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King Arthur: The Making of the Legend Paperback – September 28, 2021

by Nicholas J. Higham (Author)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 55 ratings
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A prominent scholar explores King Arthur’s historical development, proposing that he began as a fictional character developed in the ninth century

According to legend, King Arthur saved Britain from the Saxons and reigned over it gloriously sometime around A.D. 500. Whether or not there was a “real” King Arthur has all too often been neglected by scholars; most period specialists today declare themselves agnostic on this important matter. In this erudite volume, Nick Higham sets out to solve the puzzle, drawing on his original research and expertise to determine precisely when, and why, the legend began.
 
Higham surveys all the major attempts to prove the origins of Arthur, weighing up and debunking hitherto claimed connections with classical Greece, Roman Dalmatia, Sarmatia, and the Caucasus. He then explores Arthur’s emergence in Wales—up to his rise to fame at the hands of Geoffrey of Monmouth. Certain to arouse heated debate among those committed to defending any particular Arthur, Higham’s book is an essential study for anyone seeking to understand how Arthur’s story began.
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  1. Print length
    400 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Yale University Press
  4. Publication date
    September 28, 2021
  5. Dimensions
    5.1 x 1.3 x 7.7 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0300254989
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0300254983
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Fascinating, authoritative analysis"—PD Smith, The Guardian

 
“This is a thoughtful and patient, rational and fair-minded book, which critically examines various theories about the starting point for the Arthur myth.” —Dan Jones, The Sunday Times

“A leading medievalist takes a clear-eyed look at the evidence for the existence of the legendary Arthur.”—The Sunday Times ‘Best Paperbacks of 2021’

“Higham [has] . . . extraordinary erudition.”—D. A. Meier, Choice

"Likely to be the definitive text on the legendary warrior for the foreseeable future.  With his profound knowledge of the rules of historical narrative and patient but forensic analysis of the evidence, Higham's riveting book brings the historical Arthur to what may be his last, decisive battle."—Max Adams, author of In the Land of Giants
 

"A very intelligent book which presents the facts and invites you to draw your own conclusions about this legendary British monarch. If King Arthur didn’t exist, he should have done and Nicholas Higham’s book shows us why. A superb read: scholarly yet accessible. Highly recommended.”—Francis Pryor, author of Britain B.C
 

“This book provides an outstanding, and deeply informed, overview of the various ‘King Arthurs’ in history. Accessible and well-written, it is also a significant contribution to the debate around the historical origins of Arthur.”—Anne Lawrence-Mathers, author of The True History of Merlin the Magician
 

About the Author

N. J. Higham is professor emeritus in history at the University of Manchester. He is the author or co-author of many distinguished works including The Anglo-Saxon World.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Yale University Press (September 28, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0300254989
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0300254983
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.1 x 1.3 x 7.7 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 55 ratings

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Nicholas J. Higham

Nicholas J. Higham

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Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
55 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

S O
5.0 out of 5 stars The real deal.
Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2020
Verified Purchase
Not quite as good as Caitlyn/Thomas Green's book in my opinion, but nevertheless a 5/5 dive into the "what is" and "what isn't"es of Arthurian history and legend, from a real expert.
6 people found this helpful
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just a poor man struggling
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent summary of the current state of our knowledge of the Arthurian legend
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2019
Higham is one of the best scholars straddling the line between academic and popular research on the origins and development of the Arthurian legend. This book is a somewhat of an update of previous books he has written on the subject and offers and excellent summary of the scholarly consensus on the Arthurian legend, while also debunking several rather silly hypotheses that have seeped into the popular culture (the Sarmatian hypothesis, Lucius Artorius Castus as the "real" King Arthur, et al.); for this alone, the book is well worth the cost. Higham has done a great service for those interested in truth and not fantasy!
8 people found this helpful
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C J
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and college level
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2019
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I was hoping for a more relaxing read--it was too deep, put me to sleep.
2 people found this helpful
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Lulu
1.0 out of 5 stars Hated it
Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2018
I have been really interested in learning about king Author, so I ddecided to get a book about him. First of all it is really expensive, but I thought maybe it is so good that so many people have bought it. Second of all it was REEEAAAALLLLLY boring
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Allan Armstrong
5.0 out of 5 stars The realities and myths associated with King Arthur
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 14, 2024
Verified Purchase
One of the best account of the realities and myths associated with King Arthur
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Francis Shaw
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read - spoiler in review
Reviewed in Germany on December 31, 2018
Verified Purchase
The author does a great job of analyzing all the contenders for a historical Arthur. I was quite saddened to have to agree with his conclusions because, like many, there is a power in believing in this dark age hero who stood out from all the other warriors, leaders, and kings who lived and died during that time. Despite the lack of real proof, I still have a lingering hope that further evidence is yet to be uncovered. I still find it difficult to fully believe that such an obscure name as Arthur was plucked out of nowhere and developed into such a savior, when there must have been many more well known characters to choose from? It can be argued that this is exactly the reason he was chosen, but it feels far too uncomfortable that one covered in such few surviving written accounts would be so elevated. Could it be an oral tradition which did indeed survive for centuries that caused his rise or was there indeed a written work, long disappeared? It still feels there is a work to be uncovered and given the early Norman focus on rising Arthur from virtually nothing to hero and king, perhaps there is a book waiting to be found tucked away in a Normandy library. This reader hopes so...
2 people found this helpful
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Graham Cooling
4.0 out of 5 stars It is a historian's book about King Arthur
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 7, 2021
Verified Purchase
The one thing I found misleading is the title which think should be King Arthur : a fiction as the book really ends up doubting he existed at all. Having said that I found the book a very good explanation of modern historians view of King Arthur
One person found this helpful
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Gsy Granny
5.0 out of 5 stars A very thorough examination of the evidence
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 27, 2021
Verified Purchase
The conclusion was disappointing, but not unexpected. It is a great story, but the historic evidence is so thin. So few contemporary records.
One person found this helpful
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ROBERT WILKES
3.0 out of 5 stars Should be “The Discrediting of All Research”
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 9, 2021
Verified Purchase
Like many non-specialist historians I was dimly aware that there was negligible evidence of the existence of Arthur even as a an echo of a historical figure. I did not need this exhaustive and exhausting book to investigate every improbable origin for the romances and disprove them. How many Aunt Sallys did he need to find to bulk out his text?
2 people found this helpful
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