Oddly Modern Fairy Tales

"One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2011: Top 25 Books" Jack Zipes is the translator of The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm, the editor of The Great Fairy Tale Tradition, and the author of Why Fairy Tales Stick, among many other books. He is professor emeritus of German and comparative literature at the University of Minnesota. Intriguing fairy tales by the librettist of Béla Bartók's opera Bluebeard's Castle A man is changed into a flea and must bring his future parents together in order to become human again. A woman convinces a river god to cure her sick son, but the remedy has mixed consequences. A young man must choose whether to be close to his wife's soul or body. And two deaf mutes transcend their physical existence in the garden of dreams. Strange and fantastical, these fairy tales of Béla Balázs (1884-1949), Hungarian writer, film critic, and famous librettist of Bluebeard's Castle, reflect his profound interest in friendship, alienation, and Taoist philosophy. Translated and introduced by Jack Zipes, one of the world's leading authorities on fairy tales, The Cloak of Dreams brings together sixteen of Balázs's unique and haunting stories. Written in 1921, these fairy tales were originally published with twenty images drawn in the Chinese style by painter Mariette Lydis, and this new edition includes a selection of Lydis's brilliant illustrations. Together, the tales and pictures accentuate the motifs and themes that run throughout Balázs's work: wandering protagonists, mysterious woods and mountains, solitude, and magical transformation. His fairy tales express our deepest desires and the hope that, even in the midst of tragedy, we can transcend our difficulties and forge our own destinies. Unusual, wondrous fairy tales that examine the world's cruelties and twists of fate, The Cloak of Dreams will entertain, startle, and intrigue. "In the present moment, when fiction has yet again been declared dead, these deliberately anachronistic, pseudo-Oriental, and completely delightful tales are further examples of the perennial human need for imaginative narrative told in words."---Eliot Weinberger, New York Review of Books "This lovely volume is as wonderful to hold and behold as it is to read. . . . The tales reflect Balazs's growing interest in communism and Taoism and, as Zipes notes, Balazs's 'profound personal concerns about friendship, alienation, poetry, transformation, and transcendence.'" "This is a very interesting and unusual book and will be of interest to a variety of readers."---James H. Grayson, Folklore "Zipes provides a fascinating story of a complicated man, buffeted by his place in history, benefitting and suffering from the tumultuous times in which he lived."---Heidi Anne Heiner, SurLaLune Fairy Tales Blog "[Zipes] explains how the writing of this collection of Chinese-style tales was not something out of the ordinary on the part of Balázs, but rather dovetailed quite neatly with his search for meaning in life (and death), his belief in the power and imagery of folk tales and his attraction, albeit not conversion, to Taoism."---Bob Dent, Budapest Times "A splendid modern work. . . . What baroque dreams, grotesque scenes, ghostly, ridiculous, strange, and chilling brainstorms!. . . All of this is remarkable, original, and uncanny. . . . I recommend that readers go and find some good time to spend with this beautiful book."-Thomas Mann "Flirting with aestheticism and exoticism, Béla Balázs's fairy tales draw their power from an oracular voice that traces paths of desire, dread, rapture, and sorrow. A master stylist, Balázs puts us in touch with the sublime through velvety prose that mimics the brush strokes of master calligraphers. Jack Zipes's introduction tells its own fascinating tale about how a Hungarian writer and intellectual found redemption in fairy tales."-Maria Tatar, author of Enchanted Hunters: The Power of Stories in Childhood "These fairy t

Cristina Mazzoni is the Wolfgang and Barbara Mieder Green and Gold Professor of Romance Languages and Cultures at the University of Vermont. Her many books include Golden Fruit: A Cultural History of Oranges in Italy and She-Wolf: The Story of a Roman Icon. She lives in Burlington, Vermont. Instagram @artsbymcm A collection of magical Italian folk and fairy tales-most in English for the first time The Pomegranates and Other Modern Italian Fairy Tales presents twenty magical stories published between 1875 and 1914, following Italy's political unification. In those decades of political and social change, folklorists collected fairy tales from many regions of the country while influential writers invented original narratives in standard Italian, drawing on traditional tales in local dialects, and translated others from France. This collection features a range of these entertaining jewels from such authors as Carlo Collodi, most celebrated for the novel Pinocchio, and Domenico Comparetti, regarded as the Italian Grimm, to Grazia Deledda, the only Italian woman to have received the Nobel Prize in Literature. With one exception, all of these tales are appearing in English for the first time. The stories in this volume are linked by themes of metamorphosis: a man turns into a lion, a dove, and an ant; a handsome youth emerges from a pig's body; and three lovely women rise out of the rinds of pomegranates. There are also more introspective transformations: a self-absorbed princess learns about manners, a melancholy prince finds joy again, and a complacent young woman discovers gratitude. Cristina Mazzoni provides a comprehensive introduction that situates the tales in their cultural and historical context. The collection also includes period illustrations and biographical notes about the authors. Filled with adventures, supernatural and fantastic events, and brave and flawed protagonists, The Pomegranates and Other Modern Italian Fairy Tales will delight, surprise, and astonish. "{These stories} can be appreciated by those interested in social and political history as much as folklorists, anomalists and storytellers – and for all those in need of a little (weird) reenchantment."---Olivia Armstrong, Fortean Times "The Pomegranates and Other Modern Italian Fairy Tales fills a gap in the history of Italian fairy tales and suggests how such stories contributed to cultural nation building. Mazzoni's judicious selection and translations allow readers to reflect on how these tales of transformation remain grounded in aspects of Italian culture. A significant addition to fairy-tale studies and a good read!"-Cristina Bacchilega, author of Fairy Tales Transformed? "These tales were a way for new 'Italians' to become aware of their fellow citizens' lives, customs, and beliefs at a time when being 'Italian' was still largely to be defined. Engaging and fun to read."-Nancy Canepa, translator of Giambattista Basile's The Tale of Tales

Gretchen Schultz is professor of French studies at Brown University. Her recent books include Sapphic Fathers: Discourses of Same-Sex Desire from Nineteenth-Century France and An Anthology of Nineteenth-Century Women's Poetry from France. Lewis Seifert is professor of French studies at Brown University. He is the author of Fairy Tales, Sexuality, and Gender in France, 1690–1715 and Manning the Margins: Masculinity and Writing in Seventeenth-Century France. A new collection of subversive French fairy tales The wolf is tricked by Red Riding Hood into strangling her grandmother and is subsequently arrested. Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella do not live happily ever after. And the fairies are saucy, angry, and capricious. Fairy Tales for the Disillusioned collects thirty-six tales, many newly translated, by writers associated with the decadent literary movement, which flourished in France in the late nineteenth century. Written by such creative luminaries as Charles Baudelaire, Anatole France, and Guillaume Apollinaire, these enchanting yet troubling stories reflect the concerns and fascinations of a time of great political, social, and cultural change. Recasting well-known favorites from classic French fairy tales, as well as Arthurian legends and English and German tales, the updated interpretations in this collection allow for more perverse settings and disillusioned perspectives-a trademark style and ethos of the decadent tradition. In these stories, characters puncture the optimism of the naive, talismans don't work, and the most deserving don't always get the best rewards. The fairies are commonly victims of modern cynicism and technological advancement, but just as often are dangerous creatures corrupted by contemporary society. The collection underlines such decadent themes as the decline of civilization, the degeneration of magic and the unreal, gender confusion, and the incursion of the industrial. The volume editors provide an informative introduction, biographical notes for each author, and explanatory notes throughout. Subverting the conventions of the traditional fairy tale, these old tales made new will entertain and startle even the most disenchanted readers. "[F]un and intriguing . . . . [E]xcellent windows into a period in history, especially in France, when politics and world strife . . . made it hard to embrace the [happily ever after] of the popular fairy tales."---Heidi Anne Heiner, SurLaLune Fairy Tales "[S]ometimes sardonic, sometimes brutal, often blackly funny and possessed of a peculiarly modern sensibility."