The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles: Their ... (ISBN 0631189467)

An Academic Masterpiece:
As a practising pagan of several years now, I'm rather disappointed by the review that dashes this work and author out of hand with a curt, "he must be a Christian" followed by a stream of rhetoric. No, this book isn't the fuzzy little love-love story that pagandom has been inundated with, and the world is the greater for it. Ronald Hutton IS actually well versed in pagan traditions as an academic, if not a practitioner, having attended numerous pagan celebrations in the U.K. and actually pursuing pagan history as a personal interest (over what the establishment might deem as more suitable research topics). His degree of scholarship is apparent throughout this work. Archaeologically and historically (or prehistorically, if you will), this work is comprehensive and current, quite an eye-opener to those who have been bombarded with outdated archaeology/anthropology on the one hand and romantic mythology dressed as fact on the other. Although parts of this book are dry, that is more a comment on the material than on the author himself. Containing numerous priceless diagrams and sketches, this book is a virtual treasure trove. This is the Number One book on my ample bookshelves for its history and applicability to my understanding of my own religious tradition. I would highly recommend it to both academics and to pagans seeking a better comprehension of what has gone before (without the fluff and filler). For a more modern history of current paganism, try the author's Triumph of the Moon. For more great history/prehistory, try Ellis' The Celtic Empire, Barry Raftery's Pagan Celtic Ireland, Dillon's and Chadwick's Celtic Realms, Harding's European Societies in the Bronze Age and Whittle's Europe in the Neolithic.

This is how historical surveys should be written.:
Agreeing with D.P. Birkett's review below, the greatest strength of this book (and it has many) is that it can stand as a model of how a scholar with integrity can not only give you the facts about a subject but can also discuss - fairly and rigourously - what others (scholars and non-scholars) have said before. Hutton scrupulously gives credit where it is due, even to writers with whom (on other points) he utterly disagrees. This is scholarship at its best, and if only more books were written in this manner (ie. diligently finding out what IS known, and not distorting or going beyond the facts), we would all be intellectually better off. Highly recommended.

If you're a neo-pagan, you won't be after reading this (if you have any sense):
I don't think I could add much to the reviews. This is a marvelous work, and a good antidote to the more common "newage" (rhymes with "sewage") books churned out by the thousands on the beliefs of the pre-Christian inhabitants of the British Isles. MAKE your neo-pagan friends read this! Tie them down and read it to them if you have to!

Thank the Gods!:
I found this book while beginning research for a novel set in Britain around 60AD. Hutton's work here completely trashed my pre-conceived notions concerning a religious clash between the Celts and Romans in that period; and all I can say is, "Thank the Gods!" And no, I'm not being sarcastic - I'm not Wiccan or NeoDruidic or any of the multitude of New Age faiths, but I am a pantheist. I had no idea so many of the sources of information I had been taught to believe were accurate are actually suspect. I am relieved that much of the romanticized notions I have heard over the last thirty years concerning stone age and Celtic religious beliefs and practices are fantastical extrapolations: I always found the fantasies to be a little too pat and convenient in their support of Twentieth Century political agendas and concepts. I love that the archeological record paints an incomplete picture of people that were not living in some lock-step, religion-ruled utopia, but who were seemingly as different, unique, and opinionated as free-thinking people are today - they could barely bury two people the same way twice, and they chose from hundreds of Gods. Hutton's take on it comes across as wonderful and welcome militant agnosticism (I don't know, and you don't either). He writes with great thoroughness, and often displays a fine sense of dry wit. I am not concerned about his respect, or lack thereof, for people and their beliefs in this century or the last: I am grateful to him for showing the utmost respect for the Pagans of the British Isles by saying with great clarity what they did not say; and thus removing the words that others have falsely put in their mouths.

Excellent book on what is know but open to other's theories:
I found this to be a very informative book. The author presents what was know about the various time periods in Great Britian, states clearly that any further interpretation is best guess on anyone's parts, and presents both the archeological data, the guesses of academia and the guesses of intuitives. A very all around approach to the subject.