Title: The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales
Editor: Maria Tatar
Genre: Fiction, Non-fiction, Reference
About the Book...
Translated by and with an introduction by Maria Tatar, The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales includes annotated versions of 26 fairy tale, sections with biographical information about their authors/collectors and illustrators, several appendices with variations of the annotated tales and the work of several illustrators, and finishes with a bibliography.
What I Think...
This is my go-to reference book when it comes to fairy tales.
It's beautifully laid out and not too overwhelming in the way that the information is presented. As with most of the larger annotated Norton collections the annotations are in the margin and in a slightly lighter color than the text, which I find preferable to footnotes. Each story also begins with a short introduction that goes over a little bit of the history behind the particular tale and the version included adding a greater context to the story as a whole.
I like that Tatar covers a range of collectors and illustrators, including 7 different authors/collectors and 9 illustrators, as opposed to just the Brothers Grimm or Andersen, with the works of most of those included being fairly even in number (exceptions being those who are really only known for writing one tale, such as Jean-Marie Leprince de Beaumont).
Another aspect I love about this book is the variety of illustrations included with each story giving a look at how perceptions of some of the tales have changed over time. That each one comes with its own very short commentary makes it all the better, though I do wish that some of the illustrations were larger.
To Sum it All Up...
A lovely fairy tale book that can be read for pure enjoyment or to gain insight into some of the best known fairy tales and those who collected or wrote them.♥️
