Beauties, Beasts And Enchantments — Jack Zipes

BEAUTIES, BEASTS AND ENCHANTMENT: CLASSIC FRENCH FAIRY TALES REVISED AND UPDATED A beautiful new collection of 36 French fairy tales translated into English by renowned writer and authority on fairy tales, Jack Zipes. Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Sleepy Beauty, Puss In Boots, Bluebeard, and Little Red Riding Hood are some of the classic fairy tales in this 600+ page amazing book. There are many stories here by Charles Perrault, the most famous author of French conte de fées. Features a new introduction by editor Jack Zipes. Includes illustrations from fairy tale collections. Bibliography and notes. 612pp. ISBN 9781861712510. Also available in hardback. www.crmoon.com 'Terrific... a succulent array of 17th and 18th century 'salon' fairy tales' - The New York Times Book Review 'These tales are adventurous, thrilling in a way fairy tales are meant to be... The translation from the French is modern, happily free of archaic and hyperbolic language... a fine and sophisticated collection' - New York Tribune 'Enjoyable to read... a unique collection of French regional folklore' - Library Journal 'Charming stories accompanied by attractive pen-and-ink drawings' - Chattanooga Times 'An excellent collection' - Booklist ‘If you love fairy tales and felt some were lacking you will love this book. With two versions of Beauty and the Beast, one covering the true details of the prince's curse and fairy politics, and several classic style french stories, it will quickly become a family favorite.' - Amazon FROM THE INTRODUCTION BY JACK ZIPES: Though the original French fairy tales are no longer read, they have never been forgotten. They have come down to us in various forms and have inspired writers including Goethe, the Brothers Grimm, Andersen, George Sand, and numerous others so that the literary fairy tale keeps thriving and makes itself felt not only through literature in remarkable works by such contemporary authors as Angela Carter, Margaret Atwood, Michel Tournier, Robert Coover, Michael Ende, A. S. Byatt, Jane Yolen, and others but also through stage adaptations, radio programs, films, tv shows, and Internet sites. The best of the contemporary fairy tales also keep alive the utopian quest and the questioning spirit of the earlier salon tales. Written out of dissatisfaction with their times, these fairy tales still have a unique charm, something captivating that is not confined to the particular historical period in which they were conceived and written. They embrace the future. They anticipate hopes and wishes that we ourselves have yet to fulfill. In that sense, they are still modern, and â€" who knows? ...â€" may even open up alternatives to our postmodern dilemmas.