Little is definitively known of the life and schooling of Geoffrey of Monmouth, but his extraordinary literary works have survived centuries as a testament to his legacy. Around the time of Geoffrey's life, the written Arthurian legends were mostly fragmentary and often incoherent. He therefore took on the task of creating the first full biographies of King Arthur and Merlin, which from that point on remained the quintessential source for all Arthurian tales. His finest work, "The History of the Kings of Britain", traces ...
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Little is definitively known of the life and schooling of Geoffrey of Monmouth, but his extraordinary literary works have survived centuries as a testament to his legacy. Around the time of Geoffrey's life, the written Arthurian legends were mostly fragmentary and often incoherent. He therefore took on the task of creating the first full biographies of King Arthur and Merlin, which from that point on remained the quintessential source for all Arthurian tales. His finest work, "The History of the Kings of Britain", traces the reign of nearly a hundred British kings, beginning with the nation's mythical founder, Brutus. It is an imaginative and meticulously written masterpiece. Modeled after "The Aeneid", one half of the work is devoted towards the first ten centuries of British history. The second half, comprising about two centuries, focuses primarily around King Arthur, the rise and fall of the Round Table, and the declining fortunes of Arthur's heirs. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.
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Seller's Description:
Fine. 24 x 16 cm. Octavo. 229pp. Bound into red boards, decorated with gilt and black crowns, housed in slipcase. Text follows that of the 1966 edition. Translated by Lewis Thorpe, preface by Richard Barber. Color frontispiece. The 2010 printing.
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Seller's Description:
Like New. Size: 9x6x1; A nice hardcover in a slipcase tight binding and an unmarked text. From a private smoke free collection. Shipping within 24 hours, tracking number and delivery Confirmation.
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Seller's Description:
Good. Text in English, Latin. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 384 p. Penguin Classics. May show signs of wear, highlighting, writing, and previous use. This item may be a former library book with typical markings. No guarantee on products that contain supplements Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Twenty-five year bookseller with shipments to over fifty million happy customers.
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Fair. Cocked Spine. Creases on Cover and/or Spine. Worn Corners and/or Page Edges (Possibly Bent). Discoloration, Tanning or Foxing on Cover and/or Pages. Soiled Cover and/or Pages. Reading Copy. May have damage to cover, notes, underlining, highlighting, but all text legible. Purchasing this item from Goodwill provides vocational opportunities for individuals with barriers to employment.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
No one would argue that Monmouth is the most fun version of the Arthur myth, but as the father of the genre, and the subject of still-intense debates about whether or not he had 'an inordinate love of lying', it is fascinating to discover the Virgilian links to Troy and well-crafted (if totally bogus) weaving of Britain's history to that of ancient Greece. Arthur is not the chivalric hero, but a battle-weary mortal king with a wife whose few mentions resemble little of the Guinivere of myth. But Monmouth loved his material and presents it with zest and enthusiasm, and the differences with the more familiar stuff is just as interesting as the similarities. If you have a true interest in the origins of the Arthur mythos, you gotta have some Monmouth!