King Arthur's world - Kevin Crossley-Holland

Legend, anecdote, historical fact and shadowy speculation - this is the world of King Arthur as it was seen in medieval times when the stories were first written down. A map of Arthur's Britain, the origins of the Round Table, the skills of Merlin and the sorceress Morgan le Fay, all help to create a rich background to the tales themselves. Punctuated with engaging quotations from medieval texts and with highly entertaining lists of places, characters and magical things, the book is full of information about medieval life: about knights, castles, heraldry, troubadours and courtly love, how to joust and win a fair lady, how to be a butler, and what to expect at a banquet (roast swan and peacock pie).

Called 'a box of delights' by the TES and 'a fascinating guide to the Arthurian world' by the Guardian, this was first published in 1998 as The King Who Was and Will Be. It is now completely repackaged as a charming small hardback with line drawings inspired by medieval woodcuts.