Celts - by Bernhard Maier (Paperback)

About the Book

This comprehensive history of the Celts from origins to the present draws on archaeological, historical, literary, and linguistic evidence. It is divided into three parts. Part one covers the continental Celts in prehistory and antiquity, complete with accounts of the Celts in Germany, Italy, Iberia, and Asia Minor. The second part follows the Celts from the departure of the Romans to the late Middle Ages, including the migrations to and settlements in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and Brittany. Discussions of the Celtic kingdoms and the rise and fall of Celtic Christianity are also given. The final part brings the history of the Celts up to the present, covering the assimilation of the Celts within the national cultures of Great Britain, France, and Ireland. Included in this consideration are the suppression of Gaelic, the declines, revivals, and survivals of languages and literatures, and the histories of Celtic culture. This book, containing 20 maps and black and white illustrations, will be invaluable to anyone with an interest in Celtic culture or history.

Book Synopsis

This comprehensive history of the Celts from origins to the present draws on archaeological, historical, literary, and linguistic evidence. It is divided into three parts. Part one covers the continental Celts in prehistory and antiquity, complete with accounts of the Celts in Germany, Italy, Iberia, and Asia Minor. The second part follows the Celts from the departure of the Romans to the late Middle Ages, including the migrations to and settlements in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and Brittany. Discussions of the Celtic kingdoms and the rise and fall of Celtic Christianity are also given. The final part brings the history of the Celts up to the present, covering the assimilation of the Celts within the national cultures of Great Britain, France, and Ireland. Included in this consideration are the suppression of Gaelic, the declines, revivals, and survivals of languages and literatures, and the histories of Celtic culture.

Review Quotes

"...a graceful book that surveys the whole range of Celtic experience...." --Choice

"...a readable and informative introduction to the cultural and linguistic identity of the Celts."--Albion

"...authoritative...." --Catholic Library World

"[T]he book as a whole is an extraordinary achievement, remarkable for the range of historical, literary, and linguistic material it covers with clarity and expertise." --History: Reviews of New Books

About the Author

Bernard Maier is a lecturer at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität in Bonn, Germany.

Kevin Windle is Reader in Translation Studies at the Australian National University. His translations include The Silent Child by Laurent Danon-Boileau and Systematic Lexicography by Juri Apresjan (both published by Oxford University Press).