Book Review: Stonehenge and the Neolithic Cosmos by Neil Wiseman Wiltshire

Submitted by sem on Tuesday, 07 April 2015 Page Views: 4051

Country: England County: Wiltshire Type: Henge

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**Stonehenge and the Neolithic Cosmos** submitted by Feanor : Stonehenge and the Neolithic Cosmos. A New Look at the Oldest Mystery in the World. ND Wiseman (Vote or comment on this photo)

Neil, the author of this book, needs no introduction as he will already be known to many Megalithic Portal members for his contributions to the forums under his user-name of Feanor.

Over the years Neil has demonstrated an in-depth and up to date knowledge of Stonehenge and other sites, knowledge that is now being put to good use in this publication.

Like Stonehenge itself the book is a bit of an enigma. Straddling the divide between a sumptuous adornment to the reader's coffee table and a list of dry historical facts was always going to be a bit of a balancing act, but the author has succeeded admirably. Using over one hundred and twenty diagrams and photographs alongside the text, he gives a pretty concise history of both the monument's construction and its archaeological excavation. All the diagrams and many of the photographs were created or commissioned especially for the book and it is through these that the author's enthusiasm for his subject becomes apparent.

The whys and hows concerning the monument's construction are always going to be debated and this is acknowledged by the author, whilst at the same time giving the reader his own ideas on the subject. These ideas seem to me to be as valid as many other theories put forward but include an acceptance of astronomical influences, something still considered by many to be heresy. Similarly the methods suggested for transport and construction vary, but only slightly, from the accepted methods.

I am in agreement with the author when he says (in this case about how he thought the henge itself was constructed) "...it makes sense and there's evidence to support it." A sentiment that could apply to many of his ideas.

The text itself is quite quirky with some self-deprecating humour added for good measure, making it highly readable. Even though I knew much of the subject matter beforehand, I found myself being drawn into the monument's story and like a good novel, at its end I was left wanting more. I suspect Mr Wiseman is on first-name terms with Sister Moon, Sun Father and Earth Mother as they have certainly revealed many of their secrets to him!

My only quibble with the book, and a very minor one at that, is its physical size. It is in A4 format and with only sixty pages and a soft cover, I think the author's lovingly prepared diagrams are going to take a bit of a battering over time. I would have preferred A5 format with a hard cover, but for the difference in price maybe I should just buy a second copy for special occasions.

At £19.99 it may seem expensive, but compared to other books on Stonehenge it's a reasonable price to pay for the effort involved in its creation and you do get an awful lot of boulders (both pictures and descriptions) for your buck! I've just received my copy from Amazon, now all I need is a coffee table to put it on.

Review by Simon Charlesworth

Browse Neil's many fascinating diagrams and other contributions to the Megalithic Portal here

Stonehenge and the Neolithic Cosmos - A new look at the oldest mystery in the world.
Author: ND Wiseman
Published by The Vinland Press.

Available from Amazon.co.uk
and Amazon.com