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The 13 Clocks
Once upon a time, in a gloomy castle on a lonely hill, where there were thirteen clocks that wouldn t go, there lived a cold, aggressive Duke, and his niece, the Princess Saralinda. She was warm in every wind and weather, but he was always cold. His hands were as cold as his smile, and almost as cold as his heart. He wore gloves when he was asleep, and he wore gloves when he was awake, which made it difficult for him to pick up pins or coins or the kernels of nuts, or to tear the wings from nightingales.
So begins James Thurber s sublimely revamped fairy tale, The 13 Clocks, in which a wicked Duke who imagines he has killed time, and the Duke s beautiful niece, for whom time seems to have run out, both meet their match, courtesy of an enterprising and very handsome prince in disguise. Readers young and old will take pleasure in this tale of love forestalled but ultimately fulfilled, admiring its upstanding hero ( He yearned to find in a far land the princess of his dreams, singing as he went, and possibly slaying a dragon here and there ) and unapologetic villain ( We all have flaws, the Duke said. Mine is being wicked ), while wondering at the enigmatic Golux, the mysterious stranger whose unpredictable interventions speed the story to its necessarily happy end.
So begins James Thurber s sublimely revamped fairy tale, The 13 Clocks, in which a wicked Duke who imagines he has killed time, and the Duke s beautiful niece, for whom time seems to have run out, both meet their match, courtesy of an enterprising and very handsome prince in disguise. Readers young and old will take pleasure in this tale of love forestalled but ultimately fulfilled, admiring its upstanding hero ( He yearned to find in a far land the princess of his dreams, singing as he went, and possibly slaying a dragon here and there ) and unapologetic villain ( We all have flaws, the Duke said. Mine is being wicked ), while wondering at the enigmatic Golux, the mysterious stranger whose unpredictable interventions speed the story to its necessarily happy end.
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1950
135 people are currently reading
11010 people want to read
About the author
James Thurber
355 books606 followersThurber was born in Columbus, Ohio to Charles L. Thurber and Mary Agnes (Mame) Fisher Thurber. Both of his parents greatly influenced his work. His father, a sporadically employed clerk and minor politician who dreamed of being a lawyer or an actor, is said to have been the inspiration for the small, timid protagonist typical of many of his stories. Thurber described his mother as a "born comedienne" and "one of the finest comic talents I think I have ever known." She was a practical joker, on one occasion pretending to be crippled and attending a faith healer revival, only to jump up and proclaim herself healed.
Thurber had two brothers, William and Robert. Once, while playing a game of William Tell, his brother William shot James in the eye with an arrow. Because of the lack of medical technology, Thurber lost his eye. This injury would later cause him to be almost entirely blind. During his childhood he was unable to participate in sports and activities because of his injury, and instead developed a creative imagination, which he shared in his writings.
From 1913 to 1918, Thurber attended The Ohio State University, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. He never graduated from the University because his poor eyesight prevented him from taking a mandatory ROTC course. In 1995 he was posthumously awarded a degree.
From 1918 to 1920, at the close of World War I, Thurber worked as a code clerk for the Department of State, first in Washington, D.C. and then at the American Embassy in Paris, France. After this Thurber returned to Columbus, where he began his writing career as a reporter for the Columbus Dispatch from 1921 to 1924. During part of this time, he reviewed current books, films, and plays in a weekly column called "Credos and Curios," a title that later would be given to a posthumous collection of his work. Thurber also returned to Paris in this period, where he wrote for the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers.
In 1925, he moved to Greenwich Village in New York City, getting a job as a reporter for the New York Evening Post. He joined the staff of The New Yorker in 1927 as an editor with the help of his friend and fellow New Yorker contributor, E.B. White. His career as a cartoonist began in 1930 when White found some of Thurber's drawings in a trash can and submitted them for publication. Thurber would contribute both his writings and his drawings to The New Yorker until the 1950s.
Thurber was married twice. In 1922, Thurber married Althea Adams. The marriage was troubled and ended in divorce in May 1935. Adams gave Thurber his only child, his daughter Rosemary. Thurber remarried in June, 1935 to Helen Wismer. His second marriage lasted until he died in 1961, at the age of 66, due to complications from pneumonia, which followed upon a stroke suffered at his home. His last words, aside from the repeated word "God," were "God bless... God damn," according to Helen Thurber.
Thurber had two brothers, William and Robert. Once, while playing a game of William Tell, his brother William shot James in the eye with an arrow. Because of the lack of medical technology, Thurber lost his eye. This injury would later cause him to be almost entirely blind. During his childhood he was unable to participate in sports and activities because of his injury, and instead developed a creative imagination, which he shared in his writings.
From 1913 to 1918, Thurber attended The Ohio State University, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. He never graduated from the University because his poor eyesight prevented him from taking a mandatory ROTC course. In 1995 he was posthumously awarded a degree.
From 1918 to 1920, at the close of World War I, Thurber worked as a code clerk for the Department of State, first in Washington, D.C. and then at the American Embassy in Paris, France. After this Thurber returned to Columbus, where he began his writing career as a reporter for the Columbus Dispatch from 1921 to 1924. During part of this time, he reviewed current books, films, and plays in a weekly column called "Credos and Curios," a title that later would be given to a posthumous collection of his work. Thurber also returned to Paris in this period, where he wrote for the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers.
In 1925, he moved to Greenwich Village in New York City, getting a job as a reporter for the New York Evening Post. He joined the staff of The New Yorker in 1927 as an editor with the help of his friend and fellow New Yorker contributor, E.B. White. His career as a cartoonist began in 1930 when White found some of Thurber's drawings in a trash can and submitted them for publication. Thurber would contribute both his writings and his drawings to The New Yorker until the 1950s.
Thurber was married twice. In 1922, Thurber married Althea Adams. The marriage was troubled and ended in divorce in May 1935. Adams gave Thurber his only child, his daughter Rosemary. Thurber remarried in June, 1935 to Helen Wismer. His second marriage lasted until he died in 1961, at the age of 66, due to complications from pneumonia, which followed upon a stroke suffered at his home. His last words, aside from the repeated word "God," were "God bless... God damn," according to Helen Thurber.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,317 reviews
July 15, 2018
click clack, he has a knack
his talent's in his words
glips and glops, his story pops
eerie and absurd
frip frap, a pretty death cap
fairy tales must be dark
snip and snart, and as for the art
it's vivid yet quite stark
tick tack, the prince comes back
but will it all end well?
mips and mopes, just as I'd hoped
The 13 Clocks was swell!
his talent's in his words
glips and glops, his story pops
eerie and absurd
frip frap, a pretty death cap
fairy tales must be dark
snip and snart, and as for the art
it's vivid yet quite stark
tick tack, the prince comes back
but will it all end well?
mips and mopes, just as I'd hoped
The 13 Clocks was swell!
