Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley door pickup 10am - 7pm 3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
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  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
The Island of Happiness: Tales of Madame d'Aulnoy

The Island of Happiness: Tales of Madame d'Aulnoy

Frank, Natalie
Zipes, Jack
Frank, Natalie

Hardcover

General Fiction

Currently unavailable to order

ISBN10: 0691180245
ISBN13: 9780691180243
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Published: May 18 2021
Pages: 240
Weight: 2.35
Height: 0.90 Width: 8.10 Depth: 10.40
Language: English

An enchanting selection of Madame d'Aulnoy's seventeenth-century French fairy tales, interpreted by contemporary visual artist Natalie Frank

Marie-Catherine Le Jumel de Barneville (1650-1705), also known as Madame d'Aulnoy, was a pioneer of the French literary fairy tale. Though d'Aulnoy's work now rarely appears outside of anthologies, her books were notably popular during her lifetime, and she was in fact the author who coined the term fairy tales (contes des fées). Presenting eight of d'Aulnoy's magical stories, The Island of Happiness juxtaposes poetic English translations with a wealth of original, contemporary drawings by Natalie Frank, one of today's most outstanding visual artists. In this beautiful volume, classic narratives are interpreted and made anew through Frank's feminist and surreal images.

This feast of words and visuals presents worlds where women exercise their independence and push against rigid social rules. Fidelity and sincerity are valued over jealousy and greed, though not everything ends seamlessly. Selected tales include Belle-Belle, where an incompetent king has his kingdom restored to him through an androgynous heroine's constancy. In The Green Serpent, a heroine falls in love with the eponymous snake, is punished by a wicked fairy, and endures trials to prove her worthiness. And in The White Cat, a young prince is dazzled by the astonishing powers of a feline. Jack Zipes's informative introduction offers historical context, and Natalie Frank's opening essay delves into her aesthetic approaches to d'Aulnoy's characters.

An inspired integration of art and text, The Island of Happiness is filled with seductive stories of transformation and enchantment.

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