Spells of Enchantment: The Wondrous Fairy Tales of Western Culture [Hardcover]

Various (Author), Jack Zipes (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 14, 1991

This collection of folk and fairy tales is specifically designed to be of interest to adults.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Besides editing this massive volume and translating many of its selections, Zipes, professor of German at the University of Minnesota, has provided a thorough introduction. As one would expect, the tales are of good and evil (and evil is more insidious to modern readers attuned to Freud and the currents of sexism and misogyny); often they use fantasy to come to terms with society, either by superceding the status quo or grudgingly accepting it. Zipes reaches back to the second century to show that the heritage of fantasy in Western culture runs deep. And modern technology has done nothing to dampen inspiration: More than half of the 67 tales collected here were written in the 20th century by such authors as Twain, Strindberg, Rilke, Philip K. Dick, Robin McKinley, Tanith Lee and Stanislaw Lem. Unless one is an aficionado of the genre, however, most of the stories will be unfamiliar, or variations one has never read or heard before. Among the latter are three modern takes on the Snow White tale. The seventh dwarf is the eponymous narrator of the tale by Franz Hessel, while Robert Coover's "The Dead Queen," the most erotic story in the collection, is narrated by Prince Charming. The Bluebeard myth also gets new treatments, courtesy of Thackeray, Anatole France and Sylvia Townshend Warner. Despite the illustrious contributors, the collection has some low spots, but there are enough good entries here to keep readers interested, if not totally enchanted.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Nearly 70 classics of the literary fairy tale (written for adults) fill this unique and fascinating anthology. The genre attracted such luminaries (represented here) as Voltaire, Goethe, Thackeray, Hawthorne, Yeats, Strindberg, Rilke, Hesse, and Apollinaire, as well as contemporary masters like Calvino, Lem, Coover, and Tournier. As the chronological order of these selections shows, the orientation and emphasis of the "wonder tales" have shifted over time. But the genre remains a vehicle for the utopian hope of personal or societal redemption and transformation, even amidst the harshest realities. Zipes offers a useful overview of the genre's historical evolution, but his own ideological stance adds an element of the provocative to his many insightful observations. Besides its importance for literary and cultural institutions, this "wonder-full" collection will surprise and delight the ordinary reader in search of the extraordinary.
- Patricia Dooley, Univ. of Washington Lib. Sch., Seattle
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 816 pages
• Publisher: Viking Adult (November 14, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670830534
• ISBN-13: 978-0670830534
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,194,172 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 great bedtime read, December 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Spells of Enchantment: The Wondrous Fairy Tales of Western Culture (Paperback)

i love fairy tale compliations because they are great to set your mind at ease after a long day. this one is particularly good. the stories are from authors such as Jean-Jacque Rosseau, Oscar Wilde, Mark Twain, William Hawthorne, and so on. It's a who's who from classical to comtemporary authors, political figures, and philosophers. Because of the variety of contributors, each story is very different, smart and compelling in it's own right. the stories range from about 5 pages to over 30. it is definately not a children's fairy book, but can awaken and inspire the child in all of us. because it includes about 60 different tales, it can be reread time and time again. just a great book to have around.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wealth of treasures, February 16, 2002

By 

Kelly (Fantasy Literature) (Columbia, MO United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Spells of Enchantment: The Wondrous Fairy Tales of Western Culture (Paperback)

From Apuleius to Tanith Lee, _Spells of Enchantment_ is filled with fairy tales written through the ages. If you like adult fairy tales, don't hesitate for another moment. There is something in here for every taste, and Zipes is picky enough about quality that every story is well-written even if it's not in your favorite style. My only gripe is that it ends on a down note, with a depressing story by de Larrabeiti. I liked the story, but I wanted a happy tale at the close of the book. But that's just a quirk of mine. Highly recommended.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful anthology, July 8, 2008

By 

Jem (MD, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Spells of Enchantment: The Wondrous Fairy Tales of Western Culture (Paperback)

Jack Zipes has edited many excellent "fantasy" anthologies. This one takes a slightly different tact than most, pulling from a variety of cultures over a long history. You won't find many modern fantasy authors within. Only Jane Yolen, Tanith Lee and Robin McKinley stand out as outstanding recent authors. Zipes reaches all the way back to the Second Century for the first tale, "Cupid and Psyche" by Apuleius, and continues on with well known classic authors like Goethe, Hawthorne, Hans Christian Anderson, Oscar Wilde, Yeates and even Mark Twain. There are 67 tales included spanning the Second Century to the 1980's. Great authors from nearly every literary movement appear and give the reader a tour of the genre.

Readers will find well known tales like "Sleeping Beauty" and "Rumpelstiltskin," but also some lesser known gems like "The Seven Wives of Bluebeard" and "Spiegel the Cat." This collection is a great way to get a young fantasy fan to enjoy the work of classical authors that may have a stigma attached to them (I have to read that for school!) Readers should note that the language of the tales has been altered to the vernacular. So, Cupid and Psyche is told in a straightforward manner without the archaic structures used by the original author. Purists may gasp at the audacity, but new readers will be grateful for the translation! The tone and heart of the stories remain intact. This is a huge work with something nearly everyone can enjoy. Overall, a very well done anthology that is more than worth the price of admission.