October 30, 2019
Beyond the absurdity of the Shrek universe (satire, satire, product placement, nostalgic nod, satire), this one actually pays tribute to those acts of chivalry so prevalent in fairy tales and children's books. It is witty, playful, but also deep and adult. It has, as one ogre who really gets on my nerves would say, many layers, just like an onion does.
This is better than "Le Petit Prince" GASP!; rather more in tune with my (if I do have any; I guess I know that I do) American proclivities, than that other Children's night-time story. This one's heroic and valiant, that other melancholic and existential: but this one has great strings of laughs, & a more strikingly animated imagination, and it has brilliant sections, & it is, yep, too short, for my liking. Its sole mistake is not reserving more time for the reader to take in the freshness & experience the whimsy that borders on that singular Wonderlandesque feeling people who like the idea of Lewis Carroll's Alice, though not the haphazard & random stories themselves, wish they possessed.
This is better than "Le Petit Prince" GASP!; rather more in tune with my (if I do have any; I guess I know that I do) American proclivities, than that other Children's night-time story. This one's heroic and valiant, that other melancholic and existential: but this one has great strings of laughs, & a more strikingly animated imagination, and it has brilliant sections, & it is, yep, too short, for my liking. Its sole mistake is not reserving more time for the reader to take in the freshness & experience the whimsy that borders on that singular Wonderlandesque feeling people who like the idea of Lewis Carroll's Alice, though not the haphazard & random stories themselves, wish they possessed.
September 21, 2008
Oh my god, "The 13 Clocks" is genius. How did this book stay off my radar for so long? Who can I blame? I only heard of the book because Neil Gaiman wrote an introduction (I think) to a new edition in which he highly praises "13 Clocks". I ordered a copy from the library (an older copy, without the Gaiman introduction...our library system doesn't have the new edition yet) and I read the entire text in about an hour, maybe a little less. "13 Clocks" reads like a lovely meld of "The Phantom Tollbooth" and Gaiman's novels; in fact, Thurber's influence on Gaiman is startling. The book is dark, like much of Gaiman's work, and Thurber clearly thinks younger readers can handle a little blood and guts. But the book is packed with funny and inventive passages and Thurber's flawless storytelling shines through on every page.
For example...here's a brief, spoiler-free passage:
The Duke limped because his legs were of different lengths. The right one had otugrown the left because, when he was young, he had spent his mornings place-kicking pups and punting kittens. He would say to a suitor, "What is the difference in the length of my legs?" and if the youth replied, "Why, one is shorter than the other," the Duke would run him through with the sword he carried in his swordcane and feed him to the geese. The suitor was supposed to say, "Why, one is longer than the other." Many a prince had been run through for naming the wrong difference. Others had been slain for offenses equally trivial; trampling the Duke's camllias, failing to praise his wines, staring too long at his gloves, gazing too long at his niece. Those who survived his scorn and sword were given incredible labors to perform in order to win his niece's hand, the only warm hand in the castle, where time had frozen to death at ten minutes to five one snowy night. They were told to cut a slice of moon, or change the ocean into wine. They were set to finding things that never were, and building things that could not be. They came and tried and failed and disappeared and never came again. And some, as I have said, were slain, for using names that start X, or dropping spoons, or wearing rings, or speaking disrespectfully of sin."
Brilliant. If you want to remember why some books aimed at younger readers pulse with joy and energy, check out "The 13 Clocks." I'm buying the new edition ASAP.
For example...here's a brief, spoiler-free passage:
The Duke limped because his legs were of different lengths. The right one had otugrown the left because, when he was young, he had spent his mornings place-kicking pups and punting kittens. He would say to a suitor, "What is the difference in the length of my legs?" and if the youth replied, "Why, one is shorter than the other," the Duke would run him through with the sword he carried in his swordcane and feed him to the geese. The suitor was supposed to say, "Why, one is longer than the other." Many a prince had been run through for naming the wrong difference. Others had been slain for offenses equally trivial; trampling the Duke's camllias, failing to praise his wines, staring too long at his gloves, gazing too long at his niece. Those who survived his scorn and sword were given incredible labors to perform in order to win his niece's hand, the only warm hand in the castle, where time had frozen to death at ten minutes to five one snowy night. They were told to cut a slice of moon, or change the ocean into wine. They were set to finding things that never were, and building things that could not be. They came and tried and failed and disappeared and never came again. And some, as I have said, were slain, for using names that start X, or dropping spoons, or wearing rings, or speaking disrespectfully of sin."
Brilliant. If you want to remember why some books aimed at younger readers pulse with joy and energy, check out "The 13 Clocks." I'm buying the new edition ASAP.
March 2, 2014
I enjoy whimsy and fairy tales, but The 13 Clocks falls short in its attempt to blend the two. I first learned of it in a discussion of Peter Beagle's The Last Unicorn, when it was reported as similar in style and tone. Unfortunately, I found it a distinctly inferior tale, the vending machine version of a homemade chocolate chip cookie.
More on why I awarded my unfavorable 2 stars at:
http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/0...
and
http://carols.booklikes.com/post/8097...
More on why I awarded my unfavorable 2 stars at:
http://clsiewert.wordpress.com/2014/0...
and
http://carols.booklikes.com/post/8097...
June 13, 2025
Within the crooked castle of the cold Duke who "was thought to have devoured his wife," live thirteen clocks whose hands are frozen permanently at ten minutes to five.
James Thurber's fantastical fable—neither completely prose nor wholly poetry—spins a tale that dances across linguistic boundaries with the same graceful audacity with which the Golux (neither a device nor a wizard) resists categorization.
"Once upon a time, in a gloomy castle on a lonely hill, where there were thirteen clocks that wouldn't go, there lived a cold, aggressive Duke, and his niece, the Princess Saralinda." Thus begins our journey into a world where hands grow cold from murdering time, and where "The Duke had clocks all over the place, and they all pointed to the same hour, and that was the way he wanted it."
The villainous Duke, who fears warmth in any form, keeps the beautiful Saralinda captive, dispatching her suitors through impossible tasks while threatening them with "slitting them from guggle to zatch."
Appearing on this treacherous stage comes Prince Zorn of Zorna, disguised as a minstrel. When Zorn falls instantly in love with Saralinda, he confronts the cold Duke's challenge: he must find a thousand jewels within 99 hours and restart the thirteen frozen clocks. The Golux—"the only Golux in the world, and not a mere device"—becomes Zorn's unlikely guide, leading him through perilous adventures involving Hagga, whose tears turn to jewels (but only when she laughs at something for the second time), the cunning Todal (who gleeps), and the terrible Tailor who "could sew a thread so fine it was invisible, and once had sewn the sleeves of the night together."
As the Duke schemes with his sinister spy Hark, whose "ears were larger than his head," the tale winds through intricate linguistic mazes that would impress even the most discerning polyglot from Prague to Pamplona.
Thurber, that master of modernist whimsy whose cartoons adorned The New Yorker for decades, crafted this tale while his eyesight failed him—perhaps explaining why his linguistic vision grew so extraordinarily acute. "We all have flaws," says the Golux, "and mine is being wicked," but Thurber's only flaw might be making readers believe that fairy tales can be simultaneously sardonic and sincere.
