The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Folktales and Fairy Tales (Hardcover)

~ Donald Haase (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Interest in folklore and fairy tales continues to grow, as evidenced by the number of new translations and anthologies being published every year. This scholarly compendium is a well-organized, well-documented introduction to the evolving field of folklore and fairy-tale studies. More than130 individuals representing various areas of expertise have contributed 670 entries that offer insights into assorted aspects of this complex genre. Signed articles are arranged in alphabetical order and run from a couple of paragraphs to several pages. The scope is multicultural and spans antiquity through modern day (including 2007 references). In the preface, editor Haase acknowledges the enormous number of possible subjects and identifies five priority inclusion criteria: representative global coverage, fundamental and essential importance, major developments in folk and fairy-tale scholarship since 1970, emerging trends in the production and reception of fairy tales, and critical but often neglected dimensions of this field. The helpful “Guide to Related Topics” sorts articles and provides some idea of the breadth and extent of coverage. Entries cover cultural, national, regional, and linguistic groups (African American tales,Japanese tales); more than 60 genres (Animal tale, Pantomime,Urban legend); critical terms, concepts, and approaches (Authenticity,Variant); motifs, themes, characters, and tale types (Dragon, Punishment and reward,Sleeping Beauty); media, performance, and other cultural terms (Advertising, Tourism); television, film, animation, and video (Fractured Fairy Tales, Shrek and Shrek II); and numerous individuals, including authors, collectors, illustrators, and others. Additionally, a number of articles address individual works. A list of entries and a detailed index provide additional access. Of particular note is the exhaustive “Bibliography and Resources“ section, a 64-page listing of print and online sources. Meticulously documented and firmly grounded in scholarly research, most articles feature straightforward language and sufficient background material to be accessible to lay readers and novice researchers. This unique and timely resource is highly recommended for large public and academic collections, especially those that support literature or teacher-preparation programs or serve individuals pursuing careers or active in creative endeavors. Also available as an e-book. --Kathleen McBroom

Review

“Occasionally, a reference work is so good that one wishes for more of it. Haase.has assembled a stellar cast of scholars to provide the first thorough English-language encyclopedia on folk and fairy tales....Nearly 700 signed, alphabetically arranged articles with bibliographies cover major approaches, important authors and scholars, and themes. Especially useful are the geographic essays. With no disciplinary limits, folklorists take their place alongside historians, sociologists, and literary critics. Similary, with no boundaries on media, the set includes motion picture adaptations as well as literary versions. It also covers children's literature. Haase's introduction provides a good summary of the current state of folktale research....Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through faculty/researchers; general readers.”–Choice

“This unique three-volume set is an important addition to folklore and fairy-tale studies as it offers for the first time an encyclopedic introduction to the scholarship of this flourishing field. Global in geographical and cultural scope and covering a broad historical and disciplinary range, it features information about significant individuals and traditions from throughout the world, from antiquity to the present day....Additionally, an extensive bibliography with citations to relevant primary and secondary resources names anthologies, scholarly studies, journal publications, and selected web sites. Rounding out the text are a guide describing the classification systems used in the entries, a guide to related topics, and a helpful index. The set is further enhanced by an informative introduction and interesting illustrations throughout the volumes. Useful to general readers as well as to students and scholars in the literary and social science disciplines; highly recommended for public and academic libraries.”–Library Journal

“Three hefty volumes provide global and multicultural coverall, from antiquity to the present, of the burgeoning field of folktale and fairy-tale studies....A brief introduction highlights the reasons for and description of the increasing interest in folk and fairy tales around the globe....Each entry includes highlighted cross references as well as, when appropriate, a "see also" section plus suggestions for futher reading....The illustrations and photographs are black and white in this helpful resource for college libraries and special collections in large public libraries.”–VOYA

“The Greenwood Encyclopedia truly stands apart with its multicultural scope and its theoretical framework that challenges the received knowledge of the field. Each volume contains a table of contents for the entire work and begins with a complete list of the alphabetically arranged entries. Cross-references, "see also" notes, and an index provide deeper access....I recommend The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Folktales and Fairy Tales for academic and public libraries.”–Reference & User Services Quarterly

“Starred Review Interest in folklore and fairy tales continues to grow, as evidenced by the number of new translations and anthologies being published every year. This scholarly compendium is a well-organized, well-documented introduction to the evolving field of folklore and fairy-tale studies....Meticulously documented and firmly grounded in scholarly research, most articles feature straightforward language and sufficient background material to be accessible to lay readers and novice researchers. This unique and timely resource is highly recommended for large public and academic collections, especially those that support literature or teacher-preparation programs or serve individuals pursuing careers or active in creative endeavors.”–Booklist

“[T]hese three tomes contain a wide ranging scope to studies in folk and fairy tales. Covering tales from the entire globe and with a timefram from antiquity to the present, presenting information useful to a panoply of disciplines and including media telling's of the stories, and emphasizing the new ideas brought forth since 1970, the 670 entries point in any direction you may want to research....The books are well made for a long shelf life. What is most useful is that each of the entries has a further reading bibliography with complete citations, which makes it easy to move onto other titles without having the last volume in hand.”–ARBA Online

“[A]n excellent overview of a tremendously influential literary genre, which is recommended for both public and academic libraries.”–Lawrence Looks at Books

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 1240 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood; illustrated edition edition (December 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0313334412
• ISBN-13: 978-0313334412
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.5 x 3.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,233,741 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not Much Depth, December 6, 2008

By	Eva H. - See all my reviews

This book has just about every fairytale author listed, and has headings such as "Spanish Tales" or "Aztec Tales", but you can't search it thematically. I was hoping for a reference I can use to search common fairytale symbols, such as which tales have giants, which tales use gold and silver etc. That's an important part of tracing fairytales and identifying how they have evolved over generations and between cultures. Having an endless list of authors does me no good, especially since most fairytales don't have an original author. It's much more useful to search motifs and symbols to find connections.
At least if the index listed every single tale discussed in the Encyclopedia, or common symbols, that would be more helpful. But the index is also sparse. It also doesn't include many diverse fairy tales. If it does, and they are burried under some obscure authors' names, they are too difficult to find. It's a very expensive book, that is very difficult to use and doesn't have much depth.