THE ALFRED JEWELS - published November 2012

The Alfred Jewels

Les joyaux d’Alfred

(un livre bilingue)

a bilingual book

A story in verse with accompanying riddles

Une histoire en vers accompagnée d’énigmes

par

Barbara Dordi

Illustrations de Russi Dordi

Traduction de Danielle Serres

King Alfred the Great did much more than burn cakes - if he ever did burn them! ‘The Alfred Jewels’ highlights the achievements of this Saxon king who was dubbed ‘England’s Darling’. 

But this is the story of Alfred’s daughters, three hidden jewels: Æthelflæd, Æthelgifu and Æthelryth. All ‘great’ in their own right, these sisters do not feature in history books, yet their courage and self-sacrifice ensured a legacy of learning and international vision which has helped shape the English and French nations. 

Here, their story is told by a riddler, the Alfred Jewel, who cheekily intervenes throughout, linking dialogue, letters and historical details with riddles which help to choreograph the major events of these three women’s unsung lives.

The Alfred Jewel
Thought to have belonged to Alfred the Great, this gold book pointer
inscribed in Anglo Saxon, 'ÆLFRED MEC HEHT GEWYRCAN, is kept in the Ashmoleum Museum, Oxford.

An A5, 62 page bilingual book with laminated cover and perfect bound containing over 20 original watercolour illustrations by Russi Dordi. One way up, 'The Alfred Jewels' is written in English, turned the other way, 'Les joyaux d'Alfred' is in French - an approved translation by the well-known French translator Danielle Serres.

£9.95 or € 15 including postage

from B. Dordi

11, Bath Road,
Emsworth,
Hants PO10 7EP
UNITED KINGDOM