By Ronald Hutton
Published by Continuum Books
NOW AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK, PRICE £14.99
Price £19.99, hardback.
Review by Hawthorn
Not what I’d expected, this book, but actually more
interesting and more informative. I’d been looking forward to a historical explanation
of who the ancient Druids really
were, what they really did and
believed and practiced. That expectation was disappointed in the Introduction
where the author argues that “We can know virtually nothing of certainty about
the ancient Druids”. He does, though, discuss the evidence that exists, whilst
pointing out the problems and possible biases with it.
Ronald Hutton then traces the history of more modern
interest in the idea of Druids, beginning in the early Sixteenth Century with
the rise of patriotism and the search for ancestors that peoples could be proud
of. It began in Germany
before spreading to Britain
and more recently Wales.
I was interested to learn that Druids had actually been fashionable for a time!
Each chapter of the book looks at the idea of the Druids from
a different perspective - wise Druids,
Green Druids, Demonic Druids, Green Druids, Fraternal Druids, and finally,
Rebel Druids. This last category includes most contemporary Druids!
I can’t really do justice to this book in this brief review,
just to say that I have learnt a great deal from it and am left inspired and
wondrous at the courage and imagination of some of our relatively recent
predecessors. It is readable (the book cover claims that it is written “in a
racy and accessible style”!) and has a good many drawings and photos of key
figures, both historical and current day. At £19.99 , it is not especially
cheap, but I genuinely feel that it’s
been money well spent.
go to interview with Ronald Hutton
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