The clocks, ultimately, represent more than mere timepieces—they symbolize how tyranny freezes joy, how fear stops progress, and how love, in its warmest form, can thaw even the most frozen moments.
When at last the clocks begin ticking—"The first clock whirred, and the second clock purred, and the third clock moaned, and the fourth clock groaned"—we understand that time, once restored, cannot be stopped by even the coldest of hearts.
Much like Calvino's invisible cities or Carroll's wonderland, Thurber's realm exists in that twilight space between childhood fancy and adult wisdom, where we learn that sometimes "it is better to live in hope than die in despair," especially when confronted with seemingly impossible tasks or frozen chronometers.
"...The Prince had gone but a short way from the castle when he felt a gentle finger touch his elbow. “It is the Golux,” said the Golux, proudly. “The only Golux in the world.” The Prince was in no mood for the old man’s gaiety and cheer. The Golux did not seem wonderful to him now, and even his indescribable hat was suddenly describable. “The Duke thinks you are not so wise as he thinks you think you are,” he said. The Golux smiled. “I think he is not so wise as he thinks I think he is,” he said. “I was there, I know the terms. I had thought that only dragonflies and angels think of time, never having been an angel or a dragonfly...”
James Thurber's fantastical fable—neither completely prose nor wholly poetry—spins a tale that dances across linguistic boundaries with the same graceful audacity with which the Golux (neither a device nor a wizard) resists categorization.
"Once upon a time, in a gloomy castle on a lonely hill, where there were thirteen clocks that wouldn't go, there lived a cold, aggressive Duke, and his niece, the Princess Saralinda." Thus begins our journey into a world where hands grow cold from murdering time, and where "The Duke had clocks all over the place, and they all pointed to the same hour, and that was the way he wanted it."
The villainous Duke, who fears warmth in any form, keeps the beautiful Saralinda captive, dispatching her suitors through impossible tasks while threatening them with "slitting them from guggle to zatch."
Appearing on this treacherous stage comes Prince Zorn of Zorna, disguised as a minstrel. When Zorn falls instantly in love with Saralinda, he confronts the cold Duke's challenge: he must find a thousand jewels within 99 hours and restart the thirteen frozen clocks. The Golux—"the only Golux in the world, and not a mere device"—becomes Zorn's unlikely guide, leading him through perilous adventures involving Hagga, whose tears turn to jewels (but only when she laughs at something for the second time), the cunning Todal (who gleeps), and the terrible Tailor who "could sew a thread so fine it was invisible, and once had sewn the sleeves of the night together."
As the Duke schemes with his sinister spy Hark, whose "ears were larger than his head," the tale winds through intricate linguistic mazes that would impress even the most discerning polyglot from Prague to Pamplona.
Thurber, that master of modernist whimsy whose cartoons adorned The New Yorker for decades, crafted this tale while his eyesight failed him—perhaps explaining why his linguistic vision grew so extraordinarily acute. "We all have flaws," says the Golux, "and mine is being wicked," but Thurber's only flaw might be making readers believe that fairy tales can be simultaneously sardonic and sincere.
The clocks, ultimately, represent more than mere timepieces—they symbolize how tyranny freezes joy, how fear stops progress, and how love, in its warmest form, can thaw even the most frozen moments.
When at last the clocks begin ticking—"The first clock whirred, and the second clock purred, and the third clock moaned, and the fourth clock groaned"—we understand that time, once restored, cannot be stopped by even the coldest of hearts.
Much like Calvino's invisible cities or Carroll's wonderland, Thurber's realm exists in that twilight space between childhood fancy and adult wisdom, where we learn that sometimes "it is better to live in hope than die in despair," especially when confronted with seemingly impossible tasks or frozen chronometers.
"...The Prince had gone but a short way from the castle when he felt a gentle finger touch his elbow. “It is the Golux,” said the Golux, proudly. “The only Golux in the world.” The Prince was in no mood for the old man’s gaiety and cheer. The Golux did not seem wonderful to him now, and even his indescribable hat was suddenly describable. “The Duke thinks you are not so wise as he thinks you think you are,” he said. The Golux smiled. “I think he is not so wise as he thinks I think he is,” he said. “I was there, I know the terms. I had thought that only dragonflies and angels think of time, never having been an angel or a dragonfly...”
June 19, 2025
A rollicking fairy tale from the twentieth century.
April 7, 2023
A strange and delightful little story. It has an uneven magic to it.
December 20, 2019
I've read this several times and want to again, after seeing that Neil Gaiman and I actually agree on this tight masterpiece of word-play and adventure and satire....
(In case you don't know, I want to like Gaiman's work, but I don't.)
........
Another reread.
I really need a box set of Thurber's juveniles. I get so much more out of them every time. There's a mystery, and satire, drama, wordplay, and a layer of Thurberian melancholy under it all, providing a resonance, in all four of these fables.
I should reread The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and see how similar to these it is.
(In case you don't know, I want to like Gaiman's work, but I don't.)
........
Another reread.
I really need a box set of Thurber's juveniles. I get so much more out of them every time. There's a mystery, and satire, drama, wordplay, and a layer of Thurberian melancholy under it all, providing a resonance, in all four of these fables.
I should reread The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and see how similar to these it is.
March 24, 2011
"Once upon a time, in a gloomy castle on a lonely hill, where there were thirteen clocks that wouldn't go, there lived a cold, aggressive Duke, and his niece, the Princess Saralinda..."
This was a fast and fun romp. One part wicked to two parts whimsy, it's a book to delight all ages. Children will love the story, and adults will enjoy the more sophisticated humor and word play. If you know anything about James Thurber, (or maybe even if you don't), you'll appreciate how much fun he had writing this story. In the Foreword he explains that he wrote The Thirteen Clocks when he was supposed to be working on another book. He called this "an example of escapism and self-indulgence." Sixty years later, it served the same purpose for me.
The funky and stylized artwork is entertaining, too. When Zorn of Zorna dons his princely raiment, he looks like he's wearing a frilly tablecloth! But it's a welcome change from the uniformity of today's computerized graphics.
This was a fast and fun romp. One part wicked to two parts whimsy, it's a book to delight all ages. Children will love the story, and adults will enjoy the more sophisticated humor and word play. If you know anything about James Thurber, (or maybe even if you don't), you'll appreciate how much fun he had writing this story. In the Foreword he explains that he wrote The Thirteen Clocks when he was supposed to be working on another book. He called this "an example of escapism and self-indulgence." Sixty years later, it served the same purpose for me.
The funky and stylized artwork is entertaining, too. When Zorn of Zorna dons his princely raiment, he looks like he's wearing a frilly tablecloth! But it's a welcome change from the uniformity of today's computerized graphics.
