Giveaway Update: Tune in Tomorrow

Tomorrow is my birthday. I have also been running a giveaway contest machine on SurLaLune which has languished while I have been distracted by other SurLaLune matters.

So tomorrow I am going to catch up. I will give away several books and goodies to celebrate my birthday. I will announce winners tomorrow night and contact them requesting mailing addresses. Then I can make one big trip to the post office to mail stuff later next week once I have your mailing addresses.

So Happy Birthday! Happy Mother's Day! Happy weekend!

The Story of Blue Beard: A Student's Ballad

I included several poems in Bluebeard Tales From Around the World and one of the little surprises I found during my hunt was the following. Here it is excerpted from the book.

The Story of Blue Beard: A Student's Ballad

The following is a ballad written by an eighth grade student, a girl who participated in poetry classes conducted and written about by Nell Warden for an educational magazine, The American Schoolmaster, circa 1915. The piece was too charming to leave out of this anthology. It also demonstrates how Bluebeard was better known by children in the nineteenth century and beginning of the twentieth. Read the teacher’s notes at the end of the poem for more information.

NOW listen, friends, and I will tell

A tale of long ago,

Of Blue Beard with his bright blue hair,

And bright blue beard, you know.

A very wealthy man was he,

With chests of glittering gold,

And piles and piles of precious stones,

And piles of silver, cold.

But all his wealth did please him not,

For he did want a wife,

Said he, “Who’er will be my bride,

Shall labor not in life.

And she shall have my precious stones,

And all my silver, too;”

But none would wed this frightful man.

This man with beard of blue.

Now near Blue Beard a widow lived,

With two sweet daughters fair,

And Blue Beard wished to marry one,

For Fatima he did care.

“Oh come, sweet maiden, be my bride,

And you shall wealthy be,

Your mother and your sister bring,

And all may dwell with me.”

“I will,” she said, “I’ll marry you,

Tomorrow we will wed.”

For much she loved his wealth, you know;

And jewels for her head.

The next day was the wedding day,

A bright warm day was it,

Fatima, happy as could be,

On a jeweled chair did sit.

And they were married on that night,

A happy pair were they;

A feast was held to honor them,

And finish up the day.

But soon Blue Beard must go away,

A long, long trip to make;

But ere he went he said to her,

“My keys I will not take.

I’ll leave them all with you, my dear,

And you may try each door

But one, that this small key does fit,

I’ve ne’er told you of it before.”

And then Blue Beard took leave of her

And back to her friends she went;

But soon she quietly slipped away,—

To open that door she meant.

She turned the key and then the knob,

And peeped into the room.

She saw dead wives, their heads cut off!

And murder had been their doom!

She screamed and the key fell on the floor,

A bloody stain was left;

She locked the door and ran away,

And scoured with fingers deft.

The stain Blue Beard must not see there,

For she had promised true

To never use that one small key.

What would, what would she do!

She scoured and scrubbed; the stain came off,

But just to come again,

She used all kinds of scouring soaps;

Her scrubbing was in vain.

She went to the window and did look out,

And who did she happen to see?

Why, Blue Beard coming up the walk,

No other could it be!

She put the key in her pocket at once,

And went down to see Blue Beard.

Pretending not to know where ‘twas,

Though he’d find out she feared.

“Where are my keys?” he asked of her,

“Right here, my dear, are they.”

He looked at her. “They’re not all here;

Where’s the little one, I say?”

“Indeed, is not it there also?”

“You know it’s not,” he said,

“Give it to me at once, at once!

And now you’ll lose your head!”

And then she wept and begged for her life,

But all she said was vain;

“O, give to me one moment short,

In which to pray again.”

He granted this and nothing more,

Her life he would not spare;

His heart was still unmoved and hard,

And so she climbed the stair.

Her sister Anne went with her, too.

Fatima did not pray,

But only waited in suspense,

For her brothers to come that day.

“Sister Anne! Sister Anne! Do my brothers come?”

She asked in an anxious tone;

“I see them not,” said her sister Anne,

Fatima gave a groan.

