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El libro de las maravillas. Cuentos de Tanglewood
«La realidad de Hawthorne fue, siempre, el tenue mundo crepuscular, o lunar, de las imaginaciones fantásticas.» Jorge Luis Borges
De la mano del joven estudiante Eustace Bright, un grupo de niños se inicia en la mitología griega en una serie de veladas y excursiones que se suceden a lo largo de las distintas estaciones del año. Conocidas historias como las de Perseo y Medusa, el rey Midas, la caja de Pandora, Hércules en el jardín de las Hespérides, Teseo y el Minotauro, o Ulises y Circe, les descubren un mundo perdido y mágico, pero vivo en los secretos y prodigios de la naturaleza.
El libro de las maravillas (1852) y Cuentos de Tanglewood (1853) fueron dos de los mayores éxitos de Nathaniel Hawthorne y todavía hoy se cuentan entre las mejores recreaciones del universo colosal y a veces «inextricablemente doloroso» de los antiguos mitos griegos.
Siempre con la idea de que «el corazón de un ser humano común y corriente» es «sin duda diez veces más misterioso que el laberinto de Creta», es éste un clásico indiscutible para todas las edades.
Esta edición se acompaña de las preciosas ilustraciones en color de Walter Crane (1892) y Virginia Frances Sterret (1921).
Nathaniel Hawthorne nació en 1804 y llevó, al menos hasta los treinta y cinco años, una vida sumamente solitaria y rara: desde que su padre, capitán mercante, muriera en 1808, vivió recluido sin salir apenas en la mansión familiar de Salem (Nueva Inglaterra) junto a su madre y sus dos hermanas, con las que al parecer casi ni se veía ni se hablaba. En su soledad, leía y escribía, especialmente cuentos fantásticos, envuelto en la innatural atmósfera de la casa y en su historia de recuerdos trágicos (uno de sus antepasados fue juez en el famoso proceso de las brujas de Salem), que novelaría posteriormente en La casa de los siete tejados (1851).
El problema del mal y de su transmisión a través de las generaciones llegaría a convertirse en el tema por excelencia de sus obras, entre ellas la célebre La letra escarlata (1850).
En 1839, dejó por fin la casa familiar y se instaló en Boston, donde fue inspector de aduanas; en 1842, se casó; participó brevemente en la experiencia de la comuna de Brook Farm, sobre la que escribió una novela, La granja de Blithedale (1852); fue luego cónsul de los Estados Unidos en Liverpool, vivió en Florencia, Roma y Londres, «pero su realidad –dice Borges– fue, siempre, el tenue mundo crepuscular, o lunar, de las imaginaciones fantásticas».
El libro de las maravillas (1852), así como su continuación, Cuentos de Tanglewood (1853), representan la faceta más clara y luminosa de su personalísima obra. Murió en Plymouth (Nueva Inglaterra) en 1864.
Walter Crane (1845-1915) fue un ilustrador inglés, uno de los líderes del movimiento Arts & Crafts. Su trabajo con los clásicos infantiles (los cuentos de los hermanos Grimm, las fábulas de Esopo, las Mil y una noches y El príncipe feliz de Oscar Wilde, entre otros) tuvo una gran influencia en los ilustradores del siglo XX.
Virginia Frances Sterret (1900-1931) fue una ilustradora norteamericana, afín al movimiento Art Nouveau. Entre los clásicos que ilustró se cuentan los cuentos de la condesa de Ségur y las Mil y una noches.
De la mano del joven estudiante Eustace Bright, un grupo de niños se inicia en la mitología griega en una serie de veladas y excursiones que se suceden a lo largo de las distintas estaciones del año. Conocidas historias como las de Perseo y Medusa, el rey Midas, la caja de Pandora, Hércules en el jardín de las Hespérides, Teseo y el Minotauro, o Ulises y Circe, les descubren un mundo perdido y mágico, pero vivo en los secretos y prodigios de la naturaleza.
El libro de las maravillas (1852) y Cuentos de Tanglewood (1853) fueron dos de los mayores éxitos de Nathaniel Hawthorne y todavía hoy se cuentan entre las mejores recreaciones del universo colosal y a veces «inextricablemente doloroso» de los antiguos mitos griegos.
Siempre con la idea de que «el corazón de un ser humano común y corriente» es «sin duda diez veces más misterioso que el laberinto de Creta», es éste un clásico indiscutible para todas las edades.
Esta edición se acompaña de las preciosas ilustraciones en color de Walter Crane (1892) y Virginia Frances Sterret (1921).
Nathaniel Hawthorne nació en 1804 y llevó, al menos hasta los treinta y cinco años, una vida sumamente solitaria y rara: desde que su padre, capitán mercante, muriera en 1808, vivió recluido sin salir apenas en la mansión familiar de Salem (Nueva Inglaterra) junto a su madre y sus dos hermanas, con las que al parecer casi ni se veía ni se hablaba. En su soledad, leía y escribía, especialmente cuentos fