The search for King Arthur

Format:

Book

Title:

The search for King Arthur

Author:

Day, David, 1947-

ISBN:

9780816033706

Publication Information:

Physical Description:

176 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 28 cm

Contents:

The coming of Arthur -- Arthur Dux Bellorum -- Kingdom of the dragon -- The sword in the stone -- Arthur the king -- Merlin the magician -- Morgan le Fay -- The lady of the lake -- Excalibur -- Camelot and the Round Table -- Guinevere and Lancelot -- The quest of the Holy Grail -- The last battle -- The Isle of Avalon -- Once and future king.

Summary:

Examines historical evidence for the existence of King Arthur and traces the growth of the Arthurian legend from the tenth century to modern times.

Personal Subject:

Arthur, King.

Arthur, King. (OCoLC)fst00035632

Subject(s):

Britons -- Kings and rulers -- Folklore.

Arthurian romances -- Sources.

Britons.

Great Britain -- Antiquities, Celtic.

Great Britain -- History -- To 1066.

Geographic Term:

Great Britain -- Antiquities, Celtic.

Great Britain -- History -- To 1066.

Genre:

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Call Number	Status
Searching... Silver Falls Library	942.014 DAY	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Newberg Public Library	942.014 DAY	Searching... Unknown
Searching... Salem Main Library	942.014 Day 1995	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

The Search for King Arthur invites readers on a journey of exploration that traces the evolution of Arthur from the earliest records of the historic Artorius to this day. Complemented by 170 glorious full-color illustrations, this fascinating narrative recounts the legend and all its incarnations, focusing not only on Arthur but on the people surrounding him.

Author Notes

David Day was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada on October 14, 1947. He worked in logging camps before receiving a degree from the Department of Creative Writing at the University of Victoria in 1976.

He has written over 40 books of poetry, ecology, history, fantasy, mythology, and fiction for both adults and children. His first collection of poems, The Cowichan, was published in 1975. His other books include A Tolkien Bestiary, The Doomsday Book of Animals, Castles, The Emperor's Panda, The Quest for King Arthur, Nevermore: A Book of Hours, and Tolkien: A Dictionary. Through the 1980's and 1990's, he was also an environmental columnist for Britain's Daily Mail, Evening Standard, Sunday Times, and Punch magazine.

(Bowker Author Biography)

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

YABeginning 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, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

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. --Donna Seaman