Beowulf endures as one of the most powerful expressions of myth, memory, and mortal reckoning--a poem forged in a twilight world where monsters stalk the moors and glory is won at the edge of a sword. In this unique volume, acclaimed historianTom Holland takes up the poem with his pen at the ready. Holland's handwritten annotations--witty, insightful, and viciously funny--are reproduced here in exact facsimile. They range from editorial glosses and contextual asides to impassioned arguments, startled questions and moments of personal revelation. What emerges is a vivid encounter between past and present, literature and reader. Beyond merely an edition of Beowulf, this is a live record of what it feels like to read--closely, critically, and with wonder.