December 16, 2012
I picked up this book thinking that this could be classified as just another children's book. It does have many fairy tale ingredients yet it uses metaphors similar to those of Antoine de Saint-Exupery in his unforgettable classic, The Little Prince (3 stars). Some of the metaphors used by St-Ex easily escaped me but most of them I was able to relate to my personal experiences. Same is true here with James Thurber's 1950 fantasy tale, The 13 Clocks.
The story is about an evil Duke who has been cursed together with his kingdom. It is too cold everywhere. This cold has frozen the hands of the 13 clocks in the palace. The only warm hands belong to his nice Saralinda who is so beautiful that she is adored by many princes around the world. However, his "uncle" the evil Duke would make all impossible demands to these princes. Upon failing the demands, the Duke would knife the princes and feed their bodies to the geese. Then came Prince Zorn of Zorna whole alias is Xingu whose is able to trick the Duke with the help of Golux. Golux brings Prince Zorn of Zorna to a woman called Hangga whose tears turn magically to precious gems.
The plot seems like an outright fairy tale, right? Yes and no. Yes, because the events are all make-believe. No, because the story is not told in a fashion that ordinary children would easily grasp. For example, the way Golux speaks is kind of riddle-like similar to how Gollum in LOTR would deliver his lines. This can be confusing even to a grownup like me. There are also some scenes that can be disturbing to children like the feeding of the human flesh to the geese, the kidnapping of Saralinda and the disappearance of the Duke at the end of the story can give a child a nightmare if there is no comforting adult to tell or explain the story to a small child.
As a grown up, though, I really enjoyed reading this book. It is also accompanied by colorful illustrations that made my reading quite memorable. I like the hat that is indescribable. It is really. Check this book out and see for yourself.
I am looking forward to reading more James Thurber now.
The story is about an evil Duke who has been cursed together with his kingdom. It is too cold everywhere. This cold has frozen the hands of the 13 clocks in the palace. The only warm hands belong to his nice Saralinda who is so beautiful that she is adored by many princes around the world. However, his "uncle" the evil Duke would make all impossible demands to these princes. Upon failing the demands, the Duke would knife the princes and feed their bodies to the geese. Then came Prince Zorn of Zorna whole alias is Xingu whose is able to trick the Duke with the help of Golux. Golux brings Prince Zorn of Zorna to a woman called Hangga whose tears turn magically to precious gems.
The plot seems like an outright fairy tale, right? Yes and no. Yes, because the events are all make-believe. No, because the story is not told in a fashion that ordinary children would easily grasp. For example, the way Golux speaks is kind of riddle-like similar to how Gollum in LOTR would deliver his lines. This can be confusing even to a grownup like me. There are also some scenes that can be disturbing to children like the feeding of the human flesh to the geese, the kidnapping of Saralinda and the disappearance of the Duke at the end of the story can give a child a nightmare if there is no comforting adult to tell or explain the story to a small child.
As a grown up, though, I really enjoyed reading this book. It is also accompanied by colorful illustrations that made my reading quite memorable. I like the hat that is indescribable. It is really. Check this book out and see for yourself.
I am looking forward to reading more James Thurber now.
July 2, 2020
Αυτό εδώ το μικρό βιβλιαράκι το πρότεινε ο Neil Gaiman στο The View from the Cheap Seats, με πολύ ενθουσιασμό, οπότε κι εγώ πείστηκα και το ξεκίνησα! Είναι μια ιστορία με έναν απαίσιο Δούκα που ισχυρίζεται πως έσφαξε τον Χρόνο, έναν μεταμφιεσμένο Πρίγκιπα, μια Πριγκίπισσα, έναν Γκόλουξ και άλλα πολλά! Μια μικρούλα μα γεμάτη και πολύ διασκεδαστική ιστορία! Μακάρι να την είχα διαβάσει όταν ήμουν μικρή, θα την είχα απολαύσει δυο φορές περισσότερο!
Οι ναυτικοί και οι ταξιδιώτες κοίταζαν ψηλά το σκοτεινό κάστρο στο λόφο κι έλεγαν "Ο χρόνος πάγωσε εκεί πέρα. Είναι πάντοτε Τότε. Ποτέ δεν είναι Τώρα."
Ο παγερός Δούκας φοβόταν το Τώρα γιατί είχε ζεστασιά κι επιθυμίες, ενώ το Τότε είναι θαμμένο και νεκρό.
"Μη βιάζεσαι", είπε ο Γκόλουξ. "Τα μισά μέρη που έχω πάει δεν υπήρξαν ποτέ. Σκαρώνω πράγματα. Τα μισά πράγματα που λέω δεν μπορούν να βρεθούν. Όταν ήμουν νέος, διηγήθηκαν μια ιστορία για χαμένο θησαυρό κι οι άνθρωποι, από λεύγες μακριά, σκάβαν στα δάση να τον βρουν. Έσκαβα κι εγώ".
"Γιατί;"
"Σκέφτηκα πως μπορεί να ’ταν αλήθεια η ιστορία για τον θησαυρό".
"Μα είπες πως την σκαρφίστηκες".
"Το ξέρω πως το είπα, μα τότε δεν ήξερα τι είχα πει. Ξεχνάω κιόλας".
Οι ναυτικοί και οι ταξιδιώτες κοίταζαν ψηλά το σκοτεινό κάστρο στο λόφο κι έλεγαν "Ο χρόνος πάγωσε εκεί πέρα. Είναι πάντοτε Τότε. Ποτέ δεν είναι Τώρα."
Ο παγερός Δούκας φοβόταν το Τώρα γιατί είχε ζεστασιά κι επιθυμίες, ενώ το Τότε είναι θαμμένο και νεκρό.
"Μη βιάζεσαι", είπε ο Γκόλουξ. "Τα μισά μέρη που έχω πάει δεν υπήρξαν ποτέ. Σκαρώνω πράγματα. Τα μισά πράγματα που λέω δεν μπορούν να βρεθούν. Όταν ήμουν νέος, διηγήθηκαν μια ιστορία για χαμένο θησαυρό κι οι άνθρωποι, από λεύγες μακριά, σκάβαν στα δάση να τον βρουν. Έσκαβα κι εγώ".
"Γιατί;"
"Σκέφτηκα πως μπορεί να ’ταν αλήθεια η ιστορία για τον θησαυρό".
"Μα είπες πως την σκαρφίστηκες".
"Το ξέρω πως το είπα, μα τότε δεν ήξερα τι είχα πει. Ξεχνάω κιόλας".
December 24, 2023
It’s that sort of book. It’s unique. It makes people happier, like ice cream.
Neil Gaiman is my unofficial authority on myths and fairy tales, mostly gained through his Sandman comics, but present I believe in most of his novels and stories, too. So when he declares that this is the best book in the world, he probably knows what he is talking about.
... and what do you know?
I have a big grin pasted on my face as I turn the last page of this James Thurber fairy tale, as I gaze at the last illustration by Marc Simont. I feel like I have discovered an alternative to my usual re-reads of The Princess Bride and the Discworld novels each year in December.
