Alfred the Great

View books by Asser.

A Good Collection of Sources, but not a Light Read - Rated
A good rounded collection of late 9th century sources pertaining to King Alfred the Great (871-99) make up this little volume, including Asser's "Life of Alfred", Alfred's will, law codes and extracts from his own translations (includ. Gregory's "Dialogues" and Boethius's "Consolation of Philosophy"), and some accredited letters and charters. Given new and, in places, very lively translations by the indomitable scholars Simon Keynes and Michael Lapidge, they're made accessible to the general reader.

However, as other reviewers have noted, these sources are not the most entertaining of historical documents. Despite their accumulated importance for students and scholars of Anglo-Saxon history, they're often difficult to penetrate and to untangle. This is partially eased by the very useful and insightful introdution, maps and footnotes included, which serve to buttress the otherwise inaccessible materials.

Asser's "Life of Alfred" is of particular interest, being one of the first surviving biographies of a lay person in the Anglo-Saxon world. Written around 893, it is a remarkable account of the king's activities in peace and in war and offers a clue as to the origins of Alfred's epithet - "the Great".

An excellent, pivotal text for those people interested in the Anglo-Saxon world, and also prepared to delve into the sources for a lot more than simple entertainment. As an afternote, a copy of the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle" would probably prove useful when reading just to familiarise yourself with the wider implications of the texts, and particularly Asser's "Life."

After Bede, it's a bit of a let-down! - Rated
...Primarily, of the 368 pages which make up the book, around 180 pages are notes on the numerous sources covered. This is a necessary evil I suppose, but it's extremely irritating to have to refer to the back of the book every five minutes, and you do feel as if the editors had been a little too extravegant in detail. Secondly, Asser, the Welsh clergyman who actually wrote 'The Life of Alfred' uses a very scratchy form of expression, and the language is not at all captivating, even though he's writing over 150 years after Bede. Also, the Welshman is very economical with detail, in that he'll mention something and leave it at that, without even attempting to expand. This is the same as the 'Anglo-Saxon Chronicle' entries included, although they don't actually strive to be a biography, just a record of events.
On the other hand, there are many good points about this book...
Firstly, Asser's work..., does give us a glimpse of one of the greatest humans ever to grace English soil, and lend us an insight into the type of man Alfred was, as a ruler, a soldier, a scholar, and a friend, as well as his being a religious man. The 'Chronicle' entries compliment this, as do 'Alfred's Will' as well as his own prefaces to numerous religious works like Pope Gregory's 'Pastoral Care'. As well as this, the reader has to forgive Asser his short-comings, as he was writing in a Viking-infested age, where the threat of war seemed ever-present.
To sum up then, this book is a bit of an enigma. If you can do without it, try to, but don't be afraid to use it for research. Alternatively, this is not a light read, and if you've already read the 'Historia Ecclesiastica', you'll be a little disappointed.

What more could you ask for? - Rated
The book is an excellent addition to anybody who is studying the events of Anglo-Saxon England. The book includes Asser's "Life" and this is added to with extracts from the Anglo-Saxon chronicles. What makes this book so impressive is its ability to present Alfred in his context as the Great King that he was. The inclusion of various other sources mean that one can really grasp the knowledge and learn more about the period in which Alfred lived. The notes iron out any confusing that could be left in the open. It is one of the most important and worthwhile buys that I have made while studying this topic at university.

Many sources and good footnotes on this Saxon King. - Rated
This book presents a number of sources on Alfred; The principle amoung these being a translation of his biographer Asser and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. These are backed up by excerpts from Alfreds writings and some other sources.

This book is very informative and the notes (which occupy the entire second half of the book )are well researched and provide more insight to both the sources and the monarch. If you're looking for a scholarly introduction to the king, I reccomend this.

( Oh one last thing, if the publishers are reading this I have to say that the cover looked better with the black background. )