1892 Nathaniel Hawthorne and Walter Crane "Wonder Book For Girls & Boys"

Description: 1892 Nathaniel Hawthorne and Walter Crane "Wonder Book For Girls & Boys" Antiquarian Nathaniel Hawthorne's Meta-Fiction "Wonder Book For Girls & Boys" 1892, With Walter Crane's Fabulous Full Color Illustrations. Original 1892 Houghton Mifflin Co. imprint. With this book Hawthorne wrote a very early example of what has become known as a "meta-fiction" wherein a story is told within a story (and often again, within another story) with references back and forth at all levels of the story (including its reader's presence and interpretation) all in a seamless narrative in such a way that the whole confabulation becomes both confounding and enlightening at the same time. Of course Hawthorne had written some children's books earlier, but this one was of a different cloth entirely. Fulfilling a long held idea to modernize the great Greek myths by giving them a Gothic text and a modern moral he was able to awaken these complex stories for a whole new generation of readers, young and old. The telling of these myths is a fantastic gripping read that keeps folding in on itself through the wry and sly wiles of the "ultimate narrator" who moves things smoothly along. But, even better (if possible) are the incredible Walter Crane full color illustrations which provide the reader a foothold into the distant past from which these tales originate. Crane had discovered and studied the Elgin Marbles early in his career and was forever influenced by the great oeuvre of Greek sculpture, and the prints in this book certainly are among his finest examples of that force. The stories told and illustrated include the following classics: "The Gorgon's Head" - recounts the story of Perseus killing Medusa at the request of the king of the island, Polydectes. "The Golden Touch" - recounts the story of King Midas and his "Golden Touch". "The Paradise of Children" - recounts the story of Pandora opening the box filled with all of mankind's Troubles. "The Three Golden Apples" - recounts the story of Heracles procuring the Three Golden Apples from the Hesperides' orchard, with the help of Atlas. "The Miraculous Pitcher" - recounts the story of Baucis and Philemon providing food and shelter to two strangers who were Zeus and "Quicksilver" (Hermes) in disguise. "The Chimæra" - recounts the story of Bellerophon taming Pegasus and killing the Chimæra. Simply amazing work all around. This book is in good condition and is very readable. However, the biding is a bit loose, the interior pages are faded (though the illustrations are very clean and vibrant), there are rare stray marks and stains, and the hardbound covers show considerable shelf wear. Non-smoking home, there are no odors.Hawthorne's "Wonder Book For Girls & Boys" Portland Pandemoniumers Love to ReadAnd the Quirkier, the Better Mostly what you will find in our Book Nook Section are some of the Odd-Ball things that got published, regardless of their Quirkiness. Among these goodies you will usually find old family Bibles, High School & College Yearbooks, Oddly Illustrated Impudent Children's Books, Quaint Humorists, Instruction Manuals, Text Books, Funky Magazines, Comics, Sheet Music, Diaries, Logs, Schoolbooks, Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, Cookbooks, Catalogs, and such.... Of course, one of the great things about books is that they can transport you to whole new worlds you have never dreamed of where elephants hurry to catch the train, fairies appear when most needed, spells are cast, white knights come to your rescue, your aunt is on the cover, cats wear hats, scissors talk, and one pill makes you smaller...... We aways have an eclectic selection that is constantly changing, but not too much of any one thing. So, pull your chair up, have a cuppa, and do a little browsing in our Book Nook Section: https://www.ebay.com/str/portlandpandemonium/Book-Nook/_i.html?store_cat=38704218017We Will Scratch Your Vintage Itch Listing and template services provided by inkFrog

Price: 72 USD

Location: Newberg, Oregon

End Time: 2024-12-08T06:28:19.000Z

Shipping Cost: 15 USD