This year Christmas came a little early, and I hope I will never grow too old or too cynical for fairy tales. James Thurber agrees with me, as he explains how the story captured his imagination as he was busy with another project that was overdue for his publishers.
Unless modern Man wanders down these byways occasionally, I do not see how he can hope to preserve his sanity.
>>><<<>>>
Get ready then to meet the cold Duke who plots to keep the lovely and warm Princess Saralinda a prisoner in his Coffin Castle, where even the clocks have stopped measuring the passage of time:
Even the hands of his watch and the hands of all the thirteen clocks were frozen. They had all frozen at the same time, on a snowy night, seven years before, and after that it was always ten minutes to five in the castle. Travelers and mariners would look up at the gloomy castle on the lonely hill and say, “Time lies frozen there. It’s always Then. It’s never Now.”
Who will rescue the beautiful girl from the frozen clutches of the Duke? Many suitors have presented themselves at the gates of the castle, only to be thrown into the dungeons or to be set impossible tasks by the evil Duke. What hope is there for a ragged minstrel who dares to sing critical songs about the master of the realm?
“The Duke is seven feet, nine inches tall, and only twenty-eight years old, or in his prime,” a tosspot gurgled. “His hand is cold enough to stop a clock, and strong enough to choke a bull, and swift enough to catch the wind. He breaks up minstrels in his soup, like crackers.”
He’ll slit you from your gurgle to your zatch. warn the drunkards in the tavern, but what hero ever has let adversity stop him when there’s a fair maiden’s hand to be won over?
The minstrel, who might be a mighty prince in disguise, is set one of those impossible tasks by the Duke, but he has a secret and mysterious ally who goes by the name of the Golux. Together they must set out on a quest to find precious stones and to restart the 13 frozen clocks.
Along the way, they will learn the difference between tears of pain and tears of happiness, but will this be enough to break a witch’s spell and foil the dastardly plans of the cold Duke?
“There was an old coddle so molly,
He talked in a glot that was poly
His gaws were so gew
That his laps became dew,
And he ate only pops that were lolly.”
The story is meant to be read out loud, savoring the musicality, the rhythm of the phrasing. It is also meant to be held out in your hands as you explain the wonderful illustrations to a child or a loved one. If you love language and word-play, you will soon be ankle deep in diamonds and in rubies , just like the minstrel / prince and the Golux.
... and, as all the self-respecting fairy tales, there will be justice and a moral lesson to be gained at the end of the journey.
“No mortal man can murder time, and even if he could, there’s something else: a clockwork in a maiden’s heart, that strikes the hours of youth and love, and knows the southward swan from the winter snow, and summer afternoons from tulip time.”
It’s only a paper moon of a fantasy story, but what a therapeutic effect it has on the reader’s mind and sanity. Gaiman was right, of course: fairy tales are more than true, because they tell us not only that there are dangerous dragons out there, but that these dragons can be beaten.
“The Golux has a lot of friends,” said Hark. “I guess they give him horses when he needs them. But on the other hand, he may have made them up. He makes things up, you know.”
I may read more from James Thurber by this time next year, hopefully.
September 16, 2014
A wonderful introduction by Neil Gaiman and and an interesting foreword by the author got me excited to read this book, but I admired it more than I enjoyed it. While I did smile and even chuckle at times, it just wasn’t my cup of tea. It was clever but in my opinion not that brilliant, and I simply didn’t find it emotionally satisfying or that entertaing. It was just okay for me, though I did like it well enough. I’m very aware that this may simply not have been the right book at the right time, for me. I think one issue is that I often don’t like fairy tales. I thought I’d like this one though, and I did. I’m just not wild about it. 2 ½ stars
February 1, 2018
Second Thurber I read in my life, and this time I loved the book way more than Walter Mitty, the first of his stories I read. This is a very weird fairy tale-esque Fantasy story, with an absurd plotline that's meant to make you laugh, and writing that's very convoluted and full of wordplay and silly rhymes. Good for a quick read when one's in the mood for a bit of unpretentious humour.
November 27, 2010
I read this in about an hour, which is not the way to do it. It needs to be read aloud, preferably to a small child, the lyrical, whimsical language savored. Which is why I now want to acquire a copy, so one day I can do just that. I'd try reading it aloud to the cats right now, but I doubt they'd appreciate it.
October 19, 2008
In The Thirteen Clocks, a prince (disguised as a minstrel) attempts to win the hand of Saralinda, the niece of an evil Duke who keeps her prisoner while killing most of the suitors who try to win her hand by setting impossible tasks for them to accomplish. A crazy little guy (called the Golux) decides to help the prince in his quest.
I liked this book, but here's what I got stuck on: Why did the Golux help this prince, and not the other ones? When it came down to it, the prince didn't really figure anything out. The Golux pretty much spoon-fed him everything he should do, and helped him figure everything out.
I'm not so sure that this was a prince worthy enough to win the hand of Saralinda. I think she should've gone off with the Golux at the end.
What's wrong with me? Everyone loves this book. Did I miss something? Or do I just hate traditional fairy tales where the prince rescues the princess (even though he's a total dumbass?)
Should I have read something else by Thurber before this?
I did understand and appreciate the wordplay in the book, but that was about it. I enjoyed reading it, but don't understand what all the fuss is about. I mean, I could probably have rescued the princess myself with the Golux by my side.
That prince dude bugged me. Up with the Golux!
I liked this book, but here's what I got stuck on: Why did the Golux help this prince, and not the other ones? When it came down to it, the prince didn't really figure anything out. The Golux pretty much spoon-fed him everything he should do, and helped him figure everything out.
I'm not so sure that this was a prince worthy enough to win the hand of Saralinda. I think she should've gone off with the Golux at the end.
What's wrong with me? Everyone loves this book. Did I miss something? Or do I just hate traditional fairy tales where the prince rescues the princess (even though he's a total dumbass?)
Should I have read something else by Thurber before this?
I did understand and appreciate the wordplay in the book, but that was about it. I enjoyed reading it, but don't understand what all the fuss is about. I mean, I could probably have rescued the princess myself with the Golux by my side.
That prince dude bugged me. Up with the Golux!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2023
I happened to find this little book in a Goodwill thrift store and recognized that it is one of Thurber's classic tales that is also on the 1001 Books You Must Read list. This really was a thrilling and fun fairy tale that I read in one sitting. A prince named Zorn is disguised as a minstrel named Xingu and seeks to free a princess from an evil duke who is cold and has slain time — all thirteen clocks in the duke's castle are frozen at ten minutes to five. The prince must find a treasure to free the princess and he is helped by the Golux, a tiny wizard with very strange logic. So will the prince succeed and will love prevail?
I enjoyed this tale that I think was written for adults as well as children. The language is very inventive and filled with rhymes and riddles. At the time this was written, Thurber was losing his eyesight which is reflected in the story by descriptions of dark rooms, figures moving in shadows, and nights brightened by lightning. I remember reading Thurber's Secret Life of Walter Mitty as part of a middle school English class but otherwise I really hadn't read anything else by him. But I would definitely recommend The 13 Clocks. One other coincidence: I recently read a story by Edith Wharton titled Xingu which is actually a river in Brazil. (See my review of Ethan Frome and Selected Stories). I thought it interesting that Thurber used this as the name of his minstrel in this story.
