Michael Joseph, £8.99, hardback, 56 pages
How much do you know about the 10thcentury tale of Beowulf, beyond images of the monstrous, troll-like Grendel and a timber mead hall aglow with flickering firelight? Historian and television presenter Janina Ramirez here explores the poem and the world from which it originates – from the historical context to a guide to understanding Old English, the language in which it was written. Cramming a lot into its slender page count, and with evocative illustrations on each spread, this is a surprisingly detailed look at a hugely influential text.
ALAMY X1