The Enigma of Stonehenge

Though we can't read it in words, a first declaration was made: man grew ambitious, and impatient with his ephemerality. Stonehenge is not simply a memorial to its Bronze Age builders; it is a memorial to a dream, and a dream still dreamt by each. Something of me shall survive

Fowles writes a long

essay on the subject of Stonehenge to accompany some stunning photographs by Barry Brukoff in this coffee table book. Fowles tells us what is currently (the book was published in 1980) known about Stonehenge in its long history and along the way a good smattering about Neolithic and Bronze age culture. He also discusses the state of modern scholarship about Stonehenge and the lunatic fringe. The history of the Druids and the history of what he calls “the other Stonehenge”, the Stonehenge of the imagination bringing in the various erroneous theories over the ages. He ends with a discussion of how Stuckley’s completely anachronistic theory about the druids has stuck in our consciousness (probably due to the modern druids who do worship here and Avebury) influenced William Blake. The stars of this book though are the haunting photographs by Brukoff.

Overall – Beautiful introduction to one of Britain’s best known landmarks

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LibraryThing member GlennBell

The book has some nice pictures of Stonehenge before they put it in a cage. The author does not provide much useful information after the initial sections. He attempts to be philosophical and provides a lot of his own opinions. I considered reading this book to be time poorly spent. I recommend

that you look at the pictures and do not waste your time with the author’s ramblings.

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