Williams, a professor of history and author, crafts a book that does not fully meet the objective of the title but does provide an enjoyable journey through the history of the Arthurian legend. At each step along the road from the Dark Ages toward today, he probes the political and emotional struggles that shaped the story. The book is developed from Williams' own perspective as a historian and provides a synopsis and dissertation on each of the principal Arthurian works along the way. If for no other reason to own it, the book comes close to a coffee table book with its rich artwork and photography.
   If you are searching for a book to uncover the real Arthur, look elsewhere. I would not put it above some of the more important studies (and historically for the Dark Age period, I would rather have Morris' Age of Arthur or Markale's King of the Celts); but if like myself, you need to review the historical perspectives of the legend and to decry why we can not find good translations of the major sources so that we can conduct our own studies, it is an excellent addition to your library.