The stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table have enthralled man since they were first handed down in oral form thousands of years ago. Early versions of these tales were written in poetry form and any of these tales have been difficult for beginning readers to understand. "The Once and Future King" brings the tales to listeners in an easy-to-understand audiobook format that maintains the authenticity of the original tales.
One of the greatest writers in fairly recent British literature has been T.H. White, who was able to write his own version of the Arthurian legends and put it into a form that audiences, especially younger audiences, could find interesting and understandable.
"The Once and Future King" is part of a series of a longer work that centers around the young lad, Wart, who became King Arthur; Merlyn, the magician and Arthur's teacher and the stories of Lancelot, Guinevere and Arthur. What is unique about White's version is the relationship between Arthur and Merlyn.
Imagine having a teacher who not only was knowledgeable about the future, but, because he was living backwards in time, he didn't remember what had happened in the past because he had not been there yet. Thus developed the confused, teacher-genius who became the absent-minded professor.
Merlyn's methods of teaching will capture the minds of even reluctant listeners as they listen to how he taught the young Arthur by turning him into various creatures of Nature so that Arthur could learn what innate lessons each animal had to teach.
Terence Hanbury White (1906-1964), more commonly known as T.H. White, was an English author best known for the sequence of Arthurian novels he published based on the Arthurian legends. His most famous work remains "The Once and Future King," which was published in 1958.
T. H. White was born in Bombay, British India to a British couple who were living there. He attended college in England and became well versed in the stories of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. He earned a first-class degree in English and eventually taught. It wasn't until later in his life that he revisited Malory's versions of the Arthurian novel and began writing his version, bringing the beloved tales to a modern audience.
"First, there need to be a few words on order. Prior to reading The Once and Future King, you should read Le Morte d'Arthur by Mallory. After reading The Once and Future King, you should read A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Count by Twain. Mallory sets the stage with the more serious tone, then White follows with a story that flows as if it were told by your grandfather as you were going to sleep. Twain concludes by giving you the satirical version that fits in perfectly. But White's story is the most pleasant reading. He gives us the story of Arthur, shows him as he goes through the stages of life we all must pass through, and in the end brings him to a brave finish. Lancelot is not the handsome, wonderful singer we know from Camelot, but the grotesque warrior who is never confident in himself except in battle. Guinevere ages gracefully through the story, always strong as any queen should be. In the end, White shows a remarkable understanding of politics and war, sharing this in the words and thoughts of Arthur in the last few pages. A wonderful book and one of my favorites."
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Dick (5 out of 5 stars)