Roger Lancelyn Green
(1918-1987)
Roger Lancelyn Green was a British biographer and children’s writer. He was an Oxford academic who formed part of the Inklings literary discussion group along with
C.S. Lewis and
J.R.R. Tolkien. Born in 1918 in Norwich, England, Green studied under C.S. Lewis at Merton College, Oxford, where he obtained a B.Lit. degree. He delivered the 1968 Andrew Lang lecture. Green lived in Cheshire, in a manor which his ancestors owned for over 900 years.
King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table by Roger Lancelyn Green
If you're in search of a King Arthur retelling for young readers that stretches from his birth to his death and includes everything that happens in between, I would personally recommend Rosemary Sutcliff’s Legends of King Arthur trilogy. To me, it is the quintessential compendium of Arthurian lore, taken from a variety of sources, and retold in Sutcliff’s beautiful poetic-prose. Variations of the legend are a dime a dozen these days, but to me, Sutcliff’s version is the best.
However, for those with a particular interest in Arthurian legend, and eager to get their hands on every bit of literature surrounding him, then Roger Lancelyn Green’s classic is just as essential. As a member of one of the famous Inklings of Oxford University (a group tha... Read More
More books by Roger Lancelyn Green
The Adventures of Robin Hood — (1956) Ages 9-12. Publisher: The classic story of social justice and outrageous cunning. Robin Hood is champion of the poor and oppressed by twelfth-century England against the cruel power of Prince John and the brutal Sheriff of Nottingham. He takes refuge with his Merrie Men in the vast Sherwood Forest, emerginh time and again to outwit his enemies with daring and panache. Brilliantly introduced by best-selling author, John Boyne.
The Tale Of Troy — (1958) Ages 9-12. Publisher: This book tells the story of Helen and the judgement of Paris, of the gathering Heroes and the seige of Troy; of Achilles and his vulnerable heel, reared by the Centaur on wild honey and the marrow of lions; of Odysseus, the last of the Heroes, his plan for the wooden Horse and his many adventures on his long journey home to Greece.
The Luck of Troy — (1961) Ages 9-12. Publisher: When Prince Paris of Troy kidnapped Helen and her baby son Nico, the furious Greeks fought for years against his seemingly invincible city. But as Nico reaches his teens, he decides to take a hand in the war himself — by removing the ancient secret, Troy’s “luck”, from the temple.
Myths of the Norsemen: Retold from the Old Norse Poems and Tales — (1962) Ages 9-12. Publisher: A retelling of the Norse creation myths and tales of the gods written in a narrative style.
Tales of the Greek Heroes — (1977) Ages 9-12. Publisher: Some of the oldest and most famous stories in the world — the adventures of Perseus, the labors of Heracles, the voyage of Jason and the Argonauts — are vividly retold in this single, connected narrative of the Heroic Age, from the coming of the Immortals to the first fall of Troy. With fresh dialogue and a brisk pace, the myths of this version are enthrallingly vivid.
Tales of Ancient Egypt — (1989) Ages 9-12. Publisher: This book presents legends from ancient Egypt — of gods, magic and adventure. These stories include the great myths, and take us back to the dawn of the world when Ra, the greatest god of all, created the earth and all the creatures in it. From the formation of the Sphinx to the search for the mystical “Book of Thoth”, these tales brilliantly re-create a fascinating world long vanished.
