The most famous fabulist after Aesop, the French poet Jean de la Fontaine published his three collections of fables in the second half of the seventeenth century, and found that not only had he an instant popular success on his hands; he happened to have written a literary masterpiece as well. Though not specifically composed for the young, these tales have a freshness and vividness which continue to appeal to children today, while the psychological astuteness of the author and the wit and elegance of his style will impress ...
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The most famous fabulist after Aesop, the French poet Jean de la Fontaine published his three collections of fables in the second half of the seventeenth century, and found that not only had he an instant popular success on his hands; he happened to have written a literary masterpiece as well. Though not specifically composed for the young, these tales have a freshness and vividness which continue to appeal to children today, while the psychological astuteness of the author and the wit and elegance of his style will impress adults as well. La Fontaine happily ransacked a whole range of sources for his stories - from ancient Greek and Latin to contemporary French and Italian - adapting, interweaving, blending, inventing and transforming as he went. The result is a unique and imaginative tour de force which has delighted and entertained readers for over 300 years.
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Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Grubby book may have mild dirt or some staining, mostly on the edges of pages. Aged book. Tanned pages and age spots, however, this will not interfere with reading. Ripped/damaged jacket. The dust jacket of this book is slightly damaged/ripped, however, this does not affect the internal condition.
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Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
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New York. 1982. Penguin Books. Reprinted Penguin Classic Paperback Edition. A Few Instances of Yellow Highlighting Inside, Otherwise Very Good in Wrappers. 0140443762. Translated from the French by James Michie. Introduction by Geoffrey Grigson. 142 pages. paperback. The cover shows The Fox and the Stork by Jean-Baptiste Oudry in the Musee National de Versailles (Photo: Giraudon). keywords: Literature France Translated Fables. FROM THE PUBLISHER-Jean de La Fontaine (1621-95) is celebrated for his charm, his absent-mindedness and, above all, his wonderful books of fables. Plundering Aesop, Phaedrus, Bidpai and the Persians, Italians and French, he reinvented the fable in a verse full of irresistible brio and freshness. His tales of speaking animals are always rooted firmly in the human world, and collectively they represent one of the high points of European civilization, achieving, over three centuries, an almost proverbial familiarity. ‘How inquisitive La Fontaine was, how indefatigable. transforming the familiar and the instructive into poems replete with his grace, his wit, his gaiety, his melancholy, his taste for the classics, or the classic myths, his amused experience of life, low, high and medium'-from the Introduction by Geoffrey Grigson. inventory #20891.
