Bride, crowned with candles cleanser and healer, pure as snow milk-white, golden-haired guardian of the sacred word, mystical flame-bearer, inspirer of women.

The above passage from the Invocation of Bride is one of the many examples of beautiful prose in this book which is more than just a book of celtic meditations.

A better name for it would perhaps have been 250 things you didn't know about Celts for although this book does indeed contain many works like the one above, it is more a collection of interesting information and one-page stories about the history of the Celtic people, their gods, saints and heroes.

Shapeshifting, the Morrigan, the Solstices and the Ogham are just a smattering of the subjects this book touches on. In fact touches on is the operative expression - at times I would have liked to hear more about the subjects discussed - some of the stories seem to cut off just when they're getting good.

All in all, this is an interesting book; something to pick up, read a few pages from at random and then put down, to return to later.