The Celts: The People Who Came Out of the Darkness (1975)

A chronological event of the Celts from the time they first encountered Roman armies in Italy to the coming of Caesar to the campaigns advancing into England and Ireland to the acceptance of Christianity to the arising of the King Arthur legend due to William of Normandy's defeat on Harold of England in the battle of the Hastings. The book overall was interesting in parts and slow in others. If nothing else it gave me an appreciation of my heritage. From the beginning they were barbarians with their ragged hair, painted bodies, and unduly tactics of war that drove their enemy into fright at first sight. They had an over imaginative superstition to the spirit world in so much that they kept the heads of their victims and decorated their homes, including making drinking vessels out of the skulls, believing that they would protect them. The adoption of Christianity began to tame them to some extent but their ingenious fallacy continued forth in the devising of the Grail and the legend of King Arthur which continues to influence people today. ( )

Celts

Extensive overview of the origins of Celtic Tribes and their migration through Europe to the British Isles Well written and readable style of writing. Assumes no real previous knowledge of the subject. ( )