Jack the Giant Killer, Retold and Illustrated by Richard
Doyle.
“A beautiful British edition of this famous story for
juveniles, retold by Richard Doyle, who has also created the delightful
full-color illustrations. The black-&-white endpapers reprint five of
Ernest H. Shepard's illustrations from "Dream Days," & an illustration
by S. C. Hulme Beaman. Bookmark matches cover color. Beautifully designed.
Cover has gold type on deep blue-purple felt-like binding.” – Amazon. Although
it must have been an older version, I never look at this book without thinking
about Samuel Johnson saying that whenever the general talk turned to society,
he abstracted himself in boredom and instead thought about Jack the
Giant-Killer.
Ranking: Keeper.
File Code: Fairy Tale. Hardback.
The Oxford Book of Carols, by Percy Dearmer, Martin Shaw, and
Ralph Vaughan Williams.
A classic collection of carols. “Vaughan Williams was a noted
composer and arranger of music
in the Anglican Church and a founder member of the English Folk Dance and Song Society. He was a scholar of English
folk-song and
his music was greatly influenced by traditional folk forms. Vaughan
Williams had collaborated with Percy Dearmer on the production of the English Hymnal, which was published in 1906, and as
with this hymnal, The Oxford Book of Carols favoured traditional
folk tunes and polyphonic arrangements of carols, instead
of the Victorian hymn tunes that Vaughan Williams
considered to be over-sentimental and Germanic in tone. Vaughan Williams in
particular drew on music from his own childhood and his scholarship of English
folk music, and was driven by his conviction that the music of ordinary people
should be valued.” – Wikipedia. Contains some carols by Frances Chesterton.
Ranking: Keeper.
File Code: Carols. Collection. Hardback.
Irish Wonders: Popular Tales as Told by the People, by D. R.
McAnally, Jr. Illustrated by H. R. Heaton.
“The Ghosts, Giants, Pookas, Demons, Leprechawns, Banshees,
Fairies, Witches, Widows, Old Maids, and Other Marvels of the Emerald Isle.” Reprint
of a classic work of folklore.
Ranking: Keeper.
File Code. Ireland. Folklore. Hardback.
Russian Fairy Tales, Collected by Aleksandr Afanas’ev,
Translated by Norbert Guterman, Illustrated by Alexander Alexeieff.
I first read this book in college and recognized the stories
behind Gardner’s “In the Suicide Mountains”. I remember Kenny’s then-girlfriend
Tracie reading out loud one of the stories while she sat on the old green couch
in front of the porch window in the boy’s room. A wonderful collection full of
Koschey the Deathless, Baba Yaga, many-headed dragons who sometimes ride
horses, tsars, fools, and talking animals of particularly Russian character,
and illustrated in an initially forbidding folk-style that comes to grow on
you.
Ranking: Essential.
File Code: Fairy Tales. Russian. Softcover.
Great Swedish Fairy Tales, selected by Elsa Olenius,
translated by Holger Lundbergh, and Illustrated by John Bauer.
The illustrations seem to be the main feature here; that is
certainly the way the cover sells it. The Swedish artist John Bauer is famous
for his artwork, especially his trolls, which have influenced both Brian Froud
and the trolls in the Rankin/Bass ‘Hobbit’.
Ranking: Keeper.
File Code: Fairy Tales. Swedish. John Bauer. Softcover.
Scandinavian Folktales, Translated and Edited by Jacqueline
Simpson. Illustrated by Caroline Gowdy.
I read it in college and was pleased to find this copy at
Half-Price. Stories grim and stark, mostly, bleak as a Northern sky,
illustrated in a minimalist folk-style. For a good sample, read ‘How to Raise
the Dead’, page 110. Not a book of twinkly tales to amuse the children, unless
you’re looking to teach them a hard lesson and keep them in line. Jacqueline
Simpson strikes again!
Ranking: Essential.
File Code: Folk Tales. Scandinavian. Softcover.
Irish Folk Tales, Edited by Henry Glassie.
“Here are 125 magnificent folktales collected from
anthologies and journals published from the mid-nineteenth century to the
present day. Beginning with tales of the ancient times and continuing through
the arrival of the saints in Ireland in the fifth century, the periods of war
and family, the Literary Revival championed by William Butler Yeats, and the
contemporary era, these robust and funny, sorrowful and heroic stories of kings,
ghosts, fairies, treasures, enchanted nature, and witchcraft are set in cities,
villages, fields, and forests from the wild western coast to the modern streets
of Dublin and Belfast.” – Amazon. Bought it in the college bookstore, as I
recall. Or was it from a book club? About that era, anyway. Some illustrations
at the section heads.
