Legend, anecdote, historical fact and shadowy speculation - this is the world of King Arthur as it was seen in medieval times when the stories were first written down. A map of Arthur's Britain, the origins of the Round Table, the skills of Merlin and the sorceress Morgan le Fay, all help to create a rich background to the tales themselves. Punctuated with engaging quotations from medieval texts and with highly entertaining lists of places, characters and magical things, the book is full of information about medieval life: about knights, castles, heraldry, troubadours and courtly love, how to joust and win a fair lady, how to be a butler, and what to expect at a banquet (roast swan and peacock pie). Called 'a box of delights' by the TES and 'a fascinating guide to the Arthurian world' by "The Guardian", this was first published in 1998 as 'The King Who Was and Will Be'. It is now completely repackaged with line drawings inspired by medieval woodcuts.
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Kevin Crossley-Holland is a poet, historical novelist for children, and authority on traditional tale who has presented many BBC radio programs and is a frequent speaker at schools and libraries. He is the President of the School Library Association, an Honorary Fellow of St Edmund Hall, Oxford, a patron of the Society of Storyte
Kevin Crossley-Holland won the Carnegie Medal in l985 for Storm. His many notable books for adults and children include poetry, classic retellings and anthologies. He has written and presented many BBC radio programmes and is a frequent speaker at schools and libraries. For some years he held a university post in Minnesota. He is a Fellow of the Royal Societ
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