Worldwide and UK publications

 

NEW BOOKS AND RECENT REPRINTS

Our new books all seem to have stacked up to appear together this spring: we didn’t plan it this way, honestly! Blame the exigencies of publishing.

First through the starting gate is A Constant Search for Wisdom by John. This contains writings, teachings, poems, essays and other unpublished things from his career and is published to coincide with his 60th birthday by the Lorian Foundation. Here you will find not only every essay, talk or presentation John thinks worth preserving, but also some stories, poems and even the libretto for a Grail Mass written by us both in the 1960s! In US you can order direct from The Lorian Association at lorian.bigmindcatalyst.com or from us,
if you are a UK reader.

Next out is our animal trickster collection The Trick of the Tale, with witty, Durer-like engravings by Tomaslav Tomik arrives in Spring 2008. These stories are from round the world: tricky hares, foxes, cockerels, wrens, crows and others reveal the primordial wisdom to survive in the face of predation and other hazards. Preorder and we’ll reserve you a copy.

Following in March is King Arthur: History and Legend which is only available through joining the Folio Society. Most of you will know the Folio Society from their large adverts on the back of periodicals, but you will also appreciate how beautifully these books are bound and designed. Normally Folio Society do fine editions of favourite books: our book is one the first of a selection of original titles which are being published for the first time. No part of the book has been published before or elsewhere. We had wanted to call the book ‘Faces of Arthur’, as our intention was to discover his many guises through time but the publisher disagreed. Caitlín enjoyed writing this more than anything else last year. It was truly motivating to return to source texts and spend time with old Nennius and even that waspish old moaner, Gildas, not to mention Aneirin and the anonymous bards and chroniclers who filled in the gaps so that Dark Age Britain might not be forgotten. John enjoyed exploring the parallel roots of Arthur, in the story of the 2nd century campaigner Lucius Artorius Castus, which reveals how the Romans brought the seeds of Sarmatian mythology into Britain. For those of you who saw the King Arthur movie and were dismayed at this seemingly odd take on the stories you know and love, this will explain the historical reality behind the film. See www.foliosoc.co.uk after March. SEE EXTRACT

Fireside Stories. This story collection has winter tales from Europe and North America, with two stories from Scotland. Stories to see you through from the ghost story of Samhain through to the coming Brighid at Imbolc. This is a book to help your child find inspiration in the flickering flames and glowing embers while you read these tales of deep winter and draw the shawl or blanket tighter round your shoulders.

The Book of Celtic Verse: A Treasury of Poetry, Dreams & Visions by John Matthews. This inspirational collection of Celtic poetry includes the earliest Celtic poems through to the rich tapestries of poetry in the 19th and 20th centuries. This collection of its most inspiring writings contains medieval works from Dafydd ap Gwilym and Rhys Goch, more modern poetry by R. J. Stewart, Robin Williamson and Catherine Fisher, as well as a legion of other Celtic songsmiths, who have carried the torch of balladry and vision into our time. With new translations from the old Irish by Caitlín and from the Welsh by John.

John’s The Grail Tarot: A Templar Vision, illustrated by Giovanni Casselli’s beautiful pictures in the Siennese style, is now out. This gorgeous pack incorporates Templar, Grail, and Gnostic images. The story within the cards follows the initiation of a Templar brother. In addition, each separate suit and the major arcana join up to create a freize. Many new readings have been created for this pack, including The Grand Master Spread and the Truce Spread.

The Celtic Oracle is the reprint of Celtic Shaman’s Pack. This meditation/ divination set helps readers explore the Celtic Otherworld through its major landscape features, animals and divine beings. John had hoped to reprint it with Chesca Potter’s wonderful artwork, but she has vanished and isn’t contactable so, reluctantly, it has been redone with other artists. The new edition comes with 40 cards and a full colour 224pp. book which is very handsome indeed.

During our loft-clearance, many treasures (along with much lumber) came to light. We have some specials offers which, when they are gone, will never be repeated. We have some pristine copies of Arthur and the Sovereignty of Britain, which was reprinted with some emendations in 2000 as King Arthur and the Goddess of the Land. And also some of John’s Sources of the Grail which includes the essential textual sources for the many Grail medieval stories.

Singing the Soul Back Home, has unfortunately gone out of stock and we have no copies until the last few have been discovered in USA and flown home. We are trying to negotiate a limited reprint for shamanic students who use it to support their journeying practice. Celtic Book of the Dead is now back in a cheaper edition: book and cards unchanged for voyage to the Blessed Islands, but the packaging is irritating: our advice is to discard this and pop the cards in a bag.