Adventures in the Great Stories of Europe
“Until recently I had assumed Europe was different, its history sterilised behind the orderly casings of its museums. But the last few years had eroded that certainty. Now, I wondered if a journey among the epics - the oldest, shaggiest, most dog-eared tales out there - could help me to understand what being European is all about...”
A journey
from Turkey to Iceland in the shadow of Europe's most enduring epic tales. From the entrance to the Greek underworld to the barrows of Anglo-Saxon kings, from refugee camps to the workshops of storytellers to the haunts of warlords. From the origins of the First World War to the right-wing demagogues of 21st century European politics.
This is a book about the relationship between the past and the present, and the complicated ways in which they continue to rub against each other.
"Compelling, thought-provoking, and courageous, this epic-poetic journey peels back layers of collective emotional and imaginative inheritance. Jubber gets under the skin of our complicated continent and his timing is dead right." Kapka Kassabova, author of Border
"Astonishing... an excellent writer... One of the best travel books you'll read this year." The New European
"his best book yet" Asian Review of Books
Chosen for NPR Books of the Year
Shortlisted for Stanford Dolman Travel Book of the Year
Order a signed copy of Epic Continent here.
Read my article about the legacy of Charlemagne for BBC History here.
Read my article for the Irish Times about the legacy of Europe's epic tales here.
Read my article in Newsweek here.
Read a review of Epic Continent here.
