The Celts

Rating:
Summary: Useful for some things, but badly outdated
Review: This is a great book... for pictures and quick references to specific archaeological sites. I would have to say that most of the broadly theoretical chapters (on interactions between Celts and the Classical world, for example) are not very useful - they could have been written in the 1930s instead of the 1990s! The book was written to accompany the 'I Celti' exhibit in Italy in 1990, and so much of the book focuses on presenting the Celts as a cohesive, pan-European culture like today's EU.

If you are serious about studying the Celts, try John Collis' 'European Iron Age' (the difinitive source!) or Miranda Green's 'The Celtic World'. There are less pictures, but these books are far more scholarly and better researched.

Rating:
Summary: Useful compendium
Review: This is a very nicely illustrated book, useful for quick reference and short introductory chapters on a wide variety of topics. The book was written to accompany the 'I Celti' exhibit held in Italy in 1990, and presents the work of many European scholars (all in English).

However, this is not really an introductory text. It would be a wonderful companion to a number of syntheses (The Ancient Celts, The European Iron Age, Exploring the World of the Celts, etc.) but the quality and depth of each entry is variable. It is not a book that is conducive to sitting down and reading all the way through, but can be dipped into whenever the need arises.

Still, this one may be worth purchasing for the illustrations alone, as there are many colour pictures throughout.

Rating:
Summary: The Celts is the definitive book on the history of all Celts
Review: This is by far the most thorough book on the Celtic people who once inhabited all of Europe. The authors cover their history, art, archaeological digs, clothing, food, migration paths, jewelry, and everything else having to do with the Celtic people. When they discuss the early Celtic religions, they are honest enough to say that very little is actually known. The Celts is a treasure trove of fascinating information. I would highly recommend this book. It is worth every penny!