The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries (Library of the Mystic Arts) Paperback – January 1, 1994

This book provides insight into the psyche of the Celtic people during the early 1900s. It shares mostly stories but also experiences that were passed along word of mouth by many people in their nineties. The similarities of the stories in various parts of the Celtic world offered a view of the times, how they saw sickness, illness and even death of family members, friends or domesticated animals by explaining the cause as fairy activity. The belief in the unseen world of fairies and its "Fairy Faith" was changing with the times. Religion, education and industrialization were suggested as some of the causes for a lack of belief in fairies as well as for the reasons fairies were not as popular or numerous in numbers as in earlier centuries.

A serious research into the Faery faith. Many one on one interviews with older citizens of the United Kingdom seeking stories, tales, and personal encounters with the little people. Interesting for those seeking to ferret out the truth about the origins of the Faery legend. Not for children or the "Tinkerbell" crowd. No cute and cuddly pictures.

Do not buy this edition. The spine of the book cracked and cracked and pages fell out and the case tore off. This was not a simple broken binding but the worst disintegration of a binding I have ever come across in all my decades as a reader. My husband carries it about with a rubber band holding it together. The odd thing is that the book was intact upon receipt. It must never have been read for upon simply opening it, it began to fall and fall and fall apart.

A must have, a bible for believers.

I will rate this 10 out of 10. To my greatest surprise I received the book in 3 days. Thanks.

This book was written in the early twentieth century, and my opinion is that no faery book has yet been written to equal it. Evans-Wentz was a sophisticated scholar, and yet treated faery beliefs with the utmost of respect, and even devoted a chapter to scientific and psychological findings that render such beliefs valid. Without looking down his nose on anyone (except maybe stuffy fellow scholars who lost their imagination somewhere along the line), he reports stories of faery encounters in every Celtic nation. He interviewed great numbers of Celtic people in his travels, and collected a vast treasure trove of tales. These range from firsthand accounts to "a friend of a friend" legends to stories handed down through the generations.After presenting a mass of information on the modern faery faith, he goes on to relate the ancient faery beliefs held by the Celts of old, as recorded in their mythology. Many pages are devoted to the adventures of CuChulainn, Arthur, Bran, and other figures who moved in and out of the Otherworld. He also discusses the Otherworld itself, the misty land where the faeries, the gods, and the dead dwelled. Especially stunning is his assertion that the Celts participated in mysteries much like those of Eleusis. The mythological evidence IS THERE, as Evans-Wentz proves. I only wish someone in those days had written something down to indicate whether or not this is true!This is the best book ever written on the fae, IMHO. It ought to be on every Celtophile's shelf right next to Squire's _Celtic Myth and Legend_. As a matter of fact, the two books make excellent companions for one another.

...to what others have said.There is no book on this subject I have found that equals it.This is a testament in itself, as this was first published around 1890.Wentz was an academic, a scholar, yet in early chapters his descriptions of each area of the Isles is breathtaking. It's not dry, it's not stuffy. He spent years collecting encounters, traditions, and beliefs from the most correct source. The people themselves. This contrasts rightfully the tendancy (even more so these days with anything Celtic especially) to project things onto a culture it does not contain. No frilly, watered down, ... little creatures at your beck and call here, which is what other "authors" would have you believe.For some, the latter chapters of this book will seem a bit dry compared to the first. Regardless of what you think of his theories, they are all intriguing, and well thought out by the author, though I agree he became a bit enchanted himself during the writing. (not a bad thing, IMO, I was enchanted as well) The collection of tales alone is worth the price. I enjoyed every page.This should be on the shelf of anyone who says they want to learn about Faeries, Celts, and the cultures they came from.Why read what any old outsider says? Read the words of the people who were born and raised in these cultures. They know themselves better than anyone else, no?

Disappointed that it is so wordy. Seems British/Irish.