Reviewer Lois C. Henderson: Lois is a freelance academic editor and back-of-book indexer, who spends most of her free time compiling word search puzzles for tourism and educative purposes. Her puzzles are available HERE and HERE Her Twitter account (@LoisCHenderson) mainly focusses on the toponymy of British place names. Please feel welcome to contact her with any feedback at LoisCourtenayHenderson@gmail.com.
Author: Zipes, Jack
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN-13: 978-0-691-15338-4
Follow Here To Purchase The Irresistible Fairy Tale: The Cultural and Social History of a Genre
Author: Zipes, Jack
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN-13: 978-0-691-15338-4
In Kenn Bannerman’s interview with Professor Jack Zipes, a professor emeritus of German and comparative literature at the University of Minnesota and the author, translator and editor of dozens of studies and collections of folk and fairy tales, the latter shared his attitude towards fairy tales, stating that “I think I am very knowledgeable about fairy tales. I think I have a deep interest in fairy tales and I may even be obsessed by them. I feel driven to uncover tales that few people know and to share this knowledge and pleasure with other readers.”
In his latest book, The Irresistible Fairy Tale: The Cultural and Social History of a Genre, Zipes asserts the oral origins of fairy tales, and, drawing from the fields of, among others, cognitive science, evolutionary theory, anthropology, psychology and literary theory, he sets about expanding on his own approach to the genre, as well as exploring new research by such renowned scholars as Michael Tomasello, Michael Trout and Kate Distin. How and why tales were told and came to form the basis of culture is explained in terms of his own undrstanding of the evolution of the genre. After exploring the French school of fairy tale writing that emerged in the late 17th century, Zipes focuses on Catherine Breillat’s reinterpretation of Perrault’s Bluebeard, followed by a discussion of tales about witches such as Baba Yaga. The focus on the female is continued in an unveiling of 19th century folk and fairy tales told, collected, and written by women, which leads into a discussion of the role played by great collectors of folk tales in the 19th century. Zipes then rounds out his latest research into the genre of fairy tales by showing how such tales have now crossed over into other forms of artwork, including drawings, paintings, sculptures and photographs.
In showing how and why fairy tales have become a core part of our central being, Zipes reveals his extensive scholarship in the field, as well as his skill in expounding profoundly about his key interests and concerns relating to the fairy tale genre. This scholarly masterpiece, which has emerged from decades of thought on the subject, deserves a place in all literary collections, as well as consideration by all those concerned with this particular genre.
