Once Again, La Fontaine: 60 More Fables (Wesleyan Poetry with Audio CD) [Paperback]

Jean De LA Fontaine (Author), David Schorr (Author), John (Frw) Hollander (Author), Norman R. Shapiro (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 29, 2001 | Series: Wesleyan Poetry Series

Jean de La Fontaine (1621 - 1695), one of the best-loved French poets, is the foremost fabulist since Aesop, and his books have entertained generations of readers throughout France and the Western world. In Once Again, La Fontaine, Norman R. Shapiro brings his scholarly knowledge of fable lore and outstanding facility with English verse together to produce beautiful, witty translations. Adults will be captured by the subtle and sophisticated layers of meaning which Shapiro has skillfully brought to light, and children will delight in the moral tales. Readers of all ages will appreciate the sly and charming illustrations by David Schorr.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, French (translation)
Original Language: French --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From the Publisher

8 1/4 x 8 3/4 trim. 135 illus. Audio CD LC 00-011730

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Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Wesleyan (November 29, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0819564583
• ISBN-13: 978-0819564580
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 8.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,825,544 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The annotation left off the best part!, December 30, 2001

By 

Klast "Klast" - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Once Again, La Fontaine: 60 More Fables (Wesleyan Poetry with Audio CD) (Paperback)

The publisher's annotation fails to mention *anywhere* that the CD included with the disc features 26 fables read by actor Douglas Sills, of Broadway's The Scarlet Pimpernel fame. He does a delightful job of interpreting various characters.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Stuff!, May 2, 2002

By 

sky (Cambridge MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Once Again, La Fontaine: 60 More Fables (Wesleyan Poetry with Audio CD) (Paperback)

If you enjoy French literature in translation, you should already be familiar with the name of Norman Shapiro--one of our pre-eminent French-to-English translators. Quite simply, whatever Mr. Shapiro chooses to translate results in a highly enjoyable, entertaining addition to my French lit. bookshelf! If you find pleasure in Richard Wilbur's Moliere, Donald Frame's Montaigne and Rabelais, Richard Howard's Stendhal and Baudelaire, Burton Raffel's Chretien, or Merwin's Song of Roland--then you owe it to yourself to investigate Shapiro's La Fontaine translations--four volumes to date: "Fifty Fables" and "Fifty More Fables" published by Illinois, "La Fontaine's Bawdy" published by Princeton, and the present book, "Once Again, La Fontaine" published by Wesleyan. These books are--alas!--one of the best-kept secrets of High French Literature to Read for Pleasure.

Also, Shapiro has translated volumes of Verlaine and Baudelaire for the University of Chicago press (two very handsome paperback editions), and do be on the lookout for his edition of Ronsard/Marot/Bellay from Yale University Press!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars English Audio Interpretation Stands by Itself, January 31, 2004

By 

Jonathan E. Harris (Cottonwood, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Once Again, La Fontaine: 60 More Fables (Wesleyan Poetry with Audio CD) (Paperback)

I really enjoyed the very original black & white graphics that accompanied each of the fables: the graphics alone are worth the price of this book including the English Audio CD of the translations. I played the CD by itself and I was mesmerized by the witty delivery that completely matches the original French satire. It would be a blast to see it done as a one-man stage show! Thanks for this excellent package!