“Do you see them yet?” she cried again,

“O sister, sister Anne.”

“I see nothing but a cloud of dust,”

Then to cry, Fatima began.

Then Blue Beard angry at his wife,

For staying there so long,—

“Will you come down, oh wretched maid?”

He cried in a voice so strong.

Fatima, frightened, answered back,

“O wait one moment more,”

“If you don’t come down, I’ll come up there,”

Did angry Blue Beard roar.

“Sister Anne, are my brothers coming?”

“O yes!” said her sister then,

And heavily tramped old Blue Beard, too,

A-coming to their den.

He opened the door and did walk in,

And then he drew his knife.

He grasped her beautiful golden hair,—

He meant to take her life.

When in there rushed her brothers three,

And grabbed old Blue Beard’s hand;

They slew him with his own sharp knife,

No longer did he stand.

Fatima, her brothers, and sister Anne,

Did every one rejoice.

“O, now we are rich,” they all did cry,

In a very happy voice.

NOTES

In this class the pupils studied the differences, in form and subject matter, between poetry and prose. The three great classes of poetic writing, narrative, lyric, and dramatic, were considered. The class decided that they would take as verse to imitate the simplest form of narrative poetry, the ballad. Some study of ballads resulted in the writing of the old folk stories—“Blue Beard” and “The Sleeping Beauty” in ballad form. Then followed a ballad written from a story of the early days of their own community. The last work of this class was the writing in prose of a simple story, having in it love, adventure, and a tragic ending, and turning this into a ballad. Not all of these ballads were good, and some of them were very, very funny; but each pupil gained much by the attempt at ballad making. “The Story of Blue Beard” was written by a girl in division B of the eighth grade.

Source:

Warden, Nell. “Versification in the Elementary School.” The American Schoolmaster: Published by the Michigan State Normal College. Vol. VIII, No. 6 (June 1915). pp. 241-253.

Tales Similar to Bluebeard

In support of the release of Bluebeard Tales From Around the World I have updated the Tales Similar to Bluebeard page on the SurLaLune main site. The page now includes tales from three ATU tale types: 311, 312 and 955, all of which are usually considered in Bluebeard discussions and also appear in the book. I have some more titles to add to the page from my notes, but the list has almost quadrupled in length and includes bibliographical information for the tales from multiple sources (not just for my book). The book has 88 tales in it, some different publications of the same tale. For example, Perrault's Bluebeard and Mr. Fox from England are represented more than once.

When I work on projects like this, I keep considering a database which I have the means to produce but not really the funds. (The hubby and his cronies are the resource I need to make the technical stuff happen, but there would still be moderate expense involved.) Wouldn't a searchable database with possible full text options be lovely though?

Next week I plan to spend several days discussing the material available in the book and why it was included so stay tuned! Do you have any questions about Bluebeard? Does the tale interest you? And why? I'd love to hear more from you.

Now Available: Bluebeard Tales From Around the World

Bluebeard Tales From Around the World is now available for ordering through Amazon. It should start populating in other bookstores over the next several weeks.

Here is the description:

The tale of Bluebeard with its many variants has a rich folkloric and literary history. It has often been retold and reinterpreted in modern times in novels, poetry, plays, movies and more. Once upon a time the character was better known and offered a larger cultural touchstone for the general population. Today he is best known only in literary circles. Consequently, the history of the tale as seen through its tales and other interpretations is fascinating.

Offering over ninety tales and ballads, this collection compiles several variants of Bluebeard tales from around the world. Many of the tales are new translations, some appearing for the first time in English. Usually the stories are obviously related to each other and at other times the relationship is more tenuous. While tales from Europe dominate the collection, other parts of the world--including Africa, India, and North America--are well represented.

Additionally, several plays and operas, as well as short fictions and poetry, all primarily from the nineteenth century, are offered here. The commercial value and diverse interpretations of this complex tale provide insight into our cultural past, present, and perhaps our future.

Whether you are a student of folklore or an armchair enthusiast, this anthology offers a diverse array of tales with a unifying theme that both entertains and educates, all gathered for the first time in one helpful collection.

