Meet one of my favorite books ever.

There are a few books that I consider to be among the best I have ever read. The Once and Future King by T. H. White, first published in 1939, is one of them. 

The Once and Future King follows the life of the legendary King Arthur from his childhood into his old age. Yes, I realize that sounds rather dreary to anyone who is not a King Arthur enthusiast. But the key word here is legendary. This book is not a historical account by any means; rather, it is a tale of the myths and the magic that surround King Arthur to this day. 

But it is not so much the story that draws me in - it is the crystals of sheer genius that are scattered all throughout this book. T. H. White uses wry anachronisms, mostly voiced through the character of Merlin, who is living from the end of time to the beginning instead of the other way around. There are half-hidden literary references, waiting to be discovered by the well-read. And the writing style itself is a lovely thing to behold - although this is a deep book, its quirkiness proves that it doesn't take itself too seriously.

I am not saying that The Once and Future King is a piece of cake to read. It is, in fact, a rather politically charged book and contains heavy themes such as communism, war, and betrayal. For me, this makes it all the better. I like a good helping of food for thought. But such themes will, I'm sure, bother some people. Also, this book contains some violent elements, such as the hunting and somewhat graphic killing of animals. And, of course, it is 639 pages long. Basically, this book is too complex for children and even some teens.

But if great literature could be understood without a good deal of thought and effort, what would be great about it? The ability to provoke thought is the beauty of The Once and Future King.