Robin Hood

"Impressively researched . . . an extraordinary combination of biography and cultural history" from the author of Heroes and Villains of the British Empire ( Midwest Book Review).

Robin Hood is a national English icon. He is portrayed as a noble robber, who, along with his band of merry men, is said to have stolen from the rich and given to the poor. His story has been re-imagined many times throughout the centuries.

Readers will be introduced to some of the candidates who are thought to have been the real Robin Hood, before journeying into the fifteenth century and learning about the various "rymes of Robyn Hode" that were in existence. This book then shows how Robin Hood was first cast as an earl in the sixteenth century, before discussing his portrayals as a brutish criminal in the eighteenth century. Then learn how Robin Hood became the epitome of an English gentleman in the Victorian era, before examining how he became an Americanized, populist hero fit for the silver screen during the twentieth century.

Thus, this book will take readers on a journey through 800 years of English cultural and literary history by examining how the legend of Robin Hood has developed over time.

"Here we learn not only about a national hero but also about our rich heritage of literature . . . this really is a worthwhile book, rich in facts and nicely illustrated. If you are interested in literature, history and legends, this book is for you." -Yorkshire Gazette and Herald

"Fun and insightful." -Adventures of a Tudor Nerd