Exploring Tatterhood: Issue One of Demeter’s Spicebox

Issue One of Demeter’s Spicebox was published in April and it focuses on a lesser known fairy tale, Tatterhood, ATU 711. This is all part of the wonderful work taking place at Cabinet des Fées online. There's so much going on, I haven't kept up, but I am impressed whenever I remember to stop by. You should soon, like now!

Here's a little bit more about it:

For the inaugural issue of Demeter’s Spicebox, we wanted to revisit a tale that stands poised in between the active or passive heroine. Tatterhood, or the Aarne-Thompson folktale type 711, is a tale about both motherhood and what it means to be either the beautiful or ugly twin. The original folktale, as collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe, was a favourite of mine as a teenager. How could it not be? It was a tale that was refreshing in that the active and not attractive heroine prevails, but it also captures that insecurity that lies at the heart of every person who has felt marginalised, Othered or has been considered unattractive.

While Hans Christian Anderson’s Ugly Duckling and some other stories which speak of that transformation between ugliness and beauty espouse waiting, self-discovery, and to a certain extent, passivity, the heroine of Tatterhood seems to know a secret, and is active in furthering not just her destiny, but that of her loved ones. This is not just an empowering message in a folktale; it is a delectably subversive one, as well. So, would writers be able to subvert this even further? It appears as if they could, and would.

Both Shveta Thakrar and Mari Ness have given us beautiful versions of Aarne-Thompson type 711, presented with a twist. These are tales that will stir your imagination and evoke emotional reactions. Mari Ness’s lyrical and moving Sister and Bones takes us to the Far East in a story of sisterhood, loss and triumph. Shveta Thakrar’s Lavanya and Deepika brings us back in time to Ancient India, in a story which is lush and lyrical, with imagery that transports. Both tales share a harmony in thematic concerns, and both writers have woven in different fairytales within the Aarne-Thompson type 711 tale they reworked. They have defied our expectations of both activity and passivity by writing stories which are a powerful testimony not just to wonder and magic, but to the strength of human relationships and filial ties. Both writers are therefore exactly what the inaugural issue of Demeter’s Spicebox needed and we are delighted to feature them.

Critical and Creative Perspectives on Fairy Tales: An Intertextual Dialogue Between Fairy-Tale Scholarship and Postmodern Retellings

Critical and Creative Perspectives on Fairy Tales: An Intertextual Dialogue Between Fairy-Tale Scholarship and Postmodern Retellings by Vanessa Joosen is the latest release in the Fairy Tales Studies Series from Wayne State University Press. This is a great series and one of the best features--besides the wonderful content--is that the books are price affordably for the more casual/avid scholar and not just for the university library. $30 instead of $150 makes it much easier to acquire one of these books for yourself. (That said, I received a review copy of this one in the interest of full disclosure. I buy plenty of other titles though!)

Here's the official description:

In Critical and Creative Perspectives on Fairy Tales: An Intertextual Dialogue between Fairy-Tale Scholarship and Postmodern Retellings Vanessa Joosen broadens the traditional concept of intertextuality to include academic texts. With three key texts from the 1970s at the center of her discussion—Marcia K. Lieberman’s “Some Day My Prince Will Come,” Bruno Bettelheim’s The Uses of Enchantment, and Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar’s The Madwoman in the Attic—Joosen connects the critical views expressed in these feminist and psychoanalytic interpretations with fictional fairy-tale retellings and illustrations that have been published in Dutch, English, and German since the 1970s.

While readers may not automatically connect fairy-tale retellings and criticism, Joosen argues that they represent a similar conviction to understand, interpret, criticize, and experiment with the original tale. Moving through her three critical focus texts in chronological order, Joosen addresses fairy-tale retellings in prose, poetry, and pictures, including revisions of “Snow White,“ “Cinderella,“ “Sleeping Beauty,“ “Hansel and Gretel,“ “Little Red Riding Hood,“ and “Beauty and the Beast.“ Authors and illustrators whose work is discussed include Paul Biegel, Anthony Browne, Gillian Cross, Emma Donoghue, Iring Fetscher, Adèle Geras, Otto Gmelin, Wim Hofman, Anne Provoost, Anne Sexton, Barbara Walker, and Jane Yolen.

