[Essential] reading for anyone interested in the matter of greenwood.
THE RICARDIAN
[R]einjects a much-needed dose of reality into the academic study of the Robin Hood legend. . . Crook's monograph should be standard reading for any scholar who is interested in the origins of the historical Robin Hood.
THE MEDIEVAL REVIEW
[An] excellent reference and bibliography for the primary material that makes up the Robin Hood canon, Cook has presented an approach that takes joy in the process of investigation [...].
- COMITATUS,
David Crook's new study is probably the fullest account of the development of the legend of Robin Hood, and of its sundry interpreters, ever attempted. [...] Crook, then, has achieved considerable success in his quest for the historical Robin Hood
- SPECULUM,
This is more than just a detailed survey; it is an overview of the entire culture of Robin and who he might have been...This book is a delight.
INTERNATIONAL TIMES
[Crook] provides a significant contribution to the ongoing scholarship and scholarly debates regarding the "real" Robin Hood(s) and persons associated with him that are found within historical records. Crook places that archival material in dialogue with the extant literature and other late-medieval historical sources, especially those on crime and criminality in Yorkshire. In doing so, he reveals two strong contenders for the "original" Robin Hood and Sheriff of Nottingham.
CHOICE
The bibliography is impressive. Crook plumbs the depths of archival sources to uncover various place and personal names, criminal accounts, and outlaw activities that provide context for the evolution of Robin's story. A useful resource for those new to the field and for those well versed in the critical historical materials.
JOURNAL OF BRITISH STUDIES
This elegantly written and informative monograph is an essential read for anyone interested in the legend of Robin Hood. The author, a distinguished archivist [...] demonstrates both an unrivalled knowledge of the sources for Hood's historicity and a thorough understanding of the existing corpus of scholarship. Attractively produced and well-indexed, the volume also contains several useful maps and illustrations.
- Adrian Jobson, NORTHERN HISTORY