Ranking: Keeper.
File Code: Folk Tales. Irish. Softcover.
The Children’s Homer: The Adventures of Odysseus and the Tale
of Troy, by Padraic Colum. Illustrated by Willy Pogany.
Another Colum/Pogany joint effort, which I had to have. It is
mostly pictures of people throwing spears, with an occasional monster here and
there (I can’t say I think much of Colum’s version of Polyphemus or Scylla).
Haven’t read it as I know the story, but couldn’t pass up the book because, you
know, Colum and Pogany.
Ranking: Keeper.
File Code: Myth and Legend. Children’s. Softcover.
The Kalevala, or Poems of the Kalevala District, Compiled by
Elias Lonnrot. Translated by Francis Peabody Magoun, Jr.
Most simply put, it is the national poem of Finland. “The Kalevala was
compiled by Elias Lönnrot, who published the folk material in
two editions (32 cantos, 1835; enlarged into 50 cantos, 1849). Kalevala, the
dwelling place of the poem’s chief characters, is a poetic name for Finland, meaning “land of heroes.” The leader of the “sons of Kaleva” is the old
and wise Väinämöinen, a powerful seer with supernatural
origins, who is a master of the kantele, the Finnish harplike stringed instrument. Other characters include the
skilled smith Ilmarinen, one of those who forged the “lids
of heaven” when the world was created; Lemminkäinen, the carefree adventurer-warrior and charmer of women; Louhi, the female ruler of Pohjola, a powerful land in the north; and the tragic hero Kullervo, who is
forced by fate to be a slave from childhood. Among the main dramas of the poem
are the creation of the world and the adventurous journeys of Väinämöinen,
Ilmarinen, and Lemminkäinen to Pohjola to woo the beautiful daughter of Louhi,
during which the miraculous sampo, a
mill that produces salt, meal, and gold and is a talisman of happiness and
prosperity, is forged and recovered for the people of Kalevala. Although
the Kalevala depicts the conditions and ideas of the
pre-Christian period, the last canto seems to predict the decline of paganism:
the maid Marjatta gives birth to a son who is baptized king of Karelia, and the pagan Väinämöinen makes way for him, departing from Finland
without his kantele and songs.” – Wikipedia. I have not completely read this
book. The Kalevala not only influenced Tolkien’s work, it’s also the basis for
one of Kameron’s and my favorite MST3K’s, “The Day the Earth Froze.” So there’s
that. Magoun’s translation is described as ‘prose’ in that, while it is still
in lines and stanzas, it does not try to keep the alliterative or stressed beat
of the original ‘runot’; this form can be seen in Longfellow’s “Hiawatha’,
which was influenced by the epic poem.
Ranking: Essential.
File Code: Epic Poem. Translation. Softcover.
Heimskringla, or The Lives of the Norse Kings, by Snorre
Sturlason. Edited with Notes by Erling Monsen. And translated into English with
the assistance of A. H. Smith.
“With 145 Illustrations and 5 Maps”. “It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson … Heimskringla is a
collection of sagas about Swedish and
Norwegian kings, beginning with the saga of the
legendary Swedish dynasty of the Ynglings, followed by accounts of historical
Norwegian rulers from Harald Fairhair of the 9th century up to the
death of the pretender Eystein Meyla in 1177.” – Wikipedia. All part
of my Northern Thing. That being said, I haven’t read it all, it being a big
thick brick of a book.
Ranking: Keeper.
File Code: Saga. Softcover.
The Animal Story Book, Edited by Andrew Lang. Illustrations
by H. J. Ford.
“The Animal Story Book, part of Andrew Lang’s original Fairy Book series, has been
admired time and time again, enchanting readers with its carefully crafted
prose and eclectic assortment of tales, featuring animals from land, sea, and
air, from the domesticated dog and parrot to the wild lion and dolphin.
Originally published in 1896, this collection of celebrated tales has stood the
test of time.” A Dover book.
Ranking: Keeper.
File Code: Animal Stories. Softcover.
English Fairy Tales, Collected by Joseph Jacobs. Illustrated
by John D. Batten.
