What is it about Brittany that makes it such a favourite destination for the British?
To answer this question, Bretons and Britons explores the long history of the Bretons, from the time of the first farmers around 5400 BC to the present, and the very close relationship they have had with their British neighbours throughout this time. More than simply a history of a people, Bretons and Britons is also the author's homage to a country and a people he has come to admire over decades of engagement.
Underlying the story throughout is the tale of the Bretons' fierce struggle to maintain their distinctive identity. As a peninsula people living on a westerly excrescence of Europe they were surrounded on three sides by the sea, which gave them some protection from outside interference, but their landward border was constantly threatened--not only by succeeding waves of Romans, Franks, and Vikings, but also by the growing power of the French state.
It was the sea that gave the Bretons strength and helped them in their struggle for independence. They shared in the culture of Atlantic-facing Europe, and from the eighteenth century, when a fascination for the Celts was beginning to sweep Europe, they were able to present themselves as the direct successors of the ancient Celts along with the Cornish, Welsh, Scots, and Irish. This gave them a new strength and a new pride. It is this spirit that is still very much alive today.
Industry Reviews
Bretons and Britons is a well-made, visually rich book about Breton identity over the longue duree, as well as Brittany's relationship with the British Isles. * Myrzinn Boucher-Durand, North American Journal of Celtic Studies *
This reviewer is filled with admiration for the clarity and vigour of Bretons and Britons ... Professor Cunliffe has written a masterpiece and his publishers must be thanked for making available such an elegant, beautifully illustrated hardback volume. * Hugh Clout, Cercles *
For the past quarter century the master of Celtic ceremonies has been Oxford's Barry Cunliffe ... But one group of Celts has enjoyed his special affection, the Bretons of France's western extremity, Brittany, or Finistere, the end of the earth. He has now written their definitive biography. * Simon Jenkins, Times Literary Supplement *
[Cunliffe's] book is a very effective history of [the Brittany] region of northwestern France, but it is also a history of the links between the British Isles and the Breton people, going back to prehistoric times. * Simon Heffer, Literary Review *
[An] excellent book that tells the long story of cross-Channel connections from prehistory to the present. * David Musgrove, BBC History Magazine *
Cunliffe remains the doyen of coastal archaeology ... Beautifully written, evocative, and perfectly pitched for general reader and specialist alike, this book demonstrates the true scope of Cunliffe's scholarship; few can traverse human history in this detail. This is a wonderful book. * Rachel Pope, Current Archaeology *
Sir Barry Cunliffe is one of the few living authors capable of weaving a story that merges the grand scale of time and space ... Richly illustrated with colour illustrations and maps, this account will transport you. * Neil Wilkin, British Museum Magazine *
A fascinating interdisciplinary study. * D. M. Hall, Choice Reviews *
If you ever wondered why Brittany is called Brittany, or why King Arthur had a home in a mystical forest near Rennes, you'll find the answers here. * Mark Brocklesby, Jersey Evening Post *
a well-made, visually rich book about Breton identity * Myrzinn Boucher-Durand, North American journal of Celtic Studies *
