Long ago, when hardly anyone knew how to read or write, people recited stories by heart. They sat around the hearth at night, telling of heroes and monsters, gr

A psychological thriller from the author of the bestselling Inspector Banks series. 'A long, oily blackness punctuated by quick, vivid dreams... They were all j

This book throws light on the debate about the 'orality' or 'literacy' of Old English verse, whether it was transmitted orally or written down.