---Cameron Woodhead, Sydney Morning Herald "It's easy to see why Fairy Tales For the Disillusioned is capturing rave reviews. Our cultural climate is ripe for such a round of stories and, as the series from which it appears states, these are, indeed Oddly Modern Fairy Tales." "In these deliberately tarnished tales . . . wondrousness mainly shines through in their often beautiful imagery."---Michael Dirda, Washington Post "This is a valuable collection of 36 tales, originally written from 1870-1914, by 19 French authors. Most, though not all, were well-known writers associated with the decadent movement. . . . This is a wonderful resource for scholars of fairy tales and decadent literature and a timely, thought-provoking collection for nonspecialists." "Fairy Tales for the Disillusioned, as a whole, is a powerful and incisive exemplar of the world of the adult fairy tale, in all its historical relevance, and should serve as a worthy introduction to the very best in the subject." "This is a beautiful book that features a wide range of decadent fairy tales from France that fills a large gap in English readers' access to such texts. Gretchen Schultz and Lewis Seifert have done a wonderful job in bringing these together."---Richard Marshall, 3AM Magazine "Schultz and Seifert's volume is both useful and delightful."---Ephraim Nissan, Avocetta "Besides being a thoroughly engaging read, Fairy Tal

Twenty-nine Breton tales, as told over a series of long winter nights, featuring an ingenious miller, a Jerusalem-bound ant, a mad dash at midnight, and more In the late nineteenth century, the folklorist François-Marie Luzel spent countless winter evenings listening to stories told by his neighbors, local Breton farmers and villagers. At these social gatherings, known as veillées, Luzel recorded the tales in unusual detail, capturing a storytelling tradition that is now almost forgotten. The Midnight Washerwoman and Other Tales of Lower Brittany collects twenty-nine stories gathered by Luzel, many translated into English for the first time. The tales are presented in a series of five imaginary veillées, giving readers a unique opportunity to listen in on a long-ago winter's night of storytelling. Some of the stories mix the apparently supernatural with the everyday-as in the title tale, when a mysteriously nocturnal washerwoman causes three handsome lads to flee so quickly they lose their clogs in the process. Others invite listeners to root for the underdog, as when a simple miller outwits a powerful seigneur. Another tale must have been greeted with raucous laughter as it recounts an ascending ladder of obstacles-from a mouse to a cat to a man to God (or the Devil) himself-confronted by a traveling ant. Michael Wilson, the volume's editor and translator, provides a substantive introduction that discusses Luzel's work and the significance of Breton storytelling. Michael Wilson is professor of drama at Loughborough University, UK, where he is also Director of the Storytelling Academy, a research and teaching collective. He is the author of Storytelling and Theatre. "Michael Wilson provides a helpful introduction to the life and work of François-Marie Luzel, the leading nineteenth-century folklorist of Breton-speaking Brittany. Luzel's Breton storytellers were not the God- and death-haunted figures one encounters in some folklore writing of the period-they were pragmatic, inventive, and witty. All these qualities come through in Wilson's lively translations of tales collected by Luzel."-David Hopkin, Hertford College, University of Oxford "Shortlisted for the Katharine Briggs Award, Folklore Society" "This book will be fascinating for anyone who has an interest in storytelling and the oral tradition and Professor Wilson has done a fine job of making a potentially obscure heritage of stories available and understandable to a modern audience."---Terry Potter, The Letterpress Project "Entertaining. . . . Academic readers will also find food for thought."---Christine Goldberg, Journal of Folklore Research Reviews "A wonderful set of stories."---Michael Cronin, Irish Times "{This} book is delightful: always lively and interesting, but also dreamlike, intriguing and thrilling by turns. It is a pleasure to read, beautifully illustrated by Caroline Pedler."---Síle de Cléir, The Conversation UK

