination by a teacher of a druidic candidate. Consequently, the reader gains valuable insight into the actual nature of druidic science and the vast store of knowledge--acquired over an arduous fifteen- to twenty-year period--necessary to become a druid. Both modern druids and Celtic aficionados alike will find The Making of a Druid a fascinating storehouse of forgotten wisdom. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very interesting short book
This book is less than a hundred pages, but it is quite unusual regarding books relating to the druids.

The first section is an introduction to the Colloquy of Two Sages, and a description of the current state of Celtic studies as relate to the Druids.

The second section is a translation of the Colloquy of Two Sages with translated glosses and additional notes.

The third section is an appendix with additional information.Generally this is one of the few books which has through its scholarship has given me a reason to revisit some of my views on the Druids. ... Read more

Product Description
A major triumph of historical fiction, The Druid King, is a masterly retelling of the life of the legendary general Vercingetorix and his brilliant crusade against the Roman invasion of Gaul.Vercingetorix was both a man of myth and a real historical figure—he managed, where others had failed, to unite the tribes of Gaul and lead them against the might of the entire Roman empire.

After watching his father’s harrowing death, young Vercingetorix retreats to the forest where he learns the ways of the druids. Soon he must return to civilization to reclaim his birthright and his father’s honor, but the city of his birth has changed. Now, he must confront the greatest military power the world has even known--the Roman legions of Julius Ceasar. This is the story of Vercingetorix, Druid King of Gaul. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Not A Good Match of Author and Subject
The problem is that Norman Spinrad doesn't really believe in magic, and he's writing about characters who did.So he can't enter fully into the world of Vercingetorix.He deals well with the military aspect.I appreciated the clever generalship of both Vercingetorix and Caesar.But Spinrad sees Druid magic as symbolic, not real.This perspective would have been alien to Vercingetorix and the other Gallic Druids that he attempts to portray.

Spinrad tries historical fiction
While not exactly famous, Norman Spinrad is well-known in the world of science fiction as a reliable veteran who has been producing stories for several decades.With The Druid King, he departs from that genre to tell a historical tale of Gaul during the last days of the Roman Republic.

The protagonist in The Druid King is Vercingetorix, a young man who is destined to become the King of Gaul.At the beginning of the story, however, he is merely the teenaged son of a Gallic chieftain.His father has visions of uniting the tribes to oppose Rome, but Vercingetorix's uncle ends that with murder.Vercingetorix is forced to flee and takes refuge with the Druids.

Meanwhile, Julius Caesar has his own ambitions, and the conquest of Gaul is a mere stepping stone for him.A master manipulator, he is able to defeat his foes as much with wiles as with force.Briefly, he makes Vercingetorix his protégé, but soon enough they are foes, leading opposing sides.Unfortunately for Caesar, Vercingetorix has picked up enough from his former mentor to become a difficult adversary.

This is a story of Rome vs. Gaul, but not just in terms of peoples but also ways of life.Much is made of the different approaches to battle:the Gauls believe in honor in battle, the Romans are merely concerned with victory.This difference in philosophy will prove to be a major problem for Vercingetorix as he realizes the Roman approach is necessary to overcome his foes, but his followers are less willing to break with tradition.

Spinrad is a good writer, but the edginess that makes him excellent in his science fiction is missing here.As a result, this is merely another good historical novel.Also, Spinrad's story suffers in comparison to Colleen McCullough's outstanding Roman history series (which also describes the Caesar vs. Vercingetorix battles).I can only give this book four stars as a result:this is not Spinrad's best work (he should probably stick with science fiction), but it is a good, entertaining read.

the DRUID King
The story was good.The only way that I can read history.
Unfortunately, my wish for more druidism was not fulfilled.And what the heck is a leggionare??