“Joseph Jacobs (29 August 1854 – 30 January 1916)
was an Australian folklorist, translator, literary critic, social
scientist, historian and writer of English literature who became a notable
collector and publisher of English folklore … His work went on to popularize
some of the world's best known versions of English fairy tales including "Jack
and the Beanstalk",
"Goldilocks and the three bears", "The
Three Little Pigs",
"Jack
the Giant Killer"
and "The History
of Tom Thumb".
He published his English fairy tale collections: English Fairy Tales in
1890 and More English Fairy Tales in 1893 but also went
on after and in between both books to publish fairy tales collected from
continental Europe as well as Jewish, Celtic and Indian fairytales which made
him one of the most popular writers of fairytales for the English language.
During his lifetime, Jacobs came to be regarded as one of the foremost experts
on English folklore.” – Wikipedia. Got this copy at Yesterday’s Warehouse.
Ranking: Keeper.
File Code: Fairy Tales. Collection. Softcover.
The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes, Edited by Iona and
Peter Opie.
“Here is a brand new edition of the classic
anthology of nursery rhymes--over 500 rhymes, songs, nonsense jingles, and
lullabies traditionally handed down to young children. Included are all of your
favorites, ranging from "Yankee Doodle Came to Town" and "A Frog
He Would A-Wooing Go" to "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep," Jack and
Jill" and "Old Mother Hubbard." And complementing the rhymes are
nearly a hundred illustrations, including reproductions of early art found in
ballad sheets and music books, which highlight the development of children's
illustrations over the last two centuries. With each piece, Iona and Peter Opie
introduced a wealth of information, noting the earliest known publications of
the rhyme, describing how it originated, illustrating changes in wording over
time, and indicating variations and parallels in other languages. Moreover, in
the general introduction, the Opies discuss the different types of rhyme and
the earliest published collections, and they address such questions as who was
Mother Goose and whether or not individual rhymes originally portrayed real
people. For this second edition, the notes have been updated and extended in
light of recent scholarship, providing an unrivaled wealth of literary and
bibliographic information.” – Amazon.
Ranking: Essential.
File Code: Nursery Rhymes. Dictionary. Hardback.
Paracelsus: Selected Writings, by Phillipus Aureolus Theophrastus
Bombastus von Hohenheim. Edited by Jolande Jacobi. Translated by Norbert
Guterman.
Illustrated by many old woodcuts of alchemy and natural
philosophy. “The enigmatic sixteenth-century Swiss physician and natural
philosopher Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, called
Paracelsus, is known for the almost superhuman energy with which he produced
his innumerable writings, for his remarkable achievements in the development of
science, and for his reputation as a visionary (not to mention sorcerer) and
alchemist. Little is known of his biography beyond his legendary achievements,
and the details of his life have been filled in over the centuries by his admirers.
This richly illustrated anthology presents in modernized language a selection
of the moral thought of a man who was not only a self-willed genius charged
with the dynamism of an impetuous and turbulent age but also in many ways a
humble seeker after truth, who deeply influenced C. G. Jung and his followers.’
– Amazon. Paracelsus was always my favorite alchemist after I read about him in
middle school. For all his learning and philosophy, he seemed to be a typical
hard-headed Northern kind of fellow, argumentative and earthy. Bought this book
for research and reference, as it were. I’ve peeked into it but haven’t really
read it.
Ranking: Keeper.
File Code: Alchemy. Natural Philosophy. Softcover.
The Art of Memory, and Bruno Giordano and the Hermetic
Tradition, by Frances A. Yates.
Dame Frances’ work was a huge influence on John Crowley; the
Art of Memory plays a key role in ‘Little, Big’, and the character of Bruno
Giordano in the Aegypt Cycle. She even appears as a character in ‘Endless
Things’. I bought these books out of the interest aroused by Crowley. “The
ancient Greeks, to whom a trained memory was of vital importance—as it was to
everyone before the invention of printing—created an elaborate memory system,
based on a technique of impressing "places" and "images" on
the mind. Inherited and recorded by the Romans, this art of memory passed into
the European tradition, to be revived, in occult form, at the Renaissance, and
particularly by the strange and remarkable genius, Giordano Bruno. Such is the
main theme of Frances Yates's unique and distinctive book, in the course of
which she sheds light on such diverse subjects as Dante's Divine Comedy,
the form of the Shakespearian theater, and the history of ancient architecture.
