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The Celts Paperback – August 1, 2017

by Alice Roberts (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,150 ratings
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'Informed, impeccably researched and written' Neil Oliver

'A masterpiece of evocative scientific storytelling' Brian Cox

The Celts are one of the world's most mysterious ancient people. In this compelling account, Alice Roberts takes us on a journey across Europe, uncovering the truth about this engimatic tribe: their origins, their treasure and their enduring legacy today. What emerges is not a wild people, but a highly sophisticated tribal culture that influenced the ancient world - and even Rome.

It is the story of a multicultural civilization, linked by a common language.

It is the story of how ideas travelled in prehistory, how technology and art spread across the continent.

It is the story of a five-hundred year fight between two civilizations that came to define the world we live in today.

It is the story of a culture that changed Europe forever.


'Roberts's lightness of touch is joyous, and celebratory' Observer

'Clear-spoken and enthusiastic' Telegraph

Previous page
  1. Print length
    320 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Quercus Publishing
  4. Publication date
    August 1, 2017
  5. Dimensions
    5.04 x 0.83 x 7.72 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9781784293352
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1784293352
  8. See all details
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  1. ‘The Welsh, Scots, Irish and other peoples have only come to describe themselves and their ancestors as Celts since the eighteenth century.’
    Highlighted by 49 Kindle readers
  2. The earliest mention of the Celts and their territory takes us back to the late sixth century BC, and the first known Greek historian, Hecataeus of Miletus.
    Highlighted by 41 Kindle readers
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Editorial Reviews

Review

A masterpiece of evocative scientific storytelling―Brian Cox

About the Author

Alice Roberts is an anatomist, archaeologist, anthropologist, historian, television presenter, author and professor at the University of Birmingham. She has presented Coast, Digging for Britain and The Incredible Human Journey on BBC2, Inside Science on Radio 4 and has appeared as an expert on Time Team on Channel 4. She writes a regular column for The Observer and is passionate about human health, evolution and history. She lives in Bristol with her husband and two children.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1784293350
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Quercus Publishing; Reprint edition (August 1, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781784293352
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1784293352
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.04 x 0.83 x 7.72 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,150 ratings

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Alice Roberts

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
1,150 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

ray giuffrida
5.0 out of 5 stars Great history and adventure
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2023
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Very detailed so a lot of this info went over my head and would require a second reading to really grasp but the themes and theories are very well written and examined. Highly recommended.
One person found this helpful
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gru2
4.0 out of 5 stars An Enjoyable Search for The Celts.
Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2022
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Ms Robert's book is as easy to read as it is informative. Hers is a search for the Celts and she brings along subject matter experts from a variety of scientific disciplines. Informed by her sources , she writes forcefully against the "invasion method" of searching for the Celts. Very enjoyable.
2 people found this helpful
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panmankey
5.0 out of 5 stars exceptional
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2022
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You may not agree with the conclusions of Roberts, but she does not demand that you do. If you are reasonably well read on the subject of Druids, Celtic Myth, and the Celts you will find yourself both agreeing and disagreeing with what she shares in “The Celts.” Why I find myself giving this book five stars relates to the brilliance of the prose and Roberts’ sincerity in exploring the origins of the people we today call Celts. This is a lovely work, both illuminating and inspiring.
4 people found this helpful
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Truth seeker
5.0 out of 5 stars this book was a joy to read
Reviewed in the United States on April 1, 2018
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Overall, this book was a joy to read. The first third will challenge you to pay attention to details that will be made important later. The author has a wonderful talent for keeping your interest while educating you with some rather esoteric information. Her relaxed style of writing made me want to return to learn more about these fascinating people. I was so impressed with her ability to educate while entertaining that I stopped reading this book and read her earlier book "The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being," before returning to The Celts. As a fellow author of scientific books for a lay audience I came away absolutely charmed by her knowledge and enthusiasm for the material.
13 people found this helpful
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Dora A. Smith
3.0 out of 5 stars Informative but dreamy, illogical, and possessed by Barry Cunliffe
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2019
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This book was more informative than most books I've read on the Celts. Same dreamy tone and lengthy ad nauseum admiration of glintzy jewelry however sophisticated. Contains much detail.

Unfortunately, her only source as well as her go to person is Barry Cunliffe, one of those likably corrupt old British academics who ignores reality in favor of going off on some verbal tangent for the bizarre sake of it. She insists on concluding that the Celts came from the west, specifically from Spain and Great Britain, based variously on no evidence and clear evidence to the contrary. For instance, why would tribes on the English side of the Channel have actively supported Celtic tribes on the Gaulish side WITH THE SAME NAMES, with their grain and so forth, if they weren't in fact the same tribes having migrated to Britain.

Cunliffe and Koch are possessed with the facts that Celts in Phoenician trading colonies on the coast of Iberia were writing in Goidelic Celtic, using the Phoenician alphabet, in 650 BC, and the Celtic iron sword evidently evolved from a British bronze forerunner. They see this as proving Celts came from the East and not Central Europe. No, the fact that Celts had colonies on the coast of Iberia by 650 proves that these merchant princes who gained their wealth and power, specifically by 700 BC, by controlling the trade routes could move very quickly and may also constitute evidence that the Celts or what became the Celts developed during the Bronze age. Actually it isn't new news that Celtic languages were widespread in Urnfield times, and that what defines the Celts after 700 BC was more changes in degree than kind. Whether Celtic swords came from Britain has nothing to do with whether the Celts came from central Europe. Roberts spends half a chapter on this, and she uncritically repeats what Barry Cunliffe told her.

Her work is also out of date. There is nothing at all of the new DNA findings that prove Celtic came from the west among other things. Possibly that's because Barry Cunliffe can't spell the word gene. He is still arguing that Celts came from the West even today. Every year he and Koch put out 50 more lectures and twenty more books on this theme.
37 people found this helpful
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Alex Michael Johnson
5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpectedly entertaining
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2021
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A compelling case for indigenizing the history of the Celts. It's made me want to learn about my own Celtic ancestry.
One person found this helpful
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Frae Theport
4.0 out of 5 stars Celtic Conundrum
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2022
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I new very little about the 'Celts' other than the association with Ireland, Scotland & Wales. I learned a great deal about this culture from this very reader friendly book. The author delves into the various 'Schools of thought' on the actual origins of this group. The discussion of art, language, cultural exchange are examined. The Roman impact on the Celts is included.
For a good introduction to the Celtic people and the quandary as to there actual beginning , this book does an excellent job.
4 people found this helpful
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Renee Kimball
5.0 out of 5 stars Celts origins
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2022
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Highly recommend. If you are interested in Celtic history and origins this is the source for you. Alice Roberts has outdone herself. Answers many question while making persuasive arguments that support her opinions. Very important work.
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janet HAZLETT
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 2, 2024
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Another insight and addition to my library - enjoyable read
One person found this helpful
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Dr Afonso Ramires(A.R.)
5.0 out of 5 stars Uma visão científica e inovadora dos povos celtas
Reviewed in Spain on December 12, 2023
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A capacidade de pensar "fora da caixa" característica do pensamento científico, separa a autora da multidão dos historiadores que se limitam a citar-se mutuamente e a prepetuar visões da história que as novas tecnologias (DNA, Haplogrupos, técnicas arqueológicas,etc.) vão sucessivamente derrubando.
Vê-se bem qual a proveniência , em termos formativos da Prof. Alice Roberts! Faz falta mais gente da área científica na investigação do passado, sobretudo quando não há fontes escritas!
Depois do presente livro vou passar a segui-la atentamente, e muito provàvelmente ler os outros livros da sua autoria.
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Dennis Schindler
5.0 out of 5 stars Food for Thought
Reviewed in Canada on December 14, 2018
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Was drawn to this book through my genetic study. The term Alpine Celt is used to define my haplogroup, which started my reconstruction of the Celtic identity. An easy entertaining read that allows the mind to open to possibilities! Highly recommended!
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sofia
3.0 out of 5 stars enjoyable and fast reader with some wrong amateur -like conclusions
Reviewed in France on August 13, 2017
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At the beginning, there are different ancient written records about where the Celts were situated originally - all indicate the territory of France when you look closer, meticulously, at any map,, and, maybe, Spain..There is a bit in eastern Germany.. But in the conclusions there is ..... Central Europe,: all southern Germany and Austria, - areas traditionally imagined as ones of the Celts in archeology. BASED ON WHAT? She describes several well known "celtic" tombs and in one of them , among hundreds of objects , there is.... only one with celtic characteristics. To me it borders at a scandal.
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Jeffrey D. Shaffer
3.0 out of 5 stars Filled with Archeological Details, but Horribly Dry and Long-winded
Reviewed in Japan on May 31, 2023
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I really wanted to like this book, and it does have a lot of information about various archeological findings. However, I found the writing long-winded and extremely dry and boring. I also did not like how the author occasionally steps into guesswork and imaginations. I do read a lot of linguistics and history texts, so I'm OK with dry facts to some degree, but there's no place for guesswork in a supposedly academic work. (Or am I wrong for expecting this to be academic?)
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