Michael Rosen is professor of children's literature at Goldsmiths, University of London. The author of more than 140 children's books, he is also known for his work as a broadcaster, political columnist, and scriptwriter, and was Children's Laureate from 2007 to 2009. His many books for adults include So They Call You Pisher!, Alphabetical, and The Disappearance of Émile Zola. He lives in London. A collection of political tales-first published in British workers' magazines-selected and introduced by acclaimed critic and author Michael Rosen In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, unique tales inspired by traditional literary forms appeared frequently in socialist-leaning British periodicals, such as the Clarion, Labour Leader, and Social Democrat. Based on familiar genres-the fairy tale, fable, allegory, parable, and moral tale-and penned by a range of lesser-known and celebrated authors, including Schalom Asch, Charles Allen Clarke, Frederick James Gould, and William Morris, these stories were meant to entertain readers of all ages-and some challenged the conventional values promoted in children's literature for the middle class. In Workers' Tales, acclaimed critic and author Michael Rosen brings together more than forty of the best and most enduring examples of these stories in one beautiful volume. Throughout, the tales in this collection exemplify themes and ideas related to work and the class system, sometimes in wish-fulfilling ways. In "Tom Hickathrift," a little, poor person gets the better of a gigantic, wealthy one. In "The Man Without a Heart," a man learns about the value of basic labor after testing out more privileged lives. And in "The Political Economist and the Flowers," two contrasting gardeners highlight the cold heart of Darwinian competition. Rosen's informative introduction describes how such tales advocated for contemporary progressive causes and countered the dominant celebration of Britain's imperial values. The book includes archival illustrations, biographical notes about the writers, and details about the periodicals where the tales first appeared. Provocative and enlightening, Workers' Tales presents voices of resistance that are more relevant than ever before. "As plain-language, kid-friendly introductions to socialist politics, {the Workers' Tales stories} are at once intriguing historical artifacts and, in a few cases, striking allegories that remain pertinent now, even on the other side of the Atlantic."---J.C. Pan, The Atlantic "A thought-provoking anthology. . . . These tales . . . are fascinating to read, both to see how they fit into the fairy tale genre and to see which messages still ring true today."---Catherine Ramsdell, PopMatters "{Workers' Tales} entries remain powerful in their ethical simplicity-conveying with force the moral urgency of the socialist critique and its continued relevance to the problem of societies that remain systemically unequal."---Luke Savage, Jacobin "{An} important collection."---Jon Klaemint Hofgaard, Peace News "Throughout, the tales in this collection exemplify themes and ideas related to work and the class system. . . . {A} beautiful volume." "{A} timely yet time-honored evocation of the enduring issues of inequality, injustice, and exploitation."---Simon Poole, Journal of Folklore Research "{T}his book will make you think, and it will make you want to share it with your friends so you can discuss it."---Tahlia Merrill Kirk, Once Upon a Blog " {An} excellent and charming anthology. . . . This is a fascinating introduction to a relatively unexplored area, and all the more welcome for it."---Paul Cowdell, Folklore "These tales provide considerable insight into the life course, relationships, job experiences, and housing conditions of many people in the late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century British working class."---Stephen H. Norwood, European Legacy "This is a wonderful and w

Jack Zipes is the translator of The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm and editor of The Sorcerer's Apprentice (both Princeton), as well as editor of The Great Fairy Tale Tradition (Norton). He is professor emeritus of German and comparative literature at the University of Minnesota. A collection of radical political fairy tales-some in English for the first time-from one of the great female practitioners of the genre Hermynia Zur Mühlen (1883–1951), one of the twentieth century's great political writers, was not seemingly destined for a revolutionary, unconventional literary career. Born in Vienna to an aristocratic Catholic family, Zur Mühlen married an Estonian count. But she rebelled, leaving her upper-class life to be with the Hungarian writer and Communist Stefan Klein, and supporting herself through translations and publications. Altogether, Zur Mühlen wrote thirty novels, mysteries, and story collections, and translated around 150 works, including those of Upton Sinclair, John Galsworthy, and Edna Ferber. A wonderful new addition to the Oddly Modern Fairy Tales series, The Castle of Truth and Other Revolutionary Tales presents English readers with a selection of Zur Mühlen's best political fairy tales, some translated from German for the first time. In contrast to the classical tales of the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen, Zur Mühlen's candid, forthright stories focus