Stories Of King Arthur

Step aside, modern fantasy epics with their brooding anti-heroes and twelve-volume story arcs. Stories of King Arthur by Blanche G. Theaker arrives from around 1917 with a much simpler proposition: knights should be noble, quests should be dangerous, and if a mysterious lady appears beside a lake carrying a sword, one should probably pay attention.

Within these venerable pages lurk all the familiar ingredients of Arthurian legend: brave knights, enchanted castles, perilous adventures, noble deeds, inconvenient prophecies, and enough chivalry to make a modern office meeting feel like a gathering of particularly unruly barbarians. Arthur and his companions gallop enthusiastically across a Britain that seems remarkably short of health and safety regulations but wonderfully rich in dragons, magic and opportunities for glorious self-sacrifice.

Blanche G. Theaker retells these timeless tales in a style intended for younger readers of the Edwardian age, when children were apparently expected to absorb moral lessons, medieval history and heroic ideals all before teatime. The result is a charming glimpse into how one generation introduced another to Camelot, long before Hollywood discovered slow-motion battle scenes and orchestral soundtracks.

Published by Ward, Lock & Co. around 1917, this edition has survived more than a century of changing fashions, world events and literary trends. It remains in good condition, which is more than can be said for most of Arthur’s knights after encountering a sorcerer, giant, or particularly argumentative rival.

As offered by Crappy Old Books, this copy possesses exactly the sort of gentle age and character one hopes to find in an Edwardian children’s classic. It has already outlived several monarchs, countless bestselling novels, and every single prediction about the future made in 1917. Not bad for a book about a king who may never have existed.

Whether you’re a collector of antique children’s books, an enthusiast of Arthurian legend, or simply someone who enjoys rescuing handsome old volumes from obscurity, Stories of King Arthur offers a delightful return to a world where honour mattered, adventures awaited around every corner, and round tables solved at least some seating disputes.

Keep browsing: See more Kids books Other books by Blanche G Theaker