Review by Choice Review
Haase (Wayne State) is a specialist in the German Romantic literary fairy tale. This book consists of his introduction, 12 essays by scholars (of whom the best known are Bottigheimer, Tatar, and Zipes, each the author of one or more recent books on the Grimms' tales), and contributions, of the what-Grimm-has-meant-to me variety, by three creative writers and an illustrator. The contents vary widely in intelligence and readability. Haase's own essay, which argues for the interpretive multivalence of the tales, will be the most interesting for many readers. Bottigheimer supplies sales figures to support her contention that the tales did not become popular in Germany immediately upon publication. Nietzsche enthusiasts might, with sufficient application, discover from Perkins's essay whether the "ubermensch approved of fairy tales. Two essays by German contributors, S. Neumann and I. K"ohler-Z"ulch, are clumsily translated, and editing is not always expert. A lengthy index and copious bibliographies help make this volume a worthwhile purchase for research libraries, but limited-budget libraries can safely pass it by. Graduate; faculty. M. Ury; University of California, Davis
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