on social justice and the plight of the working class, with innovative plots intended to raise the political consciousness of readers young and old. For example, in "The Glasses," readers are encouraged to rip off the glasses that deceive them, while in "The Carriage Horse," horses organize a union to resist their working and living conditions. In "The Broom," a young worker learns how to sweep away injustice. With an informative introduction by Jack Zipes and period illustrations by George Grosz, John Heartfield, Heinrich Vogeler, and Karl Holtz, The Castle of Truth and Other Revolutionary Tales revives the legacy of a notable female artist whose literary and political work remains relevant in our own time. "It is striking how Zur Mühlen's tales speak to our times, challenging political oppression, systemic inequality, corruption, and untruths. By drawing attention to her work, Zipes demonstrates once again how fairy tales provide an alternative way of challenging authority and inspiring resistance to lies. . . . Zur Mühlen's tales are narratives of truth that are powerfully enlightening and empowering to readers."---Larissa Rudova, European Legacy "A curious corpus of radical political fairy tales-some available in English for the first time-authored by an extraordinary woman writer, a free spirit and a socialist, and a humanitarian activist rescued from obscurity via this important gesture of canon revision. . . . [A] delightful read."---Anna Kérchy, Marvels & Tales "A female writer who is both a socialist and an aristocrat is certainly an unusual combination. Hermynia Zur Mühlen's thoroughly entertaining tales are unique and offer political lessons. An outstanding translation, this excellent collection will appeal not only to scholars in various disciplines but also to general readers."-Elisabeth Krimmer, author of German Women's Life Writing and the Holocaust "The Castle of Truth makes a corpus of interwar revolutionary tales available to English readers and introduces them to an extraordinary woman and activist who has faded into obscurity. The selection of tales is judicious and Jack Zipes has prepared a masterful translation, providing useful commentary on the content. The collection's drawings are wonderful."-Martha B. Helfer, author of The Word Unheard

Juwen Zhang is professor of Chinese Studies at Willamette University, fellow of the American Folklore Society, and current president of the Western States Folklore Society. Jack Zipes is the editor of The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm (Princeton). A delightful collection of modern Chinese tales The Dragon Daughter and Other Lin Lan Fairy Tales brings together forty-two magical Chinese tales, most appearing for the first time in English. These stories have been carefully selected from more than a thousand originally published in the early twentieth century under the pseudonyms Lin Lan and Lady Lin Lan-previously unknown in the West, and now acclaimed as the Brothers Grimm of China. The birth of the tales began in 1924, when one author, Li Xiaofeng, published a set of literary stories under the Lin Lan pen name, an alias that would eventually be shared by an editorial team. Together, this group gathered fairy tales (tonghua) from rural regions across China. Combining traditional oral Chinese narratives with elements from the West, the selections in this collection represent different themes and genres-from folk legends to comic tales. Characters fall for fairies, experience predestined love, and have love/hate relationships with siblings. Garden snails and snakes transform into cooking girls, and dragon daughters construct houses. An introduction offers historical and social context for understanding the role that the Lin Lan stories played in modern China. Appendixes include information on tale types and biographies of the writers and contributors. The Dragon Daughter and Other Lin Lan Fairy Tales is a captivating testament to the power of storytelling. "Readers will discover in this collection displays of violence in its most unforgiving forms as well as repeated tributes to beauty and its seductive power."---Maria Tatar, Foreign Policy "Enjoyable. . . . An exciting look at oral traditions of rural China. Lovers of folktales and fairytales will enjoy this book and Zhang's conversational prose." "{The book} is an exuberant celebration of humanity and translates beautifully into a joyously fresh read"---Bob Rickard, Fortean Times "A useful tool for cross-cultural reading in the classroom or comparative research on folk and fairy tales. . . . There are still not many scholarly compilations of Chinese tales in the English-language circle. With its well-considered selection, meticulous translation, and refreshing perspective, Zhang's book is a valuable contribution, presenting the Lin Lan series that has played an important role in continuing and preserving Chinese folk narrative traditions but is rarely known outside China."---Jing Li, Journal of American Folklore "A highly entertaining and engaging book. Anyone with an interest in popular traditional narratives, or in Chinese culture more generally, will enjoy and value this collection."-Andrew Teverson, editor of The Fairy Tale World "This enthralling collection opens doors to a unique facet of China's deep heritage of fairy tales. In rediscovering stories edited by the nebulous Lin Lan, Juwen Zhang charts a textual history that is as fascinating as the tales themselves." -Mark Bender, author of Plum and Bamboo