Ainteresting read, a bit korney
It is good to see the story of Caesar's wars with the continental celts with some attention payed to the celtic side of the story. Did find it at times somewhat juvenile. For example; when a character rides a horse in this story theyconstanlty make it rear up. This annoys any real horseman or student of iron age cavalry. This story is supposed to be about iron age celtic warriors on sturdy gaulish ponies, not a girl's fairy tale of knights on white stallions. And Vercingetorix is given as a name recieved from birth rather than a title he had been bestowed with(Ver means high,Cinget means warrior, Rix means king.Ver-cinget-rix high warrior king) he would have been given a simple name as a child and called Vercingetorix only after he took command of the Gaulish army. And Vercingetorix is portrayed very young even at the climax. I find the notion of a boyish Vercingetorix unable to grow a respectable celtic mustache leading an army implausible. I would recommend it to young readers interested in the story of gaul, but not to the more sophisticated enthusiast.

A Sweeping Historical Novel
By 60 BC the might of the Roman legions had conquered most of the known world and to be fair had improved the lot of most of the defeated nations. Those who continued to oppose Rome were ruthlessly crushed.
Now Julius Caesar has turned his attention to the invasion of Gaul. He is seeking a victory that will give him the power to cast out the old guard and become Emperor of Rome the greatest city in the world. But a formidable foes stands against him, the Druid King, Vercingetorix.

The conflict that is about to happen will start to shape the future history of Northern Europe. The Gauls know that they must fight to the bitter end or face the destruction of everything they believe in. But can the tribes be brought together as one unit to fight this relentless enemy. More importantly can they gain a victory and save themselves from oblivion.

This books relates one of the most brutal military campaigns of all time.
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Product Description
Here, for the first time, is a tarot that combines the two fundamental spiritualities of Nature - Wicca and Druidry - and reflects the explosion of interest in the western magical traditional and paganism. This is a full deck of 78 cards, each a superb work of art, with a text by prominent authors. ... Read more

Product Description
Collected here in one volume are the myths, legends, and stories of the Celts from the most ancient Irish tales to the Arthurian saga. Richly illustrated with 18 full-color paintings and 40 line drawings, and complete with a guide to the symbols in the illustrations, and a pronunciation guide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Celtic Mythology 101
This volume is a fine introduction to Celtic mythology, featuring fourteen chapters of stories.Most pages are illustrated with black and white illustrations by John Sibbit, paired with occasional two-page full color spreads by Roger Garland.The double-column small type lends a textbook feel, as the book races through legend after legend, each tale punctuated by headers.The vibrant color pictures depict scenes of beauty and terror such as the great battle of the giants of Morvah, Cath Palug the monster cat, Fionn's salmon of knowledge and the Lady of the Lake from Arthurian tales.The short pronunciation guide in the back of the book is a boon for readers unfamiliar with the unconventional appearance of Irish and Welsh spelling.This book would be appropriate for middle-schoolers and up.

Great for Kids and Beginners
It's good news to see this book back in print. Originally aimed at children, this book was written by an able, insightful archaeologist and folklorist. The content reflects the author's professional expertise, her gifts as a teacher, and the insights she has gained from living among Scottish bearers of tradition. If you are looking for a wonderful and accurate book to share with children, this beautifully illustrated volume is ideal. However, I also recommend it to those who are new to the subject because it combines tales and archaeological evidence in a delightfully informative way.

I've finished the prologue... now what?
Ross's "Druids, Gods and Heroes from Celtic Mythology" was the first book about the Celts I ever got my hands on, and it is one I keep going back to -however, in continous Celtic study, it is getting less and less value. As a first book, it is great. Ross offers a simple glance atthe Celtic world, along with a few of its gods, but it is very shallow. Thestories, which are beautifully illustrated, are in short versions, leavingout much of the detail (which in itself slightly kills the Celtic spirit).As a prologue for continued study, it works just nicely, but I wouldn'treccomend it to anyone who's read a couple of books on Celtic mythology. Asa camp-fire, story telling or general interest book, though, it iswonderful.

A beautiful book
I loved the artwork and the stories about the celtic myths. I was a little disappointed that there was so little information about the gods like Cernunnos, Epona, and others. But the book gave a very good explanation to why and I admire Anne Ross' as an author. ... Read more