Recommendations from our site
“It’s an incredibly entertaining collection full of really magical stories. There are the famous stories, like an early version of ‘Rapunzel’ and ‘Cenerentola,’ which is the original ‘Cinderella.’ In his version, Cinderella kills her stepmother: she slams the lid of a trunk on her head to snap her neck…you can see why maybe that version hasn’t become the standard, conventional one—but I think it’s actually the best version of the story I’ve read. Cinderella is much more self-determining than in other versions…Basile was writing in Naples when it was under Spanish occupation. He was writing in Neapolitan, fighting against the occupation. So he has figures of authority constantly being lampooned: they’re either stupid, or corrupt, or under some kind of sorcery.” Read more...
The best books on Fairy Tale Tellers
Nicholas Jubber, Travel Writer
