Bøger udgivet af Clive Gilson

The wonder of storytelling is in the ritual. We have been sharing our stories, adult and child, for millennia. Before the advent of pen and parchment people relied on stories being passed through the generations as both history and as caution or adventure or excitement. Stories were and remain an essential element in the cultural and spiritual life of communities the world over.Listening to a story is like going on a journey. Only you can see the pictures in your mind. Only you can conjure the demons and the dragons and the heroes with such vivacity. As we travel through our story landscapes we are marked with wisdom and imagination. These are just some of the ingredients that make the wonder of storytelling.This book covers the English tradition in folk and fairy tale, in fable and saga. In compiling this collection from just a few of our forebears, I have been very warmly surprised at the breadth of subject matter. I’ve also come across stories that I had never read before, so the journey has been a delight.Once again, I hope that you are as delighted with these wonderful tales as I have been in putting these two volumes together.

This is the first in a two volume collection of tales from Scandinavia. There is a clear and rich tradition of storytelling in the north, perhaps dictated by long winter nights and roaring fires. Whenever you read the sagas or pick up on the wandering collections of Hans Christien Andersen and Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, amongst many others, you tap into a centuries old heritage wrapped in wonder and magic and outlandish heroism.In this volume I’ve pulled together some of my favourite stories as told by Andersen, Asbjørnsen, Zacharias Topelius and Andrew Lang. The stories have been drawn from Lang’s Coloured Fairy Books, Andersen’s Fairy Tales, from The Birch and the Star, and Other Stories, and from Asbjørnsen collaboration on Tales from the Fjeld.As with the collections from the British Isles published recently, It’s always a pleasure and never a chore to re-read and re-present these lovely stories.

This is the first of two volumes, so rich are the story-mining seams taken from just the few Irish collections I have in my possession at the moment. These first stories have been taken from around one hundred and forty Irish tales, themselves taken from pretty well every tradition, including classic tales of Irish legend, fairy and folk beliefs, and tales in the vernacular, oral tradition.For the most part these tales are as collected by Victorian and Edwardian enthusiasts, but there are one or two tales where I have amended the original to suit modern language tastes and norms.There are also a few stories that clearly share a common root, and appear similar at first reading, but there always seem to be sufficient and interesting differences to keep the reader’s attention.I hope you enjoy this ever-growing collection from a grand British and Irish heritage. These Irish tales have taken a lot of work to collect and sift and prepare, but as ever, I’ve loved putting this collection together.

So, here we are, book number two in the Fireside series of traditional folk and fairy tales from around the world. These tales are drawn from some of the great collectors of Celtic and Scottish storytelling, and as ever, these stories illustrate the beauty and the darkness inherent in our ancestral memories and in our “modern” interpretations of this confusing world.These stories were, once upon a time, the fireside equivalent of a YouTube story, even to the extent that a theme is copied across race and geography and time and so becomes a slow moving meme. We might think of ourselves as advancing rapidly beyond boundaries, and in some ways that is true, but the fundamentals of storytelling remain much as they have ever been. The pace of the telling has shifted, but the methods of engaging the human imagination rely on some pretty long-served psychological hooks.Our grandparents were “modern” back in the day. My daughter now looks at me askance if I mention certain bands and gigs and anything analogue. She will, of course, have to deal with her own seeming irrelevance in just a few short years. So the world turns and always has. I think that’s what I’m trying to hint at here – that these stories, as are all well told tales, are fundamentally timeless. These tales weave a magic in our heads and have done so for centuries. For millennia probably. Neither they nor we are ever irrelevant. We just move at different speeds through time and thought. Personally, I like the fact that I spend more time with my imagination as I grow older.I hope you enjoy this small collection from a grand Scottish heritage. I’ve loved the process of reading and creating my own images from these wonderful stories. Next up are the Irish books.

Step into the enchanting world of Welsh folklore with Tales from the Land of Dragons-a captivating collection of myths, legends, and folk tales straight from the heart of Wales.For years, Clive Gilson has immersed himself in the rich tradition of storytelling, gathering tales from across the globe. Now, in this dynamic volume, he brings to life the magic and mystery of Wales-home to dragons, ancient heroes, cunning tricksters, and epic sagas that have been passed down through generations.Tales from the Land of Dragons is more than just a collection; it's the beginning of an extraordinary journey through the folklore of the British Isles, with plans to explore far beyond. In this volume, you'll discover timeless stories once told by firelight, tales of love, adventure, and the supernatural. From the awe-inspiring dragons of the Welsh valleys to the mysterious beings that haunt the countryside, each story pulses with the magic and history of the land itself.What makes these stories even more special is their universal connection. As Gilson delved into Celtic myths and legends from every corner of the world, he found that these tales-though born in different lands-share a common heritage. The themes, characters, and lessons resonate across cultures, reminding us that storytelling is a bond that unites us all.Let the magic of Wales draw you in, and embark on a journey through stories that have shaped the people, the land, and the history of this mystical land of dragons.Perfect for fans of folklore, fantasy, and anyone who loves a great story.

The Insomniac Booth continues many of the themes that first emerged in Clive Gilson's earlier collection of short stories, The Mechanic's Curse. This second collection continues with the investigation of magical realism and the glories of traditional folk and faery tales.As ever, these are intimate tales, focusing on broad but subtle themes and personal recollections. Clive Gilson's stories continue to link recurring themes of fantasy with urban and future decay - splintered glass, dust motes and cracked plaster; the loss of loved ones, of the ability to remember; black and white movies of the mind; shafts of golden light shattered by war; haunted memories and the night darks. There is a poetic lilt to the narrative, that delights in the minutiae of observation, bringing the mundane into the spotlight, giving it a meaning and beauty that is mostly lost on us busy ones; there is the terror of the ordinary, the shadow in the midday sun; and then there is the humour: sharp, cynical, painfully astute. Clive Gilson's stories reverberate in the mind, long after they've been read. They connect us in their telling, because we relate to these deep, dark moments of human emotion that make us who we are. These are, indeed, black and white movies for the mind...