Among the few indispensable, common-property books upon which Western culture can be founded . . . It will be a mistake if this volume is merely bought for a child; it should be, first and foremost, an educational must for adults.
W. H. Auden,
The New York Times Here it is, clear and fine and solid, beautifully and passionately illustrated, this one book other than the Bible that has truly made Western man.
P. L. Travers,
The New Republic Everyone should possess and know Grimm s Fairy Tales one of the great books of the world and no English-speaking person could do better than this edition.
Richard Adams,
The New York Times Book Review [A] splendid edition, admirably illustrated.
Edmund Wilson,
The New Yorker"
-Among the few indispensable, common-property books upon which Western culture can be founded . . . It will be a mistake if this volume is merely bought for a child; it should be, first and foremost, an educational 'must' for adults.-
-W. H. Auden,
The New York Times -Here it is, clear and fine and solid, beautifully and passionately illustrated, this one book-other than the Bible-that has truly made Western man.-
-P. L. Travers,
The New Republic -Everyone should possess and know Grimm's Fairy Tales-one of the great books of the world-and no English-speaking person could do better than this edition.-
-Richard Adams,
The New York Times Book Review -[A] splendid edition, admirably illustrated.-
-Edmund Wilson,
The New Yorker"Among the few indispensable, common-property books upon which Western culture can be founded . . . It will be a mistake if this volume is merely bought for a child; it should be, first and foremost, an educational 'must' for adults."
--W. H. Auden, The New York Times "Here it is, clear and fine and solid, beautifully and passionately illustrated, this one book--other than the Bible--that has truly made Western man."
--P. L. Travers, The New Republic "Everyone should possess and know
Grimm's Fairy Tales--one of the great books of the world--and no English-speaking person could do better than this edition."
--Richard Adams, The New York Times Book Review "[A] splendid edition, admirably illustrated."
--Edmund Wilson, The New Yorker
The Brothers Grimm, Jacob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859), were born in Hanau, near Frankfurt, in the German state of Hesse. Throughout their lives they remained close friends, and both studied law at Marburg University. Jacob was a pioneer in the study of German philology, and although Wilhelm’s work was hampered by poor health the brothers collaborated in the creation of a German dictionary, not completed until a century after their deaths. But they were best (and universally) known for the collection of over two hundred folk tales they made from oral sources and published in two volumes of ‘Nursery and Household Tales’ in 1812 and 1814. Although their intention was to preserve such material as part of German cultural and literary history, and their collection was first published with scholarly notes and no illustration, the tales soon came into the possession of young readers. This was in part due to Edgar Taylor, who made the first English translation in 1823, selecting about fifty stories ‘with the amusement of some young friends principally in view.’ They have been an essential ingredient of children’s reading ever since.