The History of the Kings of Britain
Penguin Publishing Group · Print & ebook · January 27, 1977
A History pick for readers exploring The History of the Kings of Britain.
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- Genres
- Early Medieval Britain (to 1066), British History
- Published
- Penguin Publishing Group, January 27, 1977
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For younger readers: The Boy Knight, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Stories of King Arthur and His Knights
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Start with this bookAbout this book
Completed in 1136, this classic chronicle traces the story of the realm from its supposed foundation by Brutus to the coming of the Saxons some two thousand years later. Vividly portraying legendary and semi-legendary figures such as Lear, Cymbeline, Merlin the magician, and the most famous of all British heroes, King Arthur, it is as much myth as it is history, and its veracity was questioned by other medieval writers.
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But Geoffrey of Monmouth’s powerful evocation of illustrious men and deeds captured the imagination of subsequent generations, and his influence can be traced through the works of Malory, Shakespeare, Dryden, and Tennyson. Lewis Thorpe’s translation from the Latin brings us an accurate and enthralling version of Geoffrey’s remarkable narrative. His introduction discusses in depth the aims of the author and his possible sources, and describes the impact of this work on British literature.
Legendary Britain
Come here for
- Geoffrey of Monmouth’s famously storied chronicle
- Cultural-literate medieval Britain, with a layered sweep
Expect
- Dense medieval framing
- A long, narrative, talk-about-it-afterward read
Where it sits
| Early Medieval Britain (to 1066) | 65% |
|---|---|
| British History | 37% |
Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.
Publisher categories
- Royal Lives
- British History
- British & Irish Literary Criticism
- Authors
- Geoffrey of Monmouth, Lewis Thorpe
- Publisher
- Penguin Publishing Group
- Published
- January 27, 1977
- Format
- Print & ebook
- Reading lane
- Royal Lives