The Story of the Glittering Plain

This beautiful volume makes one of history's most extraordinary achievements in book design and printing available in an inexpensive paperback edition. The Story of the Glittering Plain, a richly evocative medieval tale of knightly adventure written by the Victorian poet and artist William Morris, was the first publication of Morris' newly founded Kelmscott Press; its second (1894) edition, reprinted here, was one of the most influential Kelmscott books.
The sumptuous look and feel of the book, its exemplary presswork and fine paper, and scrupulous attention to every detail combined to create a sensation among printers and collectors. The Story of the Glittering Plain was one of a small group of Morris' masterpieces that were to revolutionize the art of printing and transform it from a routine trade into high art. In addition to the elegant typography, which Morris based on fonts by great fifteenth-century German printers, the book features rich ornaments and initials designed by Morris as well as 23 superb woodcuts by noted artist Walter Crane. The result is a chivalrous tale that is both an aesthetic and a heroic adventure.

Polymath William Morris (1834–96) was a prolific writer of novels and essays as well as a translator of medieval texts. Although best known in his lifetime as a poet, Morris is chiefly remembered today for his designs, which he issued from his highly successful decorative arts firm. He also founded the Kelmscott Press, which he dedicated to the hand-printing of a select number of beautiful books.

CHAPTER I: OF THOSE THREE WHO CAME TO THE HOUSE OF THE RAVEN
CHAPTER II: EVIL TIDINGS COME TO HAND AT CLEVELAND
CHAPTER III: THE WARRIORS OF THE RAVEN SEARCH THE SEAS
CHAPTER IV: NOW HALLBLITHE TAKETH THE SEA
CHAPTER V: THEY COME UNTO THE ISLE OF RANSOM
CHAPTER VI: OF A DWELLING OF MAN ON THE ISLE OF RANSOM
CHAPTER VII: A FEAST IN THE ISLE OF RANSOM
CHAPTER VIII: HALLBLITHE TAKETH SHIP AGAIN AWAY FROM THE ISLE OF RANSOM
CHAPTER IX: THEY COME TO THE LAND OF THE GLITTERING PLAIN
CHAPTER X: THEY HOLD CONVERSE WITH FOLK OF THE GLITTERING PLAIN
CHAPTER XI: THE SEA-EAGLE RENEWETH HIS LIFE
CHAPTER XII: THEY LOOK ON THE KING OF THE GLITTERING PLAIN
CHAPTER XIII: HALLBLITHE BEHOLDETH THE WOMAN WHO LOVETH HIM
CHAPTER XIV: HALLBLITHE HAS SPEECH WITH THE KING AGAIN
CHAPTER XV: YET HALLBLITHE SPEAKETH WITH THE KING
CHAPTER XVI: THOSE THREE GO THEIR WAYS TO THE EDGE OF THE GLITTERING PLAIN
CHAPTER XVII: HALLBLITHE AMONGST THE MOUNTAINS
CHAPTER XVIII: HALLBLITHE DWELLETH IN THE WOOD ALONE
CHAPTER XIX: HALLBLITHE BUILDS HIM A SKIFF
CHAPTER XX: SO NOW SAILETH HALLBLITHE AWAY FROM THE GLITTERING PLAIN
CHAPTER XXI: OF THE FIGHT OF THE CHAMPIONS IN THE HALL OF THE RAVAGERSCHAPTER
XXII: THEY GO FROM THE ISLE OF RANSOM AND COME TO CLEVELAND BY THE SEA