Simon Young (1)

I've had a long time interest in dark ages Britain and Ireland, and this book scratches that itch with a compelling conceit, that of a fictionalized Byzantine travelogue of those "dark isles". The travelers cover all quarters, encountering British Celts (both in the kingdoms of southwestern Britain and and in what is now southern Scotland and Wales), Irish & Dal Riadan Gaels, Pictish tribes, and Saxon warlords. They even show up in Din Eidyn (Edinburgh) in time to accompany the Gododdin on their fatal march to battle with the Saxons at Catraeth (as chronicled in the ancient poem Y Gododdin). The travellers also meet some famous saints and bards (hello, Taliesin) and meet many dangers on their rough journey. The fictionalized format makes for livelier reading than most dark age histories, and makes for good fodder for a historically based rpg campaign (maybe King Arthur Pendragon or Ars Magica?).… (meer)

This was an interesting way to impart dry historical data.

Simon Young, a Celtic and Dark Ages historian, created a fictional Byzantine travelogue, narrated by an adviser to the Emperor. The Emperor is always "planning" for the eventual reconquering of the barbaric isles of Britain and this travelogue is from a previous, fateful expedition. The narrator makes many "helpful" comments, giving insight into both the actual period and various misconceptions that other peoples had about England, of the time.

The journal entries refer to the names of places at the time, but footnotes clarify which are still existing places. Copious footnotes and end-notes provide additional details.

Overall, I enjoyed this approach and I now intend to seek out some other works by Young, just because of how he wrote this one.

Fun, for fans of the time and place.… (meer)

''Why is it that so many fairy sightings occur while we are in bed? Why do so many children see fairies? Is it significant that several of these children remember being sad when they saw the fey? Why do so many drivers observe fairies, sometimes running along beside their car? Why do people watching television glimpse fairies in their peripheral vision?''

Changelings, alluring women and men, tiny mischievous creatures, Jack - o'-lantern, Puck inspiring William Shakespeare, the merry wanderers of the night, the followers of the legendary Herne the Hunter, the ominous Wild Hunt, the houses of the pixies, the green valleys, the dark woods, the rugged landscapes of Devon and Dartmoor, the whimsical Cottingley photographs...

A world dominated by British and Irish fairies. What could possibly go wrong?

In Guernsey, legend has it that the fairies slaughtered the men of the island and started a new generation by marrying mortal maidens. In Cornwall, the piskeys steal everything, from chairs to children. In Cumbria, a fairy pastime involves sabotaging railways, robbing travelers or shooting arrows at unaware mortals. In Devon, the fairies disorient their victims and lead them to a relentless dance through the moors to the point of death. In Ireland, the sídhe severely punish the humans who disrespect them. Things are no less strict in the Isle of man where the fairies put the mortals who play offensive tunes to torture.

In Orkney and Shetland, the grey folk are closely linked to their Norse ancestors and the Viking heritage. Sussex is known for the fairy funeral which was conducted in William Blake's garden one night. In Wales, the fairies enjoy dancing in the shade of the oaks and demand clean water to bathe themselves and their young ones. Worcestershire fairies are said to be the inspiration that led to the creation of the hobbits by the master J.R.R.Tolkien.

The British and Irish fairies followed the people who sought what they perceived to be a ''better'' fortune all the way to the USA and Canada and their presence is said to be surprisingly vivid. The Atlantic Coast of Canada is rich in fairy myths, in a cornucopia of European creatures like elves, leprechauns, dalladadas, etc. The Irish banshees have not forgotten to moan their lament for the losses suffered in an Irish family and in New England, the legends of the fairies form a haunting dance with the vast Native American culture. Let us not forget the numerous references to fairies in Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. In Vermont, the Abenaki can narrate many fairy stories, the swamp spirit that lures children to the death being the most terrifying. The mystical landscape of Prince Edward Island gave birth to exciting stories and haunting fairy lore.

Whether you believe in fairies or not, the book is a fairy treasure granted to us mortals who wish to fly with fairy wings...

''A thirty-year-old J.R.R.Tolkien visited a family farm in Worcestershire in 1923 whilst recovering from a bout of pneumonia. Owned by his maternal aunt, Jane Neave, Dormston Manor Farm was known jokingly to the family as 'Bag End' as the lane was a 'cul-de-sac' (from the French for 'bottom of the bag'). The local folklore caught his attention and Tolkien decided to write his aunt a story about elusive beings that loved in the hedgerows there...''

My reviews can also be found on https://theopinionatedreaderblog.wordpress.com/… (meer)

An interesting premise for a book I liked very much. The author had the idea of highlighting different important events in Romano British history. He invented a fictional family and had a narrator [the unnamed genealogist] tell the parts various ancestors played, in a collection of fifteen short stories. There was a family tree in the front, maps, and line drawings. The writing was always superb, but the stories were of varying interest to me; some I liked more than others. I liked the marriage of history and creativity. Young took a few facts--historical, linguistic, or archaeological--and wove plausible short stories from them. I read this in paperback, not on a Kindle.

The stories began with Commius, a Gaul, arriving with Julius Caesar in 55 BC to scout out the southern part of the country. Commius decides to settle. The family is called Atrebates, name of a tribe, for our convenience; there actually were no last names in those days. The stories all concern the actions of different family members in the whole of Roman British history, from 'discovery' through the genealogist's nephew Ambrosius' unsuccessful mission to Emperor Honorius to ask for help for Britannia from the Scotti, Saxons, Picts and Attacotti besieging her. In 410 AD after Ambrosius's harrowing journey to Italy, the Emperor gives him letters to bring back, stating Britannia is on her own now; the emperor is withdrawing the legions.

Each story was a very well done snapshot of Romano British history. Everyone will have their own favorites but mine were:

* "Discovering Britain": Commius's story.
* "Wife on the Frontier": Claudia Severa, wife of a prefect in a fort on Hadrian's Wall and the party she plans and gives, ostensibly her own birthday party, but also more importantly in honor of the governor's visit [and intended as a bit of apple-polishing on her husband's behalf]. This tale is based creatively on one of the Vindolanda tablets: an invitation to a birthday party one officer's wife wrote to another. Young has added the governor's visit--a complete fiction. Claudia's connection to the family is revealed in the story.
* "On the Turf Wall [Antonine Wall]: Trifosa, a slave: the family had gone bankrupt and some members were sold into slavery. She is bought by a centurion, Marcus Cocceius Firmus, who dreams of his discharge from the military less than a year away. He plans to free her and to retire with her to a villa on the Black Sea. Maybe they will have children...
* "A persecution of Christians": Iamcilla, a Christian, is persecuted and slain in the amphitheater.
* "The end of Roman Britain", which I've mentioned above, in which the fateful letter is brought back to Roman Britain.

At the end of each story, Young tells us the object of the story and where he found his bits of information. 'Notes' towards the back explain more fully. highly recommended.… (meer)