Description
Book SynopsisJack becomes a trickster who must deliver England from the hands of three ogres after a failed government inquiry. In this book, the tales expose social anxieties, political corruption, predatory economic behavior, and destructive appetites even as they express hope for a better world.
Trade Review"[M]odern answers to Grimm, variously satirical, queered and jaunty, by a diverse, intriguing group of writers."--Marina Warner, Times Literary Supplement "In the wake of the Great War, in the deep bowl of economic depression, on the doorstep of World War II, these stories are the cultural tradition of a disillusioned generation... They are skillfully and delightfully executed renderings, a treasure-collection of the talents of the time, and plain good literature. I recommend them without hesitation."--Christie Ricardo, Spinning Straw into Gold blog "This beautifully produced reissue, published by Princeton University Press and part of the 'Oddly Modern Fairy Tales' series, features an illustration on its front cover which dates back to 1939. It is an extremely well laid out volume, and its introduction and author biographies make lovely additions to the book... This is a collection of tales which certainly deserved a reprint, and will delight lovers of fairytales, nostalgia, British history and short stories alike."--Kirsty Hewitt, BookGeeks (UK) "It's intriguing to see how past authors used fairy tales in their modern fiction."--Sur La Lune blog "The uniqueness of the collection will make you want to savor it, just as I did... You will feel drawn to inspect each story closely, not only because of the tales' fanciful nature, but also because of their fascinating historical placement and significance."--Beanstalk blog "True to the spirit of the folk tale, they keep their stories provincial even as they modernise the settings. Aladdin is a Scottish undertaker in the town of Drumlochie. Cinderella lives in a secluded valley somewhere in Wales. She lives alone, having learnt a hard lesson in love: her story, typically for this collection, brings disenchantment, not happiness."--Ken Gelder, The Age "[D]elightful."--Choice "[A] delightfully different fairy-tale experience for the contemporary reader. Even those well versed in literary fairy-tales will find something new and enchanting in this volume... This collection is an essential addition to the libraries of those who study fairy-tale retellings and will be an enjoyable read for many others as well. Clever, revealing, and often oddly poignant, these stories deserve recognition."--Brittany Warman, Marvels & Tales
Table of ContentsIntroduction Maria Tatar 1 Jack the Giant Killer A. E. Coppard 39 Godfather Death Clemence Dane 65 The Fisherman and His Wife E. M. Delafield 95 Little Snow-White Lord Dunsany 121 Aladdin Anna Gordon Keown 137 Sindbad the Sailor Eric Linklater 163 Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves A. G. Macdonell 186 Puss in Boots Helen Simpson 208 The Little Mermaid Lady Eleanor Smith 228 Little Red Riding-Hood E. oe. Somerville 249 Cinderella Robert Speaight 271 'O, If I Could but Shiver!' Christina Stead 302 The Sleeping Beauty G. B. Stern 325 Big Claus and Little Claus R. J. Yeatman and W. C. Sellar 354 Author Biographies 365
