"The reign of King Alfred the Great is among the most stirring periods of English history." (Introduction, 10)

"As the stories multiplied and improved, Alfred's fame came easily to surpass that of all other Anglo-Saxon kings: perhaps a king whose personal qualities had made such a strong impression on his contemporaries would be expected to rise in popular estimation above kings known only from the bare record of their achievements, once those achievements had themselves been overtaken by subsequent events." (Introduction, 47)

"Asser's Life of King Alfred is the earliest known biography of an Anglo-Saxon king, and as such is an invaluable source for the study of early England." (Introduction, 48)

"But whereas Asser's biography throws precious light on his subject's life, the life of the royal biographer is unfortunately obscure." (Introduction, 48)

"To my esteemed and most holy lord, Alfred, ruler of all the Christians of the island of Britain, king...