Joosen argues that retellings and criticism participate in a continuous and dynamic dialogue about the traditional fairy tale, but on different terms. Critical and Creative Perspectives on Fairy Tales offers many insights into the workings of fiction and criticism that will appeal to fairy-tale scholars, literature scholars, and general readers interested in intertextuality and fairy tales.

And here are some blurbs:

“As Vanessa Joosen demonstrates, a renaissance of fairy-tale criticism and retellings that began in North America and Europe during the 1970s has flourished to the present. Her book is the first comprehensive study to focus on the major critical works, intertextual references, and scholarly debates that have invigorated the hybrid genre of fairy tale. Joosen succeeds in shedding new light on the overlap between fairy-tale re-creations and critical analyses without privileging one over the other.”

— Jack Zipes, professor emeritus of German and Comparative Literature at University of Minnesota and author of The Enchanted Screen: The Unknown History of the Fairy-Tale Film
“Vanessa Joosen brings an invigorating new approach to the field of fairy tales. Her innovative study of the relationship between the discourses of scholarship and fiction as an intertextual dialogue brings new insights to both. This engagingly written book will be an indispensable addition to library collections and an invaluable reference work for scholars, students, and all those interested in fairy tales and children’s literature.”

— Sandra L. Beckett, professor of French at Brock University, Ontario, Canada, and author of Red Riding Hood for All Ages: A Fairy-Tale Icon in Cross-Cultural Contexts (Wayne State University Press, 2008)

“Critical and Creative Perspectives on Fairy Tales is a perfect marriage of criticism and metacriticism—an approach that challenges conventional thinking. Joosen does not simply follow the best traditions of fairy-tale studies, she brings them to a new level of sophistication that stretches far beyond the domain of fairy tales as such and into the intricacies of literary and cultural theory. Beautifully written, captivating, and truly enjoyable for scholars and fairy-tale lovers equally, this book will be referred to for many years to come.”

— Maria Nikolajeva, professor of education at the University of Cambridge and author of
Power, Voice and Subjectivity in Literature for Young Readers

“Critical and Creative Perspectives on Fairy Tales provides an interesting and new angle on the interpretation of fairy tales, covers important topics and texts, and provides useful and balanced analyses.”

— Cristina Bacchilega, professor of English at the University of Hawai’i

I haven't had a chance to carefully read the full book yet, but it is definitely worth the time if the topic interests you. I am the most familiar with The Uses of Enchantment because I took a semester long course centered around it many moons ago. And while it is a problematic book as we all know, (or do you?) it has been important in the study and analysis of fairy tales, as well as in the traumatizing of many innocent students used to their Disney fairy tales. Consequently, this was the chapter I was most drawn to after the introduction. There are only four chapters in the 384 page book along with an introduction and conclusion. This one is the longest and in it Joosen discusses Bettelheim's work and it's influence on the fairy tale scholarship and fictional reinterpretations that have followed. Her writing is fascinating. It is balanced, too, when I expected it to be much more negative about Bettelheim at first. But it is not because it is more about Bettelheim's impact than his credentials or theories. It is so easy to throw Bettelheim out with the bathwater with the valid arguments against him, but he can't be. Joosen shows us why.

My only caveat for the casual reader is that this book is written in a much more academic style. The reading is not as casual or approachable as say that of Jack Zipes and Maria Tatar who appeal to a broader audience in their general book releases. There are many 25 cent words and phrases that are the norm in academia but not in everyday reading and living, unless you are said academic. I know sometimes it feels like one is reading a different language although it is obviously English. I play on the fringes of academia, playing ambassador between the two sides more than anything else, so I say this with an understanding that the text may frustrate some, but stick with it. There is real content there. And it isn't heavy handed, by any means, just not as easy to read if you are not familiar with all the terms since context is elusive if you don't know them.