Philip Pullman's many books include the best-selling and award-winning children's series, His Dark Materials (Knopf). He recently edited and introduced Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm (Viking). An enchanting retelling of nineteen fairy tales, introduced by popular fantasy writer Philip Pullman Originally published in 1927, Told Again is an enchanting collection of elegant fairy tales, showcasing the formidable talents of a writer who used magical realism before the term had even been invented. Walter de la Mare (1873–1956) was one of the most celebrated writers of children's literature during the first half of the twentieth century-so much so that W. H. Auden edited a selection of his poems and British children could recite de la Mare's verses by heart. His abundant literary gifts can be savored once more in this new edition. With marvelous black and white illustrations by A. H. Watson, this volume includes a splendid introduction by Philip Pullman, the contemporary master of fantasy literature. The significance of the nineteen adapted classics in Told Again lies in de la Mare's poetic insights and graceful prose, which-as Pullman indicates in his introduction-soften and sweeten the originals, making these tales appropriate for younger readers. In "The Four Brothers," the siblings allow the princess to choose her own husband rather than argue over her; and in "Rapunzel," de la Mare discreetly leaves out details of the prince's tortured, blind search for his love. Familiar stories, such as "Little Red Riding-Hood," "Rumplestiltskin," and "The Sleeping Beauty" are also made new through de la Mare's expansive, descriptive, and lyrical prose. Pullman covers important details about de la Mare's life and captures the stylistic intention behind the rewriting of these wonderful favorites. Reviving the work of a writer who exemplified a romantic vision and imagination, Told Again is a remarkable retelling of fairy tales touched by mystery and magic. "[A] wonderful book."---Michael Dirda, Washington Post "This superb edition of Told Again brings a neglected work to twenty-first-century readers and is a great addition to the Oddly Modern Fairy Tales series. As Pullman's introduction shows, the collection sheds light on a poet's view of the wonder tale and its near relatives."-Pauline Greenhill, University of Winnipeg

Marina Warner is a writer of fiction and cultural history who has published widely on fairy tales. Her books include From the Beast to the Blonde and Stranger Magic, winner of the 2012 National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism. She is professor of literature, film, and theatre studies at the University of Essex and a fellow of All Souls, University of Oxford. An enchanting collection that introduces the author and activist Naomi Mitchison to a new generation of readers The Fourth Pig, originally published in 1936, is a wide-ranging and fascinating collection of fairy tales, poems, and ballads. Droll and sad, spirited and apprehensive, The Fourth Pig reflects the hopes and forebodings of its era but also resonates with those of today. It is a testament to the talents of Naomi Mitchison (1897–1999), who was an irrepressible phenomenon-a significant Scottish political activist as well as a prolific author. Mitchison's work, exemplified by the tales in this superb new edition, is stamped with her characteristic sharp wit, magical invention, and vivid political and social consciousness. Mitchison rewrites well-known stories such as "Hansel and Gretel" and "The Little Mermaid," and she picks up the tune of a ballad with admiring fidelity to form, as in "Mairi MacLean and the Fairy Man." Her experimental approach is encapsulated in the title story, which is a dark departure from "The Three Little Pigs." And in the play Kate Crackernuts, the author dramatizes in charms and songs a struggle against the subterranean powers of fairies who abduct humans for their pleasure. Marina Warner, the celebrated scholar of fairy tales and fiction author, provides an insightful introduction that reveals why Mitchison's writing remains significant. The Fourth Pig is a literary rediscovery, a pleasure that will reawaken interest in a remarkable writer and personality. "Mitchison turns stories like 'Hansel and Gretel,' 'The Little Mermaid,' and 'Brunhilde' into trenchant commentaries on her times." "[A] fascinating collection of writings." "[F]ascinating."