Irish Fairy Tales - Illustrated by Arthur Rackham

By James Stephens

Pook Press celebrates the great Golden Age of Illustration in children's literature. Many of the earliest children's books, particularly those dating back to the 1850s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Pook Press are working to republish these classic works in affordable, high quality, colour editions, using the original text and artwork so these works can delight another generation of children. Arthur Rackham (1867-1939) was one of the premier illustrators of the early 20th Century. He illustrated many books, the first of which was published in 1893. Throughout his career he had developed a very individual style that is was to influence a whole generation of children, artists and other illustrators. His haunting humour and dreamlike romance adds to the enchantment and fantasy of children's literature.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Apr 16, 2013
• ISBN: 9781473385443

James Stephens

James Stephens (1882-1950) was an Irish novelist, poet, and folklorist. Adopted at a young age, Stephens spent much of his childhood on the streets. Having managed to make his way through school, Stephens became a solicitor’s clerk before developing an interest in Irish Republicanism and learning to read, write, and speak the Irish language. As he became politically active, he dedicated himself to writing versions of Irish myths, as well as composing original novels. A friend and colleague of James Joyce and George William Russell, James Stephens is an important and underrecognized figure in twentieth century Irish literature.

Reviews for Irish Fairy Tales - Illustrated by Arthur Rackham

[antiquary_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Retellings of Irish folktales by James Stephens, best known for writing The Crock of Gold, which I read hen perhaps too young because my father liked and quoted it. I believe this book was one of several I got as texts for an honors class in Celtic and Germanic Folklore at Bowling Green State University circa 1968 -1969.

[themulhern · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My copy is called "Irish Fairy Tales" but it has the same content and the Arthur Rackham illustrations. I suspect that James Stephens never retold an Irish legend without making it fascinating and splendid.

[mrslee_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Myths and Magic of Old Ireland, these stories are classic Irish folk tales which weave in and out of Faery and our world, with heroes such as Fionn mac Uail, lord of the Fianna. These are almost like reading poems, they have a rhythm and a cadence to them which becomes mesmerizing, especially when characters are speaking. I found it hard going at first, but after the first few stories, my interest was drawn and by the end of the book, I couldn't put it down. There is subtle humor in the dialog. At times, it felt as though I were reading the history of the Nac Mac Feegle from Discworld. I am a lover and collector of books with Arthur Rackham illustrations, so that is what drew me to this, but Fall River Press has made a lovely book in total, with a fine feel to the cloth cover, thick pages made to look like vellum and a design of print which feels as if you have found an ancient book written by monks.

[jrissman_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

"Irish Fairy Tales" is a set of ten stories drawn from the Fenian Cycle of Irish legend, occurring around the time when Christianity was introduced to the island. The stories are set in a forested land filled with lager-than-life hunters, warriors, kings, and faeries. Faeries are important in perhaps half of these stories, which provide a look at some source material for modern works which develop Pagan mythology, like White Wolf's two "Changeling" RPGs or Emma Bull's "War for the Oaks." The stories in Stephens' book are retellings of legends which were passed down via oral tradition. Many have silly, ridiculous, or immature plots, and sometimes characters' personalities shift weirdly between stories or between parts of the same story, betraying the stories' origins as folktales created by many authors of varying skill. Alone, the stories would only earn about 2 stars. Taken as a whole, the book is better than any of the stories it contains, for the general impression of the setting and times you gain by reading the entire collection. I find myself more interested in Ireland now than I was before reading this book. That's worth a third star.

[dreamseeker_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Thsi reprint of a book originally published in 1920, includes beautiful color illustrations and a story-telling style that preserves the lyricism of Irish speech and idiom. A grand collection of heros, spells, fate, sorrows and joyous daring exploits. You can almost smell the peat smoke from the old Irish hearths where Stephens collected his tales.

[fiverivers_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is one of those books you should read simply to expand your knowledge of Irish heritage and culture. A fascinating insight into historical standards in society, particularly women's roles, as well as a broader world view and belief system.

[bzedan_2 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

There's really not a lot to dislike about Irish fairy tales. The ones in this book run more the lines of kings and warriors and their interactions with the magic world.