There Would Always be a Fairy Tale


Book Description

Devoted to Tolkien, the teller of tales and co-creator of the myths they brush against, these essays focus on his lifelong interest in and engagement with fairy stories, the special world that he called faërie, a world they both create and inhabit, and with the elements that make that world the special place it is. They cover a range of subjects, from The Hobbit to The Lord of the Rings and their place within the legendarium he called the Silmarillion to shorter works like "The Story of Kullervo" and "Smith of Wootton Major." From the pen of eminent Tolkien scholar Verlyn Flieger, the individual essays in this collection were written over a span of twenty years, each written to fit the parameters of a conference, an anthology, or both. They are revised slightly from their original versions to eliminate repetition and bring them up to date. Grouped loosely by theme, they present an unpatterned mosaic, depicting topics from myth to truth, from social manners to moral behavior, from textual history to the micro particles of Middle-earth. Together these essays present a complete picture of a man as complicated as the books that bear his name--an independent and unorthodox thinker who was both a believer and a doubter able to maintain conflicting ideas in tension, a teller of tales both romantic and bitter, hopeful and pessimistic, in equal parts tragic and comedic. A man whose work does not seek for right or wrong answers so much as a way to accommodate both; a man of antitheses. Scholars of fantasy literature generally and of Tolkien particularly will find much of value in this insightful collection by a seasoned explorer of Tolkien's world of faërie.




The Grey Fairy Book


Book Description




Disfigured


Book Description

A CBC BOOKS BEST NONFICTION OF 2020 AN ENTROPY MAGAZINE BEST NONFICTION 2020/21 A NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOK OF THE DAY (07/23/2022) Fairy tales shape how we see the world, so what happens when you identify more with the Beast than Beauty? If every disabled character is mocked and mistreated, how does the Beast ever imagine a happily-ever-after? Amanda Leduc looks at fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm to Disney, showing us how they influence our expectations and behaviour and linking the quest for disability rights to new kinds of stories that celebrate difference. "Historically we have associated the disabled body image and disabled life with an unhappy ending” – Sue Carter, Toronto Star "Leduc persuasively illustrates the power of stories to affect reality in this painstakingly researched and provocative study that invites us to consider our favorite folktales from another angle." – Sara Shreve, Library Journal "She [Leduc] argues that template is how society continues to treat the disabled: rather than making the world accessible for everyone, the disabled are often asked to adapt to inaccessible environments." – Ryan Porter, Quill & Quire "Read this smart, tenacious book." – The Washington Post "A brilliant young critic named Amanda Leduc explores this pernicious power of language in her new book, Disfigured … Leduc follows the bread crumbs back into her original experience with fairy tales – and then explores their residual effects … Read this smart, tenacious book." – The Washington Post "Leduc investigates the intersection between disability and her beloved fairy tales, questioning the constructs of these stories and where her place is, as a disabled woman, among those narratives." – The Globe and Mail "It gave me goosebumps as I read, to see so many of my unexpressed, half-formed thoughts in print. My highlighter got a good workout." – BookRiot "Disfigured is not just an eye-opener when it comes to the Disney princess crew and the Marvel universe – this thin volume provides the tools to change how readers engage with other kinds of popular media, from horror films to fashion magazines to outdated sitcom jokes." – Quill & Quire “It’s an essential read for anyone who loves fairy tales.” – Buzzfeed Books "Leduc makes one thing clear and beautifully so – fairy tales are fundamentally fantastic, but that doesn’t mean that they are beyond reproach in their depiction of real issues and identities." – Shrapnel Magazine "As Leduc takes us through these fairy tales and the space they occupy in the narratives that we construct, she slowly unfolds a call-to-action: the claiming of space for disability in storytelling." – The Globe and Mail "A provocative beginning to a thoughtful and wide-ranging book, one which explores some of the most primal stories readers have encountered and prompts them to ponder the subtext situated there all along." – LitHub "a poignant and informative account of how the stories we tell shape our collective understanding of one another.” – BookMarks "What happens when we allow disabled writers to tell stories of disability within fairytales and in magical and supernatural settings? It is a reimagining of the fairytale canon we need. Leduc dares to dream of a world that most stories envision is unattainable." – Bitch Media