---Rebecca K. Morrison, Independent "[B]eguiling collections that are both a showcase of the enduring fascination with tales of the marvelous and strange and a celebration of those scholars who continue to research the realm of folklore. They unearth gems, and further our understanding of the stories and storytellers' place in the cultural history of their respective countries and, more broadly, in the universal human need to tell and listen to stories. . . . The rewards of these collections are irresistible."---Rebecca K. Morrison, Independent "[A] mad, surreal, Alice-in-Wonderland proto-post-modern take on the fairy tale and its traditional elements. Fans of "Into the Woods" won't want to miss it. Enjoy."---Michael Dirda, Washington Post "At her best, Naomi Mitchison is forthright and witty, writes with brio and passion and lucidity, and conveys a huge appetite for life, for people, for new adventures, and for breaking through barriers."-From the introduction by Marina Warner "These stories are important-both within the literary tradition of the fairy tale, and more broadly, as fantasy stories exemplary in their imagining of real-world matters. Warner's introduction to the collection strikes just the right note. A splendid reissue."-Stephen Benson, University of East Anglia "The Fourth Pig makes a relevant and interesting addition to the Oddly Modern Fairy Tales series. The collection embraces more than fairy tales in the strictest sense and includes playful references to Greek and Teutonic mythology as well as to Gaelic traditions. The introduction is informative and engaging."-William Gray, director of the Sussex Centre for Folklore, Fairy Tales and Fantasy, University of Chichester

Andrei Codrescu is a poet, novelist, essayist, and NPR commentator. His many books include Whatever Gets You through the Night, The Postmodern Dada Guide, and The Poetry Lesson (all Princeton). Twitter @acodrescu. Jack Zipes is the editor of The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm (Princeton) and The Great Fairy Tale Tradition (Norton). A collection of twenty-eight brilliant and strange stories, inspired by Japanese folk tales and written by renowned Western expatriate Lafcadio Hearn Lafcadio Hearn (1850–1904) was one of the nineteenth century's best-known writers, his name celebrated alongside those of Mark Twain and Robert Louis Stevenson. Born in Greece and raised in Ireland, Hearn was a true prodigy and world traveler. He worked as a reporter in Cincinnati, New Orleans, and the West Indies before heading to Japan in 1890 on a commission from Harper's. There, he married a Japanese woman from a samurai family, changed his name to Koizumi Yakumo, and became a Japanese subject. An avid collector of traditional Japanese tales, legends, and myths, Hearn taught literature and wrote his own tales for both Japanese and Western audiences. Japanese Tales of Lafcadio Hearn brings together twenty-eight of Hearn's strangest and most entertaining stories in one elegant volume. Hearn's tales span a variety of genres. Many are fantastical ghost stories, such as "The Corpse-Rider," in which a man foils the attempts of his former wife's ghost to haunt him. Some are love stories in which the beloved is not what she appears to be: in "The Story of Aoyagi," a young samurai narrowly escapes the wrath of his lord for marrying without permission, only to discover that his wife is the spirit of a willow tree. Throughout this collection, Hearn's reverence for Japan shines through, and his stories provide insights into the country's artistic and cultural heritage. With an introduction by Andrei Codrescu discussing Hearn's life and work, as well as a foreword by Jack Zipes, Japanese Tales of Lafcadio Hearn provides a unique window into one writer's multicultural literary journey. "[A]n attractive production . . . [with] a wonderfully witty and informative introduction by Mr. Codrescu."---Sam Sacks, Wall Street Journal "[A] weird-in a good way-collection of stories, gathered from oral and written sources by Hearn."---Christopher Tayler, Harper's Magazine "There is an excellent introduction by Codrescu . . . fascinating."---Damain Flanagan, Times Literary Supplement "The pleasures of [Lafcadio Hearn's] work are to be found in his delightfully bizarre hybrid renditions of Japanese folklore-particularly of a genre called kaidan, or tales of the uncanny-old stories that he blended with elements of horror and French Romanticism, the best of which are collected in…Japanese Tales of Lafcadio Hearn­."