The Mammoth Book of Celtic Myths and Legends

With fascination for all things mythical at a high thanks to authors Tolkien and Rowling, this is the perfect time to publish this wide-ranging collection of Celtic mythology. Suitable for everyone from children looking for a good story to specialist historians, it's an enormous volume including an amazing variety of tales. Son of an Irish writer and immersed in the land's traditions from birth, Ellis is now a renowned expert in the field of Celtic literature. In a useful and insightful introduction, he gives some background information about who the Celts were and the origins of their language and the tales they told. The book is then divided into the six regions from which the legends originate, each of which in turn contains six short stories. Each section also has its own introduction, telling the reader about the history of storytelling from that particular region and the sources from which the tales sprang. The stories themselves abound with such mythical creatures as leprechauns, mermaids and a whole host of Celtic gods and goddesses. Some are perfect for capturing the imaginations of a young audience whereas some contain sex and violence so parental guidance should be applied. The book concludes with an extensive list of suggested further reading, making this an ideal place to start if you are interested in Celtic mythology. As several stories are previously unpublished, it is also a valuable collection for readers already familiar with these rich traditions. (Kirkus UK)