The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales [Paperback]

Brothers Grimm (Author), Josef Scharl (Author), Joseph Campbell (Narrator), Padraic Colum (Introduction)

Book Description

For almost two centuries, the stories of magic and myth gathered by the Brothers Grimm have been part of the way children—and adults—learn about the vagaries of the real world. Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow-White, Hänsel and Gretel, Little Red-Cap (a.k.a. Little Red Riding Hood), and Briar-Rose (a.k.a. Sleeping Beauty) are only a few of more than 200 enchanting characters included here. Lyrically translated and beautifully illustrated, the tales are presented just as Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm originally set them down: bold, primal, just frightening enough, and endlessly engaging.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Among the few indispensable, common-property books upon which Western culture can be founded . . . It will be a mistake if this volume is merely bought for a child; it should be, first and foremost, an educational ‘must’ for adults.”
–W. H. Auden, The New York Times

“Here it is, clear and fine and solid, beautifully and passionately illustrated, this one book–other than the Bible–that has truly made Western man.”
–P. L. Travers, The New Republic

“Everyone should possess and know Grimm’s Fairy Tales–one of the great books of the world–and no English-speaking person could do better than this edition.”
–Richard Adams, The New York Times Book Review

“[A] splendid edition, admirably illustrated.”
–Edmund Wilson, The New Yorker

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: German --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 880 pages
• Publisher: Pantheon (September 12, 1976)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394709306
• ISBN-13: 978-0394709307
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 1.6 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (81 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #40,324 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #29 in Books > Children's Books > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > Anthologies

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

131 of 134 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bed Time Stories To Curl Your Hair, May 9, 2005

By 

Gary F. Taylor "GFT" (Biloxi, MS USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales (Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library) (Hardcover)

Born in the late 1700s in Hanau, Germany, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were noted scholars celebrated for the documentation of German folklore--and most particularly for the documentation of folk tales that had been previously passed from generation to generation by oral tradition.

The Brothers Grimm began to publish these tales 1812 under the title Children's and Household Tales, a collection which went a then unheard of six editions during their lifetimes and a posthumous edition shortly after their deaths. In its final form, the collection contained two hundred folk tales and ten "Children's Legends," and they would have a tremendous impact on both European and American popular culture.

It is here that we find such figures as Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretle, Tom Thumb, Rapunzel, and the Bremen Town Musicians--to name but a few. But be forewarned: these are not the tales as presented in such venues as The Little Golden Book series or on the big screen by Walt Disney. True enough, there is magic, wonder, and a world in which good triumphs... but there is also savage retribution, revenge, brutality, torture, and the occasional flourish of anti-semetism as well.

"Cinderella" offers a good example of the violence one often finds in these stories. Modern versions typically punish the wicked step-sisters with comic humiliation, but in the original tale their eyes are picked out by birds--and this is actually one of the less extreme retributions offered. The evil queen in the classic "Snow White" is forced to dance at Snow White's wedding... in red-hot iron shoes until she dies. Perhaps most disconcerting is the fate of the wicked servant in "The Goose Girl," who is thrown naked into a barrel driven through with spikes that is dragged by horses through the town!

Although children typically adore such gruesome details, modern parents will likely be less enthusiastic--and I myself wouldn't recommend The Brothers Grimm as bedtime story material for the very young and impressionable. They are perhaps best left to older children, especially if their taste leans to the Gothic. That said, however, the Pantheon edition is quite good, for it offers both the original German texts and English translations; it would make an excellent gift for a young language student. And the stories themselves, so often dark and brooding, deserve to be read for the long shadow they have cast re literary tradition.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

76 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Treasure for Pleasure & Scholarly Readers Alike, April 10, 2000

By 

"kehk" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales (Paperback)

Even if your not a scholar, this tremendous read-aloud reaches all the way back to the voices of the oral tradition, whose rich language and images will transport you to a magical state of being. The Frog King begins "In olden times when wishing still helped one, there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful, but the youngest was so beautiful that the sun itself, which has seen so much, was astonished whenever it shone in her face." Try that at dusk or by candle light, and see if an awed hush doesn't fall over your listener(s)!

For those with a more serious bent, this is perhaps the most accurate English translation of the Grimm's recordings of the oral tales. The complete collection lets you compare the patterns and rhythms of language and story line. The introduction by Padraic Colum and end commentary by Joseph Campbell (some 30 pages) are an added treasure. This version is frequently used by Waldorf teachers, and is "must have" for all primary teachers and families with children.

49 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not a very good edition, December 6, 2004

By 

Gagewyn (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Complete Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales [Illustrated] (Hardcover)

Regarding the fairy tales: The Grimm brothers collected fairy tales from all over the Germanies and published the collected stories in 1812. Historically and culturally this is very important because we have a glimpse into an oral tradition back when oral tradition was alive and well. Many are surprised to find that the stories aren't Disney rated. They have gore and all.

Regarding this particular release of the Grimm Fairy Tales: The paper is bad quality. I have the 1981 edition and the pages are already very very yellow. The illustrations are in many different styles by four different artists. They aren't bad, but given the presentation and the fact that they are a mixed bag they come across that way. The translation by Margaret Hunt was originally published in 1884, and the language feels a little stale today.

This is an adequate copy of the text if you just want to read through it. It isn't durable, it isn't archival and it isn't good quality paper or presentation. These stories have been around long enough that they are now public domain and can be found for free in many locations online, if you just want to check out the original Grimm version of a story. (Paper is easier on the eyes, so there is a place for a poor quality widely available edition.) Libraries will want a more durable edition. Yep a better quality edition is a good idea for families too.