Aside from its intrinsic fascination, this book is an invaluable contribution
to aesthetics and psychology, and to the history of philosophy, of science, and
of literature.” – Amazon. ‘Memory’ has a fold out diagram; both are illustrated
with woodcuts and half-tone reproductions of art. These are densely scholarly
works into which I have only dipped a toe; I suppose I really am a dilettante
and not a real academic.
Ranking: Essential, yet only Keepers.
File Code: Medieval Philosophy. Softcovers.
The White Goddess, by Robert Graves.
“The White Goddess: a Historical Grammar of Poetic Myth is
a book-length essay on the nature of poetic myth-making by author and
poet Robert
Graves. The White
Goddess represents an approach to the study of mythology from a decidedly CREATIVE and IDIOSYNCRATIC
perspective. Graves proposes the existence of a European deity, the "White Goddess of Birth, Love and Death",
much similar to the Mother Goddess, inspired and represented by the
phases of the moon, who lies behind the faces of the
diverse goddesses of various European and pagan mythologies … Graves argues that "true" or
"pure" poetry is inextricably linked with the ancient cult-ritual of
his proposed White Goddess and of her son … The White Goddess has
been seen as a poetic work where Graves gives his notion of man's subjection to
women in love an "anthropological grandeur" and further mythologises
all women in general (and several of Graves's lovers in specific) into a
three-faced moon goddess model. Graves's value as a poet aside, flaws in
his scholarship such as poor philology, use of inadequate texts and
outdated archaeology have been criticised. Some scholars, particularly
archaeologists, historians and folklorists have rejected the work –
which T. S. Eliot called "A prodigious,
monstrous, stupefying, indescribable book" – and Graves himself was
disappointed that his work was "loudly ignored" by many Celtic
scholars.” Had to have it for insights into the ideas behind some of his
novels.
Ranking: Keeper.
File Code: Literary Theory. Crackpot. Softcover.
Magi: The Quest for a Secret Tradition, by Adrian G. Gilbert.
Illustrated by maps, star charts, and color photo inserts. I
have always been interested by the Magi as somewhat enigmatic figures, and here
they are examined by ‘reconstructive anthropological archaeology’. Not
completely convinced by his conclusions, but his research, gathering of data,
and theories are interesting.
Ranking: Keeper.
File Code: Anthropology. Theory. Softcover.
The Hermetic Museum: Alchemy and Mysticism, by Alexander
Roob.
A Taschen art book, and as such is a vast chunky image file
with a dash of writing. Pictures such as these fascinated me as I found them
sprinkled through history books and mythological ‘digests’ through school. Here
they are gathered in one place, many in brilliant color. Enigmatic images and
ancient diagrams, hinting at lost systems of esoteric knowledge.
Ranking: Keeper.
File Code: Art. Mysticism. Softcover.
Christmas Curiosities, by John Grossman.
“Odd, Dark, and Forgotten Christmas” images and graphics. “Christmas
Curiosities is just that; peculiar imagery from the time between St.
Nicholas falling out of favor in the Protestant world and the now familiar
image of Santa Claus becoming defined; also limited by the time that color
printing becomes more widespread and
inexpensive. Kristkindls, Krampuses,
and Wienachtsmen compete with Santa Claus and St. Nicholas for the
job of gift giver. I find the images of Mrs. Claus and Santa at the Creche are
a lot older than I thought.” – Power of Babel.
Ranking: Essential.
File Code: Christmas. Art. Hardback.
A Dictionary of Chivalry, by Grant Uden. Illustrated by
Pauline Baynes.
There was a copy of this in the Seguin public library that I
wanted to borrow for years to browse in, but was unable to; it was in
Reference, and could not be checked out. When I realized years later that it
was illustrated by Pauline Baynes, my desire for this book only increased. I
finally ordered this ex-library copy just recently; it too was marked for
reference and “Not to be taken from this room”. Which is a shame, for it is
basically what I would call a browser first and technical reference second, and
so was isolated from its proper audience for years. Profusely illustrated in
color and line drawings.
Ranking: Essential.
File Code: Dictionary. Chivalry. Hardback.
The Druids, by Stuart Piggott.
An edition of this book was in the high school library. I
read it because I was fascinated with the Druids through much of my reading,
especially Arthurian stories like “The Crystal Cave”. A scholarly look from
archaeological and traditional accounts, with a record of their influence on
popular imagination and ‘recreations’ of ancient religion. Profusely illustrated.
Ranking: Essential.
