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Overview
Who was King Arthur? His name is enveloped in mystery and intrigue; indeed Arthurian legend dates back to the sixth century A.D. Author David Day invites readers on a journey of exploration that details both Arthur the man, the historic Artorius, and Arthur the myth. Bedecked with 170 glorious full-color illustrations, the book recounts the legend end all its incarnations, focusing not only an Arthur but on the people surrounding him. History and myth vividly combine in The Search for King Arthur, demonstrating that the "once and future king" is an eternal one, a hero far all time, and for every culture.King Arthur is a topic of perennial popular interest, the focus of novels, films, and a Broadway play. Bedecked with 170 glorious color illustrations, this book recounts the legend and all its incarnations, focusing not only on Arthur, but on the people surrounding him, including Guinevere, Galahad, Morgan le Fay, and others.
Editorials
School Library Journal
YA-Beginning with Artorius the Dux Bellorum, Lord of Battles, Day weaves fact and myth, politics and religion, literature and art into a readable, entertaining, structured account that breathes life into the Arthurian legends. Dragons, Merlin, Morgan Le Fay, the Lady of the Lake, Excalibur, Camelot, the Round Table, Guinevere and Lancelot, the quest for the Holy Grail, the Last Battle, and the Isle of Avalon are all traced and put into historical context. Over 170 reproductions, many of them works by Arthur Rackham, Alan Lee, Walter Crane, and Aubrey Beardsley, provide a visual history of Arthurian illustration. Teens seeking information for reports or who have an interest in illustration and/or mythology can dip into a specific chapter or submerge themselves in one of the world's greatest myths.-Barbara Hawkins, Oakton High School, Fairfax, VABooknews
A highly and colorfully illustrated, romantic and innocuous retelling of the most popular bits of the Arthurian legend. A useful feature might be a combination chronology and select bibliography from 1200 BC to the present, placing the primary renditions in time and in relation to each other. Also published as The Quest for King Arthur by Griffin House, London (1995). Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)Donna Seaman
Day is a popular and wonderfully eclectic writer with more than 30 books to his credit on such topics as mythology, fantasy, heraldry, alchemy, and natural history. Each of these realms of knowledge, as well as Day's adept storytelling skills, comes into play in this fresh interpretation of the legend of King Arthur. Day carefully sorts facts from fancy as he traces the historical roots of King Arthur to the fifth-century champion Artorius Dux Bellorum and then analyzes the social and political forces that turned him into one of the "world's most popular heroes." Day retells many key Arthurian legends, paying special attention to Merlin the Magician, reputed to be the prophetic and supernatural offspring of a virgin nun and a demon, and the source of the mystical aura surrounding the tales of King Arthur. Day's illuminating and thoroughly enjoyable narrative is enhanced by more than 170 luscious full-color illustrations by such celebrated artists as Gustave Doreand Arthur Rackham as well as contemporary illustrator Alan Lee. The only complaint is that these artists are credited in a list at the back of the book. Captions would have been much more appropriate.Book Details
Published
October 1, 1995
Publisher
New York, NY : Facts on File, c1995.
Pages
176
Format
Hardcover
ISBN
9780816033706