Overall, very interesting and it doesn't require a close familiarity with the discussed texts. However, I am inspired to become reacquainted with them after this. I began studying fairy tales a few decades after these works made their impact and was educated into what they had wrought. These days I am more focused on earlier academia in the course of collecting early variants of tales, so it is well, fun, to read about the trends that impacted me at my beginning.

Madhurima Photoshoot

South side Madhurima beautiful photoshoot, 11 more images after the break...

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Kate Upton — Photoshoot

Kate Upton (born June 10, 1992 in St. Joseph, Michigan[3]) is an American model known for her appearance in the 2011 Sports Illustrated $wimsuit Issue, for which she was named "Rookie of the Year." 11 more images after the break...

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Top 10 Hardest Working Countries of the World

10. Slovenia

 Average Hours Worked: 8.15

Slovenia rounds out the top 10 in terms of average hours worked among the population of OECD member states, possibly as a result of the fact that Slovenians do three hours and 51 minutes of unpaid work each day, 24 minutes more than the OECD average. Slovenia also has the lowest income inequality in OECD and the ninth – lowest relative income poverty rate at 7.8 percent of its population. Slovenia registered a big fall in infant mortality in the last generation and has the second lowest rate in the OECD of 2.1 per 1,000 live births, just after Luxembourg. But the country is rated in the highest third of the OECD for perceived corruption and the lowest third for confidence in national institutions. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) released its ‘Society at a Glance’ survey, which investigated the number of hours the population of its member countries spent in both paid and unpaid work (defined as working at home or doing volunteer work), as well as how much time people spent in leisure activities. Lets take a look at which countries are among the world’s busiest and hardest-working nations? 09 more countries after the break...

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The 10 Most Stolen Cars in United States of America

10. 2009 Toyota Corolla

Trade-In Value*: $11,100
Original Price in 2009: $15,910
New  Car Value (2011): $17,400

The Toyota Corolla is one of the “best loved cars in America” according to Kelley Blue Book . It rates high on maintenance and resale value — and it gets decent gas mileage. The 2011 had just “minor cosmetic changes,” which means parts from prior year models can be used in the newer models, which makes the car very attractive to car thieves Roughly 800,000 to one million cars are stolen in America every single year. Many of the same models are on the list every year but it’s not just because they’re the most popular vehicles.

 It’s primarily because they have parts that don’t change much from year to year – and most cars are stolen for the parts, not to drive around, explained Geoff Keah, a special investigator for assurance . So, thieves who steal a 1994 model, for example, could sell the parts to use in models for 1995, 1996, etc. 09 more images after the break...

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Rite Picdump — 41 Pics

Ritemail Picdump, 39 more images after the break...

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Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente

Since I already featured her other new book, I shouldn't ignore this one. Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente was released in late March and slipped past my radar until now. (I really have been very, very busy with my own books!) This one is fascinating because Valente draws inspiration from multiple Russian fairy tales and folklore figures, including Baba Yaya, Maria Morevna and Koschei the Deathless. No, I haven't read it, but Russian folklore is a great resource and I look forward to when I read this one and see how Valente has played with the story.
Book description from the publisher:

Koschei the Deathless is to Russian folklore what devils or wicked witches are to European culture: a menacing, evil figure; the villain of countless stories which have been passed on through story and text for generations. But Koschei has never before been seen through the eyes of Catherynne Valente, whose modernized and transformed take on the legend brings the action to modern times, spanning many of the great developments of Russian history in the twentieth century.

Deathless, however, is no dry, historical tome: it lights up like fire as the young Marya Morevna transforms from a clever child of the revolution, to Koschei’s beautiful bride, to his eventual undoing. Along the way there are Stalinist house elves, magical quests, secrecy and bureaucracy, and games of lust and power. All told, Deathless is a collision of magical history and actual history, of revolution and mythology, of love and death, which will bring Russian myth back to life in a stunning new incarnation.

Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente (Kindle edition, too) is scheduled to be released next week, but it is already shipping. The reviews around the web are quite wonderful of the book edition which is wonderful. If you weren't aware, the book was the first online, crowdfunded book to win a major literary award before traditional publication. In other words, it was published online first. (Another reason I find the internet and publishing trends so fascinating these days!) There is still a free preview of the first two acts of three available on her website.

