Deirdre: A Celtic Legend

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Summary: A Sad King Doesn't Care Whose Heart He Breaks
Review: David Guard's musical background shows in the angrily, bravely, happily and tragically dancing drawings and text of DEIRDRE: A CELTIC LEGEND. The former Kingston Trio member makes it clear why this story has gone through so many retellings: the skilled chess-playing daughter of Elva and storytelling harper Fedlimid macDall, Queen Deirdre returned from a seven-year exile so that her lover's murder with the other heroic sons of Uisnach would be opposed, witnessed and mourned; the old ways would not be forgotten; the people of Scotland would be safe from her husband, Red Branch Chief and Ulster High King Conchobar macNessa; and the suffering would end among her people in Ireland. I find it interesting that the author included understanding insects when talking about how much Deirdre knew: Annie Dillard says in PILGRIM AT TINKER CREEK that the key to figuring out life might be in understanding bugs. The beautifully simple book, along with the song "Deirdre" on the Beach Boy's "Sunflower/Surf's Up" album, can help readers tackle Randy Lee Eickhoff's THE RAID, THE FEAST, and THE SORROWS; Morgan Llywelyn's RED BRANCH; and the classic versions of DEIRDRE by James Stephens, John M. Synge, and William Butler Yeats.