Taliesin: The Last Celtic Shaman
by John Matthews, Caitlin Matthews

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Book Reviews of Taliesin: The Last Celtic Shaman

Book Review: Mythic view of the universe.....
Summary: 5 Stars

Taliesin was probably British or Welsh although he might have considered himself something else-perhaps Cymry. The Romans described the inhabitants of what is today the United Kingdom as British, while the English referred to them as Welsh-their word for foreigner. Matthews refers to Taliesin as Celtic (Keltoi), a word the Greeks used to describe the people of northern Europe. Matthews describes the Celtic society that probably produced Taliesin and links his poetry to the Celtic view of the cosmos. He sees Taliesin as a "wise" man who penetrated the secrets of the universe and then attempted to share his vision via words.

Since I don't speak or read ancient Welsh or Irish, I can't pretend to know whether or not Matthews' interpretation of the Taliesin poetry is good or bad or even accurate. Although the book is not from a mainstream academic source, Matthews appears to be relatively scholarly, frequently citing from respected works and noting where his perspective differs from that of others. He also uses contextual material to locate Taliesin in time and space as an historical person. This secondary material seems to be consistent with various academic interpretations.

Summary of Taliesin: The Last Celtic Shaman

? The first collection of Taliesin's major poetry with commentary by John Matthews, author of more than 40 books on the Celts.

? Reveals Druidic prophecy, methods of divination, and the rites, rituals, and beliefs that were essential to Celtic spiritual practice.

? Features Taliesin's works as keys to the Arthurian legends.

Taliesin, Chief Bard of Britain and Celtic shaman, was a historical figure who lived in Wales during the latter half of the sixth century. Encoded within his work are the ancestral beliefs of the Celtic and pre-Celtic peoples. In addition, his verse is established as a direct precursor to the Arthurian Legends--and Taliesin himself, shaman and shapeshifter, is said to be the direct forebear to Merlin. Though the bard's work is steeped in the rich traditions of druidic practice, few have explored the revelations of his writings--the secret poetic language of the bards, revelatory information about divination, the ancient mysteries of the Druids, and the cosmological rites that were central to Celtic worship. 

John Matthews, one of today's preeminent Celtic scholars, sheds new light on the poems of Taliesin and on the vast body of allusion, story, and myth that grew from his body of work and shamanic practice. With the help of fellow Celtic scholar Caitlin Matthews, the author presents completely new translations of Taliesin's major poems in their entirety, uncovering the meanings behind these great works for the first time.

Celtic Books

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