The History of the Kings of Britain (Penguin Classics)

Completed in 1136, Geoffrey of Monmouth’s The History of the Kings of Britain is an important piece of English literature that documents a time that would otherwise be inaccessible. This epic work spans 2,000 years, from the founding of Britain by Brutus to the coming of the Saxons. Names like Lear, Cymbaline and Arthur are recorded here for the first time with the impassioned language of word-of-mouth. This remarkably vivid narrative has a historical spirit so exciting that it’s really hard to put down.