To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, we thought we’d forgo the typical green-beer-and-shamrock shenanigans and celebrate Ireland’s Celtic roots instead.
In Celtic Mythology, a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title for 2017, historian and Pepperdine professor Dr. Philip Freeman aims to collect and showcase the very best stories passed down from the ancient Celts.
While many can rattle off a list of Greek, Roman, and Norse gods, Celtic deities belong to a lesser-known chapter of world mythology.
Or, as Freeman writes in the introduction: “Everyone today knows about the gods and heroes of the ancient Greeks, such as Zeus, Hera, and Hercules, but how many people have heard of the Gaulish god Lugus or the magical Welsh queen Rhiannon or the great Irish warrior Cú Chulainn?”
“The introductions are short and sweet, as are the endnotes, and since Irish and Welsh names are tricky, a glossary is provided. This would be an excellent collection for introductory courses in Celtic Studies; it is also an entry point for anyone wanting to become familiar with these tales. Freeman’s version is engaging, accessible, and faithful,” praises Reading Religion.
