Of all of the rich fairy-tale collections that exist in countries throughout the world few are
better known than those gathered almost two centuries ago by a pair of German brothers-Jacob
and Wilhelm Grimm-in their Children's Stories and Household Tales first published in 1812.
Endlessly recast and reimagined in poetry and prose on the screen and onstage these stories
are forever etched in our imagination. Here in this bicentennial edition of The Annotated
Brothers Grimm Maria Tatar presents these timeless stories in a sumptuous and visually
powerful format that helps reshape our understanding of the Brothers Grimm. Drawing from the
final authoritative version in the mid-nineteenth century Tatar an internationally recognized
scholar in the field of folklore and children's literature has translated and provided
commentary for more than fifty Grimm stories judiciously selecting tales that resonate with
modern audiences and reveal the broad thematic range of the Grimm canon. Readers young and old
will encounter popular classics including Little Red Riding Hood Cinderella Snow White and
Rapunzel while discovering some of the lesser known yet equally captivating stories such as
Four Artful Brothers The Water of Life and The White Snake all new to this edition. Perhaps
most noteworthy is Tatar's decision to include tales excised from later editions including a
number of adult stories that were removed once the Grimms realized that parents were reading
the stories to children. Tatar's own translations are accompanied by insightful annotations
that search for origins uncover cultural complexities and explore psychological effects.
Nearly two hundred images of exquisite beauty many of them new to this edition-by artists such
as George Cruikshank Gustave Doré Kay Nielsen and Arthur Rackham-are reproduced alongside
the stories. With a brilliant introductory essay by A. S. Byatt along with the Grimms'
original prefaces to their editions a collection of reminiscences about The Magic of Fairy
Tales and essays on the lives of the Brothers Grimm and the cultural impact of their tales
The Annotated Brothers Grimm captures the magical appeal of the tales while also unlocking
their potent mysteries. In the tradition of Bruno Bettelheim's The Uses of Enchantment this
volume shows how the Grimms' fairy tales animate our imaginations and remain with us long after
we have put them aside. The Bicentennial Edition of The Annotated Brothers Grimm offers a
treasury of cultural lore and wisdom that has been passed on from one generation to the next.