The Great Fairy Tale Disaster


Book Description

A follow up to the bestselling The Great Nursery Rhyme Disaster. Fairy tales have never been funnier than in this outrageously silly picture book! Once upon a time there lived an old Big Bad Wolf. He no longer has any huff and puff to blow down the Three Little Pigs' houses so he scampers off into the pages of the Fairy Tale book to find a new one. He tries one tale after another, but things never quite work to plan. Will he find a fairy tale that suits him perfectly? With all the well-known and well-loved fairy tales, including Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears. 'It's madness and mayhem which results in a very funny, laugh out loud book.' The Bookbag http://www.davidconwaychildrensbooks.co.uk/




Lona, a Fairy Tale


Book Description

Once upon a time, when magic was common and princesses were many, there lived a powerful wizard named Druth. He could transform a prince into a toad, or a shepherd boy into a sheep by a mere flick of his finger. But no matter how hard he tried he could not enchant a princess by any magic at all. Enraged and humiliated, Druth took revenge upon three kingdoms whose princesses he was unable to enchant. He flooded their lands and imprisoned the people in a deep, unending sleep. He saved one princess alone, however. She was a baby named Lona whom Druth planned to raise himself until she was old enough to enchant. Some new spell, he was certain, would eventually succeed. But when she grew up, Lona showed surprising courage, challenging the mighty wizard's power. Through Dare Wright's rich descriptions and superb photographs, readers will breathlessly follow each moment of Lona's remarkable struggle to remove Druth's spell over the three kingdoms.




A Stranger's Tale


Book Description

"A time long ago, when the Moon and Sun were friends and shared the same sky, a strange man wandered down an even stranger path." In this folkloric tale, a man known only as the Stranger finds his way to another world and embarks on a journey to take back what he has lost. Watched with growing interest by ancient celestial beings, he faces a different challenge at every turn and each one more tempting than the last. Can he resist the temptations, or will the Four Winds sway his heart with bribes cloaked as gifts? This is a world of shadow and light, where the winds follow no particular direction and where even time has a will of its own. Deeply rooted in dark, traditional storytelling and enriched with stunning olde worlde illustrations by Adam Oehlers, A Stranger's Tale introduces familiar characters in an unfamiliar world. Rich in imagery and a nostalgic charm, Natasa Xerri brings a fresh new voice to age-old themes, as she weaves a story that has readers of all ages spellbound from beginning to end.




It Could Always be Worse


Book Description

Once upon a time a poor unfortunate man lived with his mother, his wife, and his six children in a one-room hut. Because they were so crowded, the children often fought and the man and his wife argued. When the poor man was unable to stand it any longer, he ran to the Rabbi for help. As he follows the Rabbi's unlikely advice, the poor man's life goes from bad to worse, with increasingly uproarious results. In his little hut, silly calamity follows foolish catastrophe, all memorably depicted in full-color illustrations that are both funnier and lovelier than any this distinguished artist has done in the past.




Tolkien the Medievalist


Book Description

Interdisciplinary in approach, this book provides a fresh perspective on J. R. R. Tolkien's medievalism. Fifteen essays explore how professor Tolkien responded to a modern age of crisis - historical, academic and personal.




Revival the True Fairy Tale


Book Description

Revival the True Fairy Tale is a Christian science-fiction story that is biblical and scriptural based about a young girl and a little boy who embarks on a journey and experience great wonders on earth, heaven and hell to have a Revival for Jesus Christ on a very special land based on biblical scriptures. The characters Nina and Kyle take a spiritual expedition that administers scripture through adventure and suspense. Not recommended for small children. You're invited to the land that is not too far away! http: //www.revivalthetruefairytale.com/ http: //revivalttft.wix.com/book-web-page




Fairy Tale Paradox


Book Description

A small cryptic ugly looking book hidden away in a small hill station when found by Megha turns her life around. Difficult to decipher at first the book begins to speak to her in ways she could never have imagined. What do the poems mean? Who wrote them? Why does the poet remain anonymous? She begins to understand the poems and her own life through the suffering poet who wrote them. The world is viewed through the cynical and warped sight of the poet as he deals with conformity, love, ambition, death and his reason for being alive. His battle against the great tree and his desire to have his wings again.




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