I enjoyed this tale that I think was written for adults as well as children. The language is very inventive and filled with rhymes and riddles. At the time this was written, Thurber was losing his eyesight which is reflected in the story by descriptions of dark rooms, figures moving in shadows, and nights brightened by lightning. I remember reading Thurber's Secret Life of Walter Mitty as part of a middle school English class but otherwise I really hadn't read anything else by him. But I would definitely recommend The 13 Clocks. One other coincidence: I recently read a story by Edith Wharton titled Xingu which is actually a river in Brazil. (See my review of Ethan Frome and Selected Stories). I thought it interesting that Thurber used this as the name of his minstrel in this story.
January 1, 2021
It's always Then. It's never Now.
Time, for children, just never moves fast enough. Time, for adults, moves too quickly. The 13 Clocks of this tale sit frozen, "slain" by the villainous Duke.
"I slew time in these gloomy halls"
The wicked Duke sets up impossible tasks for the young men who come to ask for the hand of Princess Saralinda, with the result of such men being fed to the Duke's geese. Will the handsome minstrel be next? Is he really a minstrel? And who is the invisible Listen?
Listen can be heard, but never seen.
This is a tale to be read to the youngsters, although adults may also enjoy it. I liked the tale, although I felt a Madison Avenue-type outlook from the beginning, a little too New Yorkish and cynical for my tastes. But the New York Review Children's Collection has made this a tough book to walk past, with the holiday red binding and front cover artwork. For those interested, Neil Gaiman takes care of the introduction.
Time is for dragonflies and angels.
Book Season = Autumn (things that squish in the dark)
Time, for children, just never moves fast enough. Time, for adults, moves too quickly. The 13 Clocks of this tale sit frozen, "slain" by the villainous Duke.
"I slew time in these gloomy halls"
The wicked Duke sets up impossible tasks for the young men who come to ask for the hand of Princess Saralinda, with the result of such men being fed to the Duke's geese. Will the handsome minstrel be next? Is he really a minstrel? And who is the invisible Listen?
Listen can be heard, but never seen.
This is a tale to be read to the youngsters, although adults may also enjoy it. I liked the tale, although I felt a Madison Avenue-type outlook from the beginning, a little too New Yorkish and cynical for my tastes. But the New York Review Children's Collection has made this a tough book to walk past, with the holiday red binding and front cover artwork. For those interested, Neil Gaiman takes care of the introduction.
Time is for dragonflies and angels.
Book Season = Autumn (things that squish in the dark)
June 27, 2013
This was a wonderful, farcical Children's fairy tale that I would never have come across had it not been on Boxall's 1001 Books to Read Before You Die list. Reading this book reminded me of when I happily read Dr. Seuss to my children, not really knowing who loved the books more, who giggled the most, who said "again", just glowing in that feel good emotion that only sharing the best children's books with them brought out in me. How we missed this one is beyond me, I feel as though I've short-changed them.
I'm not exactly sure why the book was on this particular list, but I enjoyed it nonetheless and will doubtless read it again. As an added bonus, this edition came with an introduction by Neil Gaiman, which is a treat in itself.
To rate it is difficult, what do I compare it to, other children's books, most of which I've forgotten, or just on its own? I guess I'll go with a combination of the two and hope I don't lead anyone astray.
I'm not exactly sure why the book was on this particular list, but I enjoyed it nonetheless and will doubtless read it again. As an added bonus, this edition came with an introduction by Neil Gaiman, which is a treat in itself.
To rate it is difficult, what do I compare it to, other children's books, most of which I've forgotten, or just on its own? I guess I'll go with a combination of the two and hope I don't lead anyone astray.
October 26, 2013
Very enjoyable story! It's part children's classic, part fairy tale/fantasy and the rest who-knows-what, but who cares?! Clever rhyme and innuendo throughout make for a delightful and insightful little diversion. Marc Simont's illustrations, the texture of the cover, even the lettering and paper of this edition take me back to my childhood. Reading The Thirteen Clocks was a full sensory experience for me and one I immediately wanted to share with others from the same generation.
The tale is simplicity itself, good for a light, fun read, which we can all use now and then, right?
Thanks Steve for the recommendation! Most entertaining!
The tale is simplicity itself, good for a light, fun read, which we can all use now and then, right?
Thanks Steve for the recommendation! Most entertaining!
November 15, 2016
Eloquent, exuberant, ebullient. (And effective, without resorting to such grand words. ;)
A palpable influence on The Last Unicorn . As I read, I kept hearing the voices of King Haggard and Schmendrick: turning November into June, the Princess whom the Duke stole as a baby, not one but thirteen clocks that never show the right time ... the feeling was both startling and nostalgic.
A palpable influence on The Last Unicorn . As I read, I kept hearing the voices of King Haggard and Schmendrick: turning November into June, the Princess whom the Duke stole as a baby, not one but thirteen clocks that never show the right time ... the feeling was both startling and nostalgic.
March 31, 2024
The 13 Clocks by James Thurber is a book I have been wanting to read for a while now.
When Neil Gaiman describes a book as "probably the best book in the world," as he did in his introduction for The 13 Clocks, then it is not even up for discussion whether or not you should read it.
You simply ought to.
Over the years of reading, I have found myself appreciating illustrated books more and more. It is not that every book needs to be illustrated, but for the weird and whimsical, I, for some reason, always find it fitting.
This book was perfect for illustrations. It is fun and weird, and the writing is so heavenly that it almost felt as though reading did not do them justice. It was as if they were required to be seen and heard as well.
It is rare that I read a book where I find myself with the urge to read it aloud, but I had that with this one. The phrasing and the peculiar way it was written begged to be spoken into the universe in a way few books compel.
"And while all books are filled with words, this one was different: It slipped into poetry and out of it again in a way that made you want to read it aloud, just to see how it sounded."
I was not sure what I would find when I ventured into this book.
A fairytale was not what I found, but for some reason, reading this book made me feel as though I was being asked as an adult to describe the first fairytale I had ever been told as a kid. It is sort of like being asked to make sense of a dream.
You do not really know what you experienced; you barely even know what you think you experienced; you only know it was remarkable.
When Neil Gaiman describes a book as "probably the best book in the world," as he did in his introduction for The 13 Clocks, then it is not even up for discussion whether or not you should read it.
You simply ought to.
Over the years of reading, I have found myself appreciating illustrated books more and more. It is not that every book needs to be illustrated, but for the weird and whimsical, I, for some reason, always find it fitting.
This book was perfect for illustrations. It is fun and weird, and the writing is so heavenly that it almost felt as though reading did not do them justice. It was as if they were required to be seen and heard as well.