File Code: History. Anthropology. Softcover.
The Works of Francois Rabelais, Translated by Sir Thomas
Urquhart and Pierre Motteux. Illustrated by Frank. C. Pape.
Having been rather intrigued by accounts of Rabelais and
already a fan of Pape from his illustrations of Cabell, I was extremely happy
to find this book on a high shelf in Yesterday’s Warehouse. It is a little
brittle and mildew-stained; no longer a reading copy, I fear. I have another
Rabelais in softcover for that. Though Rabelais had a reputation as being
rather risqué (which accounts for this edition), nowadays he wouldn’t flutter a
pulse. He is rather ‘earthy’ and scatalogical, but most of his writing is
scholarly and satirical. The style of Urquhart’s [pronounced ‘Irkit’]
translation has influenced other writers, most notably Charles Kingsley and
Robert Nye. Pape’s pictures are superb, with a certain kind of genius. [Since the binding is a rather plain lemon-yellow, I show a couple of the illustrations.]
Ranking: Essential.
File Code: Classic. Satire. Hardback.
Saint George and the Dragon, by Edmund Spenser. Adapted by
Sandol Stoddard Warburg. Illustrations by Pauline Baynes.
Found and read it in college. Preserved it in my memory with
numerous Xeroxed images. Bought this copy many years later off the internet. More of
Baynes’ medieval-style genius; the main reason I bought it. Let not this short
entry be taken as an indication of its size in my affections.
Ranking: Essential.
File Code: Poetry. English. Hardback. Adaptation.
Shahnameh: The Persian Book of Kings, by Aboi Qasi Ferdowsi.
A new translation by Dick Davis.
A big thick brick of a Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition, got
for a good price from Hamilton Books. “Wherever Persian influence has spread,
the stories of the Shahnameh become deeply embedded in the
culture … Among the greatest works of world literature, this prodigious
narrative, composed by the poet Ferdowsi in the late tenth century, tells the
story of pre-Islamic Iran, beginning in the mythic time of creation and
continuing forward to the Arab invasion in the seventh century. The sweep and
psychological depth of the Shahnameh is nothing less than
magnificent as it recounts classic tales like the tragedy of Rostam and Sohrab.”
– From the Cover. Of interest to me for
its myths and influence on several writer (like Matthew Arnold, and through
him, C. S. Lewis). Also, Ferdowsi would be an excellent name for a cat.
Ranking: Keeper.
File Code: Persia. National Legend. Softcover.
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, by Rudolf Erich Raspe.
Illustrated by Gustave Dore.
This 1944 edition is from the Book League of America, famous
for its inexpensive, black-binding reprints of the classics (like the edition
in which I first read ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’). These famous stories,
once read all over the world, went into an eclipse after Germany’s use of them
in propaganda in WWII. Revived a bit with Terry Gilliam’s ‘flawed’ masterpiece
movie adaptation.
Ranking: Essential.
File Code: Classic. Tall Tale. Hardback.
Le Morte D’Arthur, by Sir Thomas Malory. Edited by John
Matthews. Illustrated by Anna-Marie Ferguson.
“Complete, Unabridged, New Illustrated Edition”. One of the
foundational works in the Arthurian legendarium, this book replaced a little
paperback that I had. Could almost be a twin for the Alan Lee edition of “The
Lord of the Rings” in size and design. Malory influenced White, Steinbeck,
Lewis, and a host of other writers.
Ranking: Essential.
File Code: The Matter of Britain. Legends. Hardback.
Shakespeare: The Complete Works, Edited by G. B. Harrison.
The textbook for my Shakespeare class under the great Dr.
Robert W. Walts, it has the fully annotated plays and sonnets, and allied documents
about the playwright. My preferred copy to read the plays in. Has my name in
it. A souvenir of my highest attainment in English learning.
Ranking: Essential.
File Code: Shakespeare. Plays and Poetry. Hardback.
An Incomplete Education, by Judy Jones and William Wilson.
1987 Edition. Initially bought as a present for Mike, it
later came back to me. This happens quite often to me: I give books I think
both I and the other person would enjoy, and later I get them back. A
compendium of facts about art, history, philosophy, science, and so on, potted
into short snappy articles that help fill in gaps of one’s education and, if
necessary, fake it. Illustrated. A good browser, it has been updated since.
Ranking: Keeper.
File Code: Compendium of Civilization. Cheat Notes. Hardback.
