RED
DOG BOOKS
Legends of Brittany
...from the dawn of history to the nuclear age...
Wendy Mewes
£12.50
15.00 euros
Book Details:
Paperback 304 pages
Language: English
ISBN: 978 0 9568699 2 0
Dimensions: 180 x 145 x 17 mm
Illustrations: various monochrome
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£12.50 |
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15€00 |
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Book description
This is the perfect introduction to the infinitely varied world of Breton legends. Drawing on many sources of popular oral tradition, the author provides a historical and cultural context for stories and sayings from all over Brittany. The contents are organised by themes such as the founding saints, the landscape, the sea, women, death and the devil, and all sorts of little people. Ankou, Conomor, King Arthur and the city of Ys all make their appearance alongside black dogs, giants, sirens and sinners. Attention is paid to the background necessary for understanding the origins and significance of these stories. The chosen legends range in subject from the fantastical to important historic events, and in time from pre-history to the present day. The folklorists and conteurs who have kept these tales alive are also honoured in this wide-ranging and entertaining book..
Review
This book is surprising. Even if you are well-rooted in the
21st century and think of Brittany only in the context of family holidays or as
a congenial place to live near the sea, you may well find it very difficult to
put down. I had to wrench it from my husband's hands to get a look at it.
So what is so intriguing? Well, essentially an authoritative and well-informed
discussion of the constitution and origins of legend is peppered with a
gallimaufry of humorous, hair-raising, bizarre, likely and unlikely tales, both
ancient and latter-day. Brittany's classics are here - the sagas of Tristan and
Isolde, the lost land of Ys, King Arthur and Merlin - but there are also
rollicking yarns of saints and goblins, giants, the devil and the rest, tales
you may or may not have heard before, all woven into the landscape of rock,
river, mountain and sea. Nowhere in Europe surely has
such a rich heritage as Brittany,
although it is interesting that many stories also have connections with Cornwall,
Wales, or Ireland.
Whether you are a holiday-maker or a resident of Brittany this book simply must be on your reading list because it gives you something
that no guidebook can - an understanding of the roots of this truly different
region and a glimpse into its very soul.
Amazon review
About the author
Wendy Mewes has lived in Finistere for many years, finding the Monts d’Arrée a good fit for her Welsh background. She has a research degree in ancient history from the University of Wales and was Head of Classics at Godolphin & Latymer in London before concentrating full-time on writing.
The author of eight books about Brittany, including Discovering the History of Brittany, a guide to the Nantes-Brest canal and Walking the Brittany Coast, she also produces E-books on the region such as town guides to Quimper and Rennes, Megaliths, Parish Closes and Food and Drink.
She created the Brittany Walks organisation in 2004, and works to promote Breton heritage, landscape and products to anglophones through walks, talks, courses, guided visits and tourist projects. She has also written articles on Brittany for the national press in the UK, been filmed for French TV and broadcast a series on the history of Brittany for Spotlight radio.
www.wendymewes.com www.brittanyheritageservices.com www.brittanywalks.com
Other books by Wendy Mewes
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