Our understanding of Celtic astrology is based mainly on the speculations of modern authors--mostly drawn from classical Greek and Roman writings--and suffers from many misconceptions. European astrology uses the Greek model, containing many Babylonian and Egyptian elements. But Celtic astrology (and other Indo-European astrologies) developed earlier, with relationships to Middle Eastern systems, as well as their own independent forms. This well documented study takes a fresh look at the development of Celtic astrology and the Druids' systems of cosmology, astronomy and astrology. The author analyzes commentaries found in manuscript sources from antiquity to the Middle Ages, comparing them with cosmological and astronomical lore found in Celtic cultures. Ancient constellations, calendars, deities and rituals reveal a rich worldview.

Take a remarkable journey back in time and into an ancient peoples' psyches with this reinterpretation of Celtic cosmology. In this fascinating, illustrated volume, a leading scholar explores what it meant for Celts of days gone by to gaze up at the star-studded heavens. Beginning with the world-famous Gundestrop Cauldron--an ancient Celtic artifact embellished with curious carved images that was unearthed in Denmark--the author embarks on a rigorous reevaluation of Celtic celestial beliefs. Join him as he explores the imagery's previously obscure significance and reveals the secret cosmology of the druids. Any student of history or human societies will be riveted by this completely new interpretation of the Celtic belief system, which both redefines and reexamines Celtic cosmology.

"King's focus is on the wheel of the Celtic year with its cycle of four celebrations.... King describes the religious underpinnings of the festivals, the functions of the Druid priests and bards, relationships to other mythologies, and the influence of historical assimilation and migration on what we know of Celtic myth."-- "Booklist . 256 pages, 30 b/w illus., 6 x 9 1/4.

Well, those Apricot Marmalade guys are at it again! In this sequel to Apricot Marmalade and the Edmondson Transmittal, Special Agents Reynolds, Bonner, Wilson, Dunn, and Cooper are again matching wits with KGB spies and other enemy agents in Thailand during the Vietnam War, with the battleground practically next door. Ed Reynolds faces new challenges that keep him on his toes but seemingly just one step ahead of a court martial. Irv Bonner gets a new assignment in the northern part of the country that puts his life at risk but also brings him a chance at a meaningful romance. The team's biggest challenge in this go-around is to track down a physics graduate student who is intent on developing a nuclear device. His plan: to threaten a major Thai city with extinction, unless his demands are met. The group is racing against the clock to stop tens of thousands of innocent people from being vaporized. Satire is alive and well in Apricot Marmalade and the Sangsuwan Equation. ______________________________________________________________________________ PRAISE FOR APRICOT MARMALADE AND THE EDMONDSON TRANSMITTAL This book "is a hilarious tale of dysfunctional alphabet intelligence agencies operating in Vietnam-era Thailand . . . Written in a comedic satirical style reminiscent of Catch 22 . . . -San Francisco Book Review "What sets the book apart is Orey's sharp pen, comic timing, and crack dialogue, as its scruffy band tracks its marks, deals with GRU agents and arms smugglers, and tries to maybe even see some justice get done. That dialogue and crisp descriptive action are well balanced throughout . . ." -BookLife (an affiliate of Publishers Weekly) "Fantastic read . . . I loved this book . .. . I'd recommend Apricot Marmalade and the Edmondson Transmittal to all lovers of historical fiction. All in all, I'd rate it four out of four stars." -OnlineBookClub.org "I enjoyed this book. Frankly, it was a delight to read . . . The characters in this story were well developed and memorable . . . fresh and engaging . . . such a good and satisfying story." -Manhattan Book Review

A study of the representation of astrology and celestial portents in the medieval and later literature of Ireland and Wales, Fiery Shapes examines the mysterious figure of the druid, who was allegedly able to read the future from rainclouds; Taliesin and Merlin; and the Welsh gentleman poet of the later Middle Ages and beyond.