---Christopher Carroll, New York Review of Books "[Lafcadio Hearn] devoted . . . his writing life to gathering Japanese folk tales and translating them into English. This new book contains the best of them."---Susan Balée, The Hudson Review "If readers want to see the range of Hearn's interest in Japanese storytelling, then Codrescu's edition amply demonstrates the range of Hearn's interest in Japanese storytelling. There are, in addition to ghost stories, tales of lost loves, feudal loyalty and the contrast between appearance and reality."---John Butler, Asian Review of Books "These tales beg for tellers. A great resource."---Jo Radner, Storytelling Magazine "[Japanese Tales of Lafcadio Hearn] is a uniquely transcultural kind of storytelling-something that feels familiar to Western audiences despite being wrapped in entirely different histories and cultural codes. . . . While the stories in the book are over a hundred years old, they have a lot to offer to twenty-first-century readers."---Reid Bartholomew, World Literature Today "The tales [in Japanese Tales of Lafcadio Hearn] are chronolo

Jack Zipes is the editor of The Sorcerer's Apprentice and The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm (both Princeton), as well as The Great Fairy Tale Tradition (Norton). He is professor emeritus of German and comparative literature at the University of Minnesota. Wry political fairy tales from a nineteenth-century politician that speak to our current times Édouard Laboulaye (1811–1883), one of nineteenth-century France's most prominent politicians and an instrumental figure in establishing the Statue of Liberty, was also a prolific writer of fairy tales. Smack-Bam, or The Art of Governing Men brings together sixteen of Laboulaye's most artful stories in new translations. Filled with biting social commentary and strong notions of social justice, these rediscovered tales continue to impart lessons today. Inspired by folktales from such places as Estonia, Germany, Iceland, and Italy, Laboulaye's deceptively entertaining stories explore the relationships between society and the ruling class. In "Briam the Fool," the hero refuses the queen's hand after he kills the king. In "Zerbino the Bumpkin," the king and prime minister are idiots, while the king's daughter runs away with a woodcutter to an enchanted island. And in the title story, "Smack-Bam, or The Art of Governing Men," a superficial prince is schooled by a middle-class woman who smacks him when he won't engage in his lessons and follows him across Europe until he falls in love with her. In these worlds, shallow aristocrats come to value liberty, women are as assertive and intelligent as men, and protagonists experience compassion as they learn of human suffering. With an introduction by leading fairy-tale scholar Jack Zipes that places Laboulaye's writing in historical context, Smack-Bam, or The Art of Governing Men presents spirited tales from the past that speak to contemporary life. "Smack-Bam, or The Art of Governing Men collects sixteen tales by Édouard Laboulaye, a French law professor and jurist of the Second Empire, and a strong supporter of the abolition of slavery and of women's rights. Laboulaye's creative work has been eclipsed by his political career, but in his day he was recognized as a writer of fiction, too, and especially known for his fairy-tales-with their satirical asides, irreverent humor, and free use of international sources, it is not hard to see why."---James Guida, New York Review of Books "The tales are delightful, and they offer a look at a little-known aspect of fairy tale history contemporary with the tale collectors and writers from the nineteenth century."---Sarah N Lawson, Journal of Folklore Research "In this collection, Jack Zipes, the most important fairy-tale scholar of his generation, revives the considerable work of nineteenth-century French jurist and politician Édouard Laboulaye, whose fairy tales have not been previously anthologized, much less republished or critically studied. This latest discovery is a welcome one, and Zipes's translations of the tales are extremely well done." -Domna C. Stanton, coeditor of Enchanted Eloquence: Fairy Tales by Seventeenth-Century French Women Writers "Édouard Laboulaye's witty stories have been overlooked by anthologizers and translators alike since the late nineteenth century. Smack-Bam, or The Art of Governing Men presents new translations of his fairy tales in a modern edition. Bringing to the English-speaking world a writer famous in his day who slipped through the cracks of history, this collection fills a gap and is well worth our attention." -Christine A. Jones, editor of Mother Goose Reconfigured: A Critical Translation of Charles Perrault's Fairy Tales