Merlin: Shaman, Prophet, Magician

by John Matthews

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Merlin, best known to us as the advisor of young King Arthur, is the most famous and familiar image of the magician that we possess. Acclaimed Arthurian expert John Matthews examines the many guises of this popular figure—as seer, prophet, magician, and inspiration to people from all walks of life. He explores the possible historic origins of Merlin as a Celtic king, the later literary forms of his legend in the myths of King Arthur, and his more recent manifestations in visionary works, show more as the prototype for characters such as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars films, and other characters in TV and fantasy writing. Drawing on a wealth of sources from Celtic, medieval, and Renaissance times, this is the first, fully-illustrated book on Merlin, the man.   show less

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John Matthews was born in the North of England in 1948. He has been a professional writer since 1980, and has produced over forty books ranging from Celtic and Arthurian legends to collections of stories, essays, and poetry He has given workshops in Britain, Central Europe, and America and is primarily concerned with the interpretation of myth. He show more is an internationally renowned authority on mythology and folklore with a special interest in the Arthurian and Grail traditions and Celtic lore. Matthews best known works are The Grail: Quest for Eternal Life, Taliesin: Shamanism and the Bardic Mysteries in Britain and Ireland, and The Celtic Shaman. Other books include Arthur and the Grail Quest, Within the Hollow Hills, and The Winter Solstice, which won the Benjamin Franklin Award in 1998. Matthews has also co-authored with his wife, Caitlin Matthews, a study of the Western mystery tradition, The Western Way. Together they designed and wrote the best-selling Arthurian Tarot, which has sold more than 50,000 copies and has been translated into several languages. (Bowker Author Biography) John Matthews is the author of more than fifty books. He is a lecturer and teacher in the U.K., Europe and the U.S. show less

Classifications

Genres
Nonfiction, General Nonfiction, History, Biography & Memoir, Religion & Spirituality
DDC/MDS
398Social sciencesCustoms, etiquette & folkloreFolklore
LCC
PN686 .M4 .M38Language and LiteratureLiterature (General)Literature (General)Literary historyBy periodMedieval (to 1500)Legends
BISAC

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Members
79
Popularity
399,598
Rating
(3.80)
Languages
English
Media
Paper
ISBNs
2