It is rare that I read a book where I find myself with the urge to read it aloud, but I had that with this one. The phrasing and the peculiar way it was written begged to be spoken into the universe in a way few books compel.
"And while all books are filled with words, this one was different: It slipped into poetry and out of it again in a way that made you want to read it aloud, just to see how it sounded."
I was not sure what I would find when I ventured into this book.
A fairytale was not what I found, but for some reason, reading this book made me feel as though I was being asked as an adult to describe the first fairytale I had ever been told as a kid. It is sort of like being asked to make sense of a dream.
You do not really know what you experienced; you barely even know what you think you experienced; you only know it was remarkable.
June 30, 2025
- ترجمهٔ آیدا عباسی
March 26, 2020
If you're looking for a quirky, unpredictable fairy-tale, this will fit the bill! Lighthearted and with some comical twists on the fairy-tale genre, your family is sure to enjoy this adventurous tale that casts a wicked uncle, a bard and a princess that needs saving ... at least that's what it appears at first glance. Haha!
This unique narrative includes some play on words and jumbled rhymes and prose to keep you on your toes until the happily ever after ending. Delightful illustrations sprinkled throughout!
Ages: 7 - 13
Cleanliness: typical fairy-tale magic with spells and the like.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! You’ll see my updates as I’m reading and know which books I’m liking and what I’m not finishing and why. You’ll also be able to utilize my library for looking up titles to see whether the book you’re thinking about reading next has any objectionable content or not. From swear words, to romance, to bad attitudes (in children’s books), I cover it all!
This unique narrative includes some play on words and jumbled rhymes and prose to keep you on your toes until the happily ever after ending. Delightful illustrations sprinkled throughout!
Ages: 7 - 13
Cleanliness: typical fairy-tale magic with spells and the like.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! You’ll see my updates as I’m reading and know which books I’m liking and what I’m not finishing and why. You’ll also be able to utilize my library for looking up titles to see whether the book you’re thinking about reading next has any objectionable content or not. From swear words, to romance, to bad attitudes (in children’s books), I cover it all!
February 17, 2009
This is certainly a fantasy book from the 50s. It reminds me very much of all the old 50s children books that were in my grandparents' house in California, old books that had been my mother's when she was a little girl. This is partly so because of the illustrations by Marc Simont, who's style is very much like just about any other children's book from the 40s and 50s that I remember reading. In fact, I'm sure he illustrated at least a handful of those very books I remember from my visits to Grandma and Grandad's; the bio in the back of The Thirteen Clocks says he illustrated nearly 100 in his career.
The writing of James Thurber also makes me think of other fifty and sixty year old children's books I've read, because the story bounces along from one non sequitur or deus ex machina to another in a completely carefree manner, not concerned so much with rhyme and reason as it is with being fun and adventuresome. It's true fantasy - things are the odd way they are because, well, in the world of The Thirteen Clocks, that's just the way things are!
For example, the story does not concern itself with who the Golux is or where he came from or what his true motives in helping the hero prince are - it is enough that we, the readers, know that the Golux is a funny little man with a strange hat and even stranger things to say and that of course he would know things that are secret and appear and disappear at will, or otherwise he wouldn't deservedly have a title as odd as 'the Golux'! I'm sure that the Golux makes perfect sense to any child who's read the book with half an imagination, and that strikes me as something that Neil Gaiman would write - so it should be no surprise to you that he wrote the introduction to this pretty little hardcover reprinting.
None of this means that The Thirteen Clocks is fluffy and harmless, fit for Puritan ears; there is the expectedly evil Duke who is, indeed, evil, and there are dark nights with lightning and thunder and an unseen creature here and there waiting to gobble up hapless heroes-to-be. What it does mean is that this book is not heavy and involving. There is a time and place for fantasy works with rich, intricate, worlds and myths and histories laced with their own cogent reason and meaning. There is also a time and place for fantasy that is jaunty and dream-like, and when that mood strikes you, read The Thirteen Clocks.
The writing of James Thurber also makes me think of other fifty and sixty year old children's books I've read, because the story bounces along from one non sequitur or deus ex machina to another in a completely carefree manner, not concerned so much with rhyme and reason as it is with being fun and adventuresome. It's true fantasy - things are the odd way they are because, well, in the world of The Thirteen Clocks, that's just the way things are!
For example, the story does not concern itself with who the Golux is or where he came from or what his true motives in helping the hero prince are - it is enough that we, the readers, know that the Golux is a funny little man with a strange hat and even stranger things to say and that of course he would know things that are secret and appear and disappear at will, or otherwise he wouldn't deservedly have a title as odd as 'the Golux'! I'm sure that the Golux makes perfect sense to any child who's read the book with half an imagination, and that strikes me as something that Neil Gaiman would write - so it should be no surprise to you that he wrote the introduction to this pretty little hardcover reprinting.
None of this means that The Thirteen Clocks is fluffy and harmless, fit for Puritan ears; there is the expectedly evil Duke who is, indeed, evil, and there are dark nights with lightning and thunder and an unseen creature here and there waiting to gobble up hapless heroes-to-be. What it does mean is that this book is not heavy and involving. There is a time and place for fantasy works with rich, intricate, worlds and myths and histories laced with their own cogent reason and meaning. There is also a time and place for fantasy that is jaunty and dream-like, and when that mood strikes you, read The Thirteen Clocks.
December 28, 2011
I don't get the hype.
Look, this was released by Dell Yearling, so theoretically it is a children's novel. Children do not know who James Thurber is, do not usually care about whether or not a story is philosophical or Thurberian, and while they do enjoy wordplay and fun, aren't placing as high a value on it as the sheer delight a story involves. Seeing this on the back cover was my first warning, and the book confirms my right to be.
The writing is like a sword that is so encrusted with brilliant gold, jewels, and finery that you can't actually swing the thing. This is a fairy tale where the writing gets in the way of the tale. It's simply too self-conscious. There's too many knowing winks, descriptions which are cutesy and go on a bit too long for the story, but are finely written and have an exquisite turn of phrase. I can deal with ornate prose in the service of a story: this is the only reason why The Worm Ouroboros works for many people. But the fussiness and the precise, chiseled writing focuses attention on it, and the tale bored me to tears.
For a book which uses a similar idea, but works tremendously, Eleanor Estes's The Witch Family uses the same mechanics of made-up words and surreal situations, but makes it work with memorable characters, no sense of irony or tongue in cheek whatsoever, and evocative settings and plot as well as language. Or if you want how to make a tale that works without it, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase shows how you can use functional, unadorned prose and excellent detail to evoke a far away time and place. Both of these books are small masterpieces of kidlit, much more deserving than this one.
Look, this was released by Dell Yearling, so theoretically it is a children's novel. Children do not know who James Thurber is, do not usually care about whether or not a story is philosophical or Thurberian, and while they do enjoy wordplay and fun, aren't placing as high a value on it as the sheer delight a story involves. Seeing this on the back cover was my first warning, and the book confirms my right to be.
