"The Once and Future King" is SUCH a great book!

[Carol in Cal.]

I'm reading it now for the first time. How did I miss this for so long???

One thing that is very clear to me, though, is that it has many, many allusions. I suspect that some of them are going over my head. Not that that is making the book any less entertaining, however!

Does anyone know of an annotated version that points out and explains all of them? Honestly, I think this book needs to have a unit study. There should be background reading, fiction and nonfiction. The Bible, English social and political and military history, the Arthurian legends, Sir Gawain, The Fairy Queen, etc. There should be explanations!

I love this book. I am either going to teach the heck out of it, or just shut DD into a room to read it and never talk about it at all. Either stance is reasonable, IMO.

[Snickerdoodle]

That was my favorite book of all time when I was young. I can't wait to share it with my kiddos.

[JuJuBee]

My older boys are going to be reading it this summer! I can't wait. :)

[Patty Joanna]

I loved reading this book for the first time--and several times after.

I don't have any annotated version, but there is quite an interesting history to this book--there are actually a couple of versions of the book, as it was written over time and in serial format. The Sword in the Stone that is the first part has two tellings, so you have to get the other one separately. One version has the geese in it, the other doesn't (or maybe it is the ants...) And there is a confrontation with Madam Mim that is not in TOFK. There are other differences--darn, you will just have to read it! I have a copy that is illustrated by Dennis Nolan. The illustrations are quite good. The ISBN is 0 399 22502 1. This version is the one that is NOT in TOFK.

In addition, there is The Book of Merlin, which White added later as the "true ending" to the book. It is sort of a "dream" where in the last battle, King Arthur re-meets the characters from his youth. It is worth reading; it is somewhat political, which mars it, and bittersweet--more so the older you get. It makes very clear the tragedy that is so much of life. You can always find this one at a used book store.

[mcconnellboys]

Yes, don't miss the other books in the series! They're all wonderful,

Regena

[Michelle in MO]

read it yet! I'll have my middle daughter read it first----she loves King Arthur!