The Celts have long been a source of mystery and intrigue. Their culture kept records orally through songs, stories, and poems; however, they left no written records. As a result, the few written accounts we have were most likely written by Romans, who often didn’t have the most favorable opinion of the Celts.
Unfortunately, that means what survived is often skewed by the perspectives of those who finally wrote it down. To correct this, historians are diligently working to translate and share the stories, in as close to the original form as possible.
While they’re not as well-known as Greek and Roman myths, modern writers like J.R.R. Tolkien knew these stories and used them as inspiration. We searched high and low on Amazon to find what we believe are some of the best books on Celtic mythology. Here they are, reviewed and ranked.
- The Mammoth Book of Celtic Myths and Legends (Mammoth Books)
- 640 pages.
- Written by Peter Berresford Ellis, who is considered by some to be the foremost authority on the subject matter, with a number of published books on it.
- A new, 2022 version of the book, which was originally published in 1984.
- Celtic Myths and Legends (Celtic, Irish)
- 528 pages.
- Covers the history and religion of the Celts, as well as the myths of the Irish invasion.
- Focuses primarily on Irish myths.
- Features over 70 illustrations.
- Celtic Mythology: Tales of Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes
- 296 pages.
- Collects some of the best stories of Celtic mythology in one book.
- First published in 2017.
- Celtic Myths & Tales: Epic Tales (Gothic Fantasy)
- 480 pages.
- Showcases the origins of modern fantasy through the lens of Celtic myths and legends.
- Part of the Gothic Fantasy series of 34 books, which also includes books on the Norse and Greek mythologies.
- Dictionary of Celtic Mythology
- 242 pages.
- A reference book for scholars of Celtic mythology.
- Offers a deep dive into the world of the Celts.
- Celtic Tales: Fairy Tales and Stories of Enchantment from Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, and Wales
- 176 pages.
- Collects 16 Celtic folk tales.
- Fully illustrated.
- Part of the Tales series of eight books, each of which features tales from different mythologies and parts of the world.
- Uncovering Celtic Mythology: A Beginner's Guide Into The World Of Celtic Myths
- 163 pages.
- A guide to Celtic mythology that is friendly to beginners.
- Part of the Mythology Collection series of five books.
Best Overall: Mammoth Book of Celtic Myths and Legends by Peter Beresford Ellis
- 640 pages.
- Written by Peter Berresford Ellis, who is considered by some to be the foremost authority on the subject matter, with a number of published books on it.
- A new, 2022 version of the book, which was originally published in 1984.
If you have studied Celtic history or mythology, there’s a good chance you recognize Peter Beresford Ellis’ name. He is one of the most well-known writers on the ancient Celts’ history and mythology. Ellis’ extensive knowledge of Celtic history, archaeology, and the stories these mysterious people left behind is clear in this wonderful resource.
The Mammoth Book of Celtic Myths and Legends is his latest book. It contains over 600 pages of myths and legends organized by region. Also included is a glossary for those more difficult words. Ellis also includes several new-to-most-people tales that were only recently translated. In each section, the author explains how he decided which stories to include. He also attempted to find the oldest known version of each story to give the most authentic rendition of each.
We love Ellis’ story-telling style, which makes it easy to read even his most information-dense books. This makes the Mammoth Book of Celtic Myths and Legends by Peter Beresford Ellis our pick for the best book of Celtic mythology.
Celtic Myths and Legends by T.W. Rolleston
- 528 pages.
- Covers the history and religion of the Celts, as well as the myths of the Irish invasion.
- Focuses primarily on Irish myths.
- Features over 70 illustrations.
Published in 1990, Celtic Myths and Legends is an older book. However, that doesn’t mean it’s less valuable. Rolleston breaks the stories up into eight chapters. It begins with Celtic history and religion, then follows with the mythological stories of the early Milesian Kings and more. The numerous black-and-white illustrations throughout the book help readers connect with the stories.
Rolleston’s Celtic Myths and Legends is a smaller volume that’s tremendously valuable as a reference book. The legends are written in shorter paragraphs that make reading and understanding more accessible. Rolleston includes a rough date on each story to give the reader an idea of when it may have been written, which helps illustrates how they changed over time.
We loved the wonderful retelling of the author’s chosen tales and the approachable format. T.W. Rolleston’s Celtic Myths and Legends is our number 2 pick for the best Celtic mythology book.
Celtic Mythology: Tales of Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes by Philip Freeman
- 296 pages.