The writing is like a sword that is so encrusted with brilliant gold, jewels, and finery that you can't actually swing the thing. This is a fairy tale where the writing gets in the way of the tale. It's simply too self-conscious. There's too many knowing winks, descriptions which are cutesy and go on a bit too long for the story, but are finely written and have an exquisite turn of phrase. I can deal with ornate prose in the service of a story: this is the only reason why The Worm Ouroboros works for many people. But the fussiness and the precise, chiseled writing focuses attention on it, and the tale bored me to tears.
For a book which uses a similar idea, but works tremendously, Eleanor Estes's The Witch Family uses the same mechanics of made-up words and surreal situations, but makes it work with memorable characters, no sense of irony or tongue in cheek whatsoever, and evocative settings and plot as well as language. Or if you want how to make a tale that works without it, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase shows how you can use functional, unadorned prose and excellent detail to evoke a far away time and place. Both of these books are small masterpieces of kidlit, much more deserving than this one.
April 19, 2014
"An American Classic" the book cover declares. And I agree. For here, one can find many things which America had made famous:
1.Kidnapping - the Princess Saralinda wasn't really the Duke's niece. He kidnapped her when she was little;
2. Vicious Murders - the Duke had killed, and gutted like fish, countless victims and fed their flesh to his geese;
3. Lust - the Duke lusted after Saralinda and was not able to immediately consummate his evil desire only because of a witch's spell (a case of evil suspending another evil);
4. Marriage based merely on lust - Prince Zorn and Princess Saralinda, without any time to even talk, hang out, go out on a date or get to know each other --and just because they're both good-looking--marched immediately off to get married;
5. Materialism - lots of emphasis here on gems and jewels and the message that the rich (Prince) marrying the rich (Princess) is something that goes SOP and need not have any thoughtful deliberation;
6. Espionage - recall the CIA snooping on people, even those non-Americans abroad;
7. Betrayal - the Duke's spies turning out to be traitors;
8. Doublespeak - words are used not in the aid of truth but to confuse, deceive and provide meaningless entertainment; and
9. Sorcery and Witchcraft - the setting is a godless place. The message is the triumph of vice over vice.
First published in 1950, I am sure none of the American kids who grew up with this has turned up to be a saint.
1.Kidnapping - the Princess Saralinda wasn't really the Duke's niece. He kidnapped her when she was little;
2. Vicious Murders - the Duke had killed, and gutted like fish, countless victims and fed their flesh to his geese;
3. Lust - the Duke lusted after Saralinda and was not able to immediately consummate his evil desire only because of a witch's spell (a case of evil suspending another evil);
4. Marriage based merely on lust - Prince Zorn and Princess Saralinda, without any time to even talk, hang out, go out on a date or get to know each other --and just because they're both good-looking--marched immediately off to get married;
5. Materialism - lots of emphasis here on gems and jewels and the message that the rich (Prince) marrying the rich (Princess) is something that goes SOP and need not have any thoughtful deliberation;
6. Espionage - recall the CIA snooping on people, even those non-Americans abroad;
7. Betrayal - the Duke's spies turning out to be traitors;
8. Doublespeak - words are used not in the aid of truth but to confuse, deceive and provide meaningless entertainment; and
9. Sorcery and Witchcraft - the setting is a godless place. The message is the triumph of vice over vice.
First published in 1950, I am sure none of the American kids who grew up with this has turned up to be a saint.
September 18, 2007
Carolyn Cantwell introduced me to this book. She was a concert pianist headed for law school, majoring in American literature. I was a pre-med student fascinated with technology, dissecting fetal pigs in the kitchen. I loved poetry, folk and rock and didn't read books. I looked things up and read the funny papers. I challenged her to find a book that could hold my attention to the end. She took on my cutural development as a project and gave me Thirteen Clocks.
I enjoyed the pictures and set it aside. Then one night while I was building a color television set, she fixed herself a martini, turned off my music, picked up the book and read it aloud. I was hooked. Guggle to zatch.
I don't know how many times I have read it -- to myself and aloud to others. I always enjoy it. The next book on her list was The Little Prince.
I enjoyed the pictures and set it aside. Then one night while I was building a color television set, she fixed herself a martini, turned off my music, picked up the book and read it aloud. I was hooked. Guggle to zatch.
I don't know how many times I have read it -- to myself and aloud to others. I always enjoy it. The next book on her list was The Little Prince.
March 1, 2022
A gothic satire of familiar fairy tale tropes with a dark coat of paint. In a melancholy kingdom where time has frozen and everything is ghostly cold, a prince must solve a series of impossible tasks and riddles in order to save a cursed princess from the clutches of an evil duke who basks in senseless cruelty.
For a children's fairy tale, the villain in this story is one nasty guy. He skins kittens for mittens, kicks baby dogs to death for fun and feeds human suitors to geese. He's a twisted sicko, a worthy adversary for the lead prince to take on.
The way this story plays out reminds me of the scene between Bilbo and Gollum from The Hobbit challenging each other to complex riddles in a dark cave but with even higher stakes on the line.
Funny and chilling, an obscure classic.
For a children's fairy tale, the villain in this story is one nasty guy. He skins kittens for mittens, kicks baby dogs to death for fun and feeds human suitors to geese. He's a twisted sicko, a worthy adversary for the lead prince to take on.
The way this story plays out reminds me of the scene between Bilbo and Gollum from The Hobbit challenging each other to complex riddles in a dark cave but with even higher stakes on the line.
Funny and chilling, an obscure classic.
November 19, 2007
James Thurber's The Thirteen Clocks is an allegorical fairy tale for adults that primarily showcases Thurber's wit and mischievous wordplay. Although it's ostensibly about an evil Duke who keeps his niece, the Princess Saralinda locked in his cold dark castle, where time has been stopped by his own sword, and feeds her potential suitors to his geese, I don't recommend it as a bedtime story to your six-year-old unless you want them to turn out like me. Thanks dad! I mean that. The 13 Clocks is simply one of the most brilliant tales ever spun. The Princess can only be saved by a prince who's name begins with X, the Golux wears an "indescribable hat" and, by his own admission is the only Golux, and not a Mere Device. The Dungeon is inhabited by the Todal, an unseen horror that "feels as though it's made of lip and makes the sound of rabbits screaming." This, like the great WB cartoons of the '30s is perfect entertainment for the young, yet is fraught with puns and puzzles aimed squarely at the well-read. The only people who won't like it are those dried up fools who've lost their sense of wonder. Hopefully that's not you.
"Hark hark, the dogs do bark, the beggars are coming to town,
Some in rags and some in tags and some in velvet gowns.
Hark hark the dogs to bark, the duke is fond of kittens,
he likes to take their insides out and use their fur for mittens."
(from memory)
"Hark hark, the dogs do bark, the beggars are coming to town,
Some in rags and some in tags and some in velvet gowns.
Hark hark the dogs to bark, the duke is fond of kittens,
he likes to take their insides out and use their fur for mittens."
(from memory)
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