The book is popular with both online reviewers and most of the traditional journals--Booklist starred it, for example. The cover is gorgeous, too. What else do you need? Oh, a description and book trailer? Here you go:

Book description from the publisher:

Twelve-year-old September lives in Omaha, and used to have an ordinary life, until her father went to war and her mother went to work. One day, September is met at her kitchen window by a Green Wind (taking the form of a gentleman in a green jacket), who invites her on an adventure, implying that her help is needed in Fairyland. The new Marquess is unpredictable and fickle, and also not much older than September. Only September can retrieve a talisman the Marquess wants from the enchanted woods, and if she doesn’t . . . then the Marquess will make life impossible for the inhabitants of Fairyland. September is already making new friends, including a book-loving Wyvern and a mysterious boy named Saturday.

With exquisite illustrations by acclaimed artist Ana Juan, Fairyland lives up to the sensation it created when the author first posted it online. For readers of all ages who love the charm of Alice in Wonderland and the soul of The Golden Compass, here is a reading experience unto itself: unforgettable, and so very beautiful.

Here is a book trailer, too, another fascinating trend in publishing.

May is Bluebeard Month

Much of this month will be devoted to Bluebeard as my newest title--Bluebeard Tales From Around the World--becomes available. I have so much material and background to share but my brain is filled with the upcoming collections. The lag time between my book editing and publication time is very short compared to most authors so I have gained much sympathy with them in their own book promotions and interviews. Most likely they are already one or two projects ahead in their brains and looking back is much harder than it appears.

As trite as it sounds, your favorite project is always the one you are currently working on since you pretty much have to be in love with it to get the work accomplished. Yes, when they are all done, there will be favorites and Bluebeard will be one of mine as well as Sleeping Beauties: Sleeping Beauty and Snow White Tales From Around the World. I know Beauty and the Beast and Cinderella which I have been working on for a long time will also be among my personal favorites, but I am enjoying them all.

I started out this book with the intention to just collect some tales, translate some more, and publish a book similar in scope to Sleeping Beauties. I had been working on the Cinderella collection for several months and suffered a semi-serious illness* with a long term recovery over the winter which fried my brain even more. I was having problems concentrating after my body was abused and this blog managed to carry on but not much else in my folkloric side of life. Cinderella, understandably considering its scope, was overwhelming me so I set it aside to work on what seemed to be a more manageable project: Bluebeard. It was simpler than Cinderella in many ways, but also more complicated.

As I read and researched Bluebeard variants rather exhaustively, I finally began to feel like my brain had returned to its pre-illness fighting stance and fell in love with the project. I found 88 tales to share, 20 of which I translated, as well as ballads. I could have stopped there. That was plenty for a book, but my research took me in many directions and I realized just how pervasive Bluebeard was in past centuries, more than I had realized. These days the average person on the street thinks the character is a legendary pirate, not a serial killer from a fairy tale. I was told as much when I read references to him many years ago and asked the grown-ups for explanations. They didn't have them. It's rather stunning how much Bluebeard has disappeared actually.

One of the most influential genres for Bluebeard was the theatre. Countless plays, operas, operettas, burlesques, etc. were produced especially in the 19th century. Then there were the short stories, poems and picture books/penny books of the tale. I didn't touch the last but it was tempting. The others I had to include to some extent. So I carefully edited and formatted six plays for the collection. I will discuss those in more detail in a future entry, but they are fascinating.

And really a great thesis is just awaiting an interested scholar. There is a wealth of material to choose from when it comes to Bluebeard. I had to limit myself to 822 pages and squeezed much room out of the space. I will be sharing some of those other great sources this month, too.

*No, nothing too horrible, just a severe case of Salmonella poisoning of all things. Not enough to complain about, but it wasn't diagnosed immediately and resulted in weeks of fevers and even more months of messed up digestion and other issues. It was the worst illness with the worst recovery problems so far of my adult life. And I'll stop there since this blog really isn't about my health issues. There are reasons these outbreaks hit the news. They can be very serious, even if you aren't a young child or elderly.