- Collects some of the best stories of Celtic mythology in one book.
- First published in 2017.
Number three on our list is a great book published in 2017. It is Celtic Mythology: Tales of Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes by Philip Freeman. The author brings these little-known tales to life through adept storytelling that draws you in for a fantastic adventure through Celtic tales.
Freeman is the author of several mythology books, from the classical world of the Greeks and Romans to the Celtic peoples. Even if you know Greek and Roman mythology and history, there’s a good chance you may have only heard of the Celts in passing. Authors like Freeman change that through excellent narratives that help readers connect to great heroes and gods from Celtic traditions.
The ease of reading gives Celtic Mythology: Tales of Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes an easy place at number 3 on our top Celtic mythology books list.
Celtic Myths & Tales: Epic Tales, Foreword by J.K. Jackson
- 480 pages.
- Showcases the origins of modern fantasy through the lens of Celtic myths and legends.
- Part of the Gothic Fantasy series of 34 books, which also includes books on the Norse and Greek mythologies.
The next book is part of a series of excellent mythology books – also available are Norse Myths & Tales and Greek Myths & Tales. This book’s stunning cover looks amazing on a bookshelf. Celtic Myths & Tales contains some of the more famous stories and includes the Ulster Cyle’s Red Branch tales.
The layout of Celtic Myths & Tales is a little more crowded than that of the other books on our list, but we think that means there’s more to read. The book includes a small amount of history and then jumps right into tales of heroes, gods, and goddesses.
It’s fairly easy to read but isn’t overly simplified. This volume is a terrific introduction and includes an index and even a few fables for kids. We put Celtic Myths & Tales on our list of the best Celtic mythology books at number 4 for its beautiful presentation and excellent retelling of Celtic mythology.
Dictionary of Celtic Mythology by Peter Beresford Ellis
- 242 pages.
- A reference book for scholars of Celtic mythology.
- Offers a deep dive into the world of the Celts.
The Dictionary of Celtic Mythology by Peter Beresford Ellis isn’t for beginners in Celtic mythology. This is the book that you purchase when you’ve read the introductory books and want a reference book to help with a deeper dive into Celtic mythology and history.
At about 240 pages, it’s not the biggest book on our list. However, it’s full of information on the history, language, and mythology of the Celts. Where other books are focused on retelling the stories, the Dictionary of Celtic Mythology presents the facts in a way that makes it a worthy research companion.
It’s appropriately named a dictionary, and each entry is thoughtful and well-written. The Dictionary of Celtic Mythology by Peter Beresford Ellis lands at number 5 on our list of best Celtic mythology books for its straightforward and thorough approach.
Celtic Tales: Fairy Tales and Stories of Enchantment by Kate Forrester
- 176 pages.
- Collects 16 Celtic folk tales.
- Fully illustrated.
- Part of the Tales series of eight books, each of which features tales from different mythologies and parts of the world.
This one is as much fairy tales and lore as it is anything. It’s the sort of book that happily rides the line between bedtime stories for slightly older children and presenting Celtic mythology to new audiences.
Celtic Tales: Fairy Tales and Stories of Enchantment contains beautiful artwork and retellings that delight readers. These aren’t your modern, ”happily ever after” fairy tales. Like the other books on our list, they’re the real deal with surprising twists right before the story ends.
The author’s skillful retellings of old tales allow new readers to connect with Celtic myths, making Celtic Tales: Fairy Tales and Stories of Enchantment number 6 on our list of the best Celtic mythology books.
Uncovering Celtic Mythology by Lucas Russo
- 163 pages.
- A guide to Celtic mythology that is friendly to beginners.
- Part of the Mythology Collection series of five books.
Last but not least, Uncovering Celtic Mythology by Lucas Russo is a quick read and an easy introduction to a complex subject. At less than 200 pages, you won’t find a more concise introduction. There is a quick overview of the major gods and goddesses and a broad overview of Celtic mythology.
While many of the author’s references are websites and not from the more established authorities on the topic. Russo included several of the major tales in an abridged form that gives readers a quick introduction to the vastness of Celtic mythology.
For its quick introduction and ease of use, Russo’s Uncovering Celtic Mythology is our number 7 pick for the best Celtic mythology books.
Up Next…
- The 10 Best Books About Celtic Mythology for Kids
- The 10 Best Books About Roman Mythology
- The 6 Best Books About Greek Mythology – Reviewed and Ranked
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us? Contact the AZ Animals editorial team.