Whatever Gets You through the Night by Andrei Codrescu

 

Whatever Gets You through the Night: A Story of Sheherezade and the Arabian Entertainments by Andrei Codrescu (Kindle edition) is a new book released this month by Princeton University Press.

All I have to share is the publisher's promotional material provided below. So there have been a lot of Arabian Nights materials released this past year. Should I devote a week to Arabian Nights? Anyone here interested in that? I haven't been able to see the BBC documentary since I am stateside but I have other materials to share.

Book description from the publisher:

"I fear each passing night that I will not receive my maintenance dose of suspense, and then I will cease to exist."--Whatever Gets You through the Night

Whatever Gets You through the Night is an irreverent and deeply funny retelling of the Arabian Nights and a wildly inspired exploration of the timeless art of storytelling. Award-winning writer Andrei Codrescu reimagines how Sheherezade saved Baghdad's virgins and her own life through a heroic feat of storytelling--one that kept the Persian king Sharyar hanging in agonizing narrative and erotic suspense for 1001 nights. For Sheherezade, the end of either suspense or curiosity means death, but Codrescu keeps both alive in this entertaining tale of how she learned to hold a king in thrall, setting with her endless invention an unsurpassable example for all storytellers across the ages. Liberated and mischievous, Codrescu's Sheherezade is as charming as she is shrewd--and so is the story Codrescu tells.

From the Inside Flap

"Like a supercomputer concealed inside an exotic, aphrodisiac fruit, Codrescu's retelling of this ancient bawdy wonderwork ends up by surprisingly calculating the future of our race."--Tom Robbins, author of Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
"This extraordinary rewriting of the Arabian Nights is a tour de force. Andrei Codrescu writes with verve, eloquence, and a fervent imagination."--Jack Zipes, adapter of the Signet Classics
Arabian Nights

"This is a masterpiece of storytelling that could find its place alongside the fairy-tale works of Angela Carter, Robert Coover, and Salman Rushdie. Andrei Codrescu gives readers a new and highly entertaining experience of Sheherazade and the Arabian Nights."--Donald Haase, editor of Marvels and Tales: Journal of Fairy-Tale Studies

"Andrei Codrescu's brilliant retelling of the Arabian Nights is of the same caliber as Borges's Ficciones. A pleasure to read, it has the lightness, strength, and sparkle of a spider's web."--Cristina Bacchilega, author of Postmodern Fairy Tales

Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil

So did anyone see Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil  this weekend? I didn't, but I was tempted. I finally saw Jane Eyre* the weekend before which was my movie attending limit for April. The reviews weren't great for it, but not horrible either. After all, it is what it is and this isn't one that would receive strong reviews unless it snuck in a lot of clever adult humor the way Shrek did.

Here's the trailer again. I have seen a few of the commercials on tv and have giggled at them so I hope the movie sustains some of the fun.



And if you interested, Hoodwinked is a fun one and a good price right now. If I have time, I will rewatch it before I eventually see the new one because I will.

Hoodwinked (Widescreen Edition)

*And, no, although it was visually wonderful, I didn't care for this new Jane Eyre. If you want a diatribe let me know in the comments, but it wasn't my Jane Eyre and came the closest to Bluebeard of any version on film, IMHO. And even as someone who is releasing a rather large book of Bluebeard tales, that wasn't what I wanted. I had to rewatch two other versions this week--Jane Eyre (Masterpiece Theatre, 2006) and  Jane Eyre (BBC)--to cleanse my soul.

Red Riding Hood on DVD

 

Red Riding Hood (DVD) and Red Riding Hood [Blu-ray] is now available for preorder with a June 14th release date.

And while we are here, Beastly (DVD) and Beastly [Blu-ray] is also slated for for a June 28th release date. So if you didn't see them in the theatre but still want to see them, the opportunity is fast approaching.

The prices will go down on Amazon, especially on RRH, but preordering guarantees you will get the lowest price posted between now and then. I get little rebates all the time on my preorders.

So for those of you who have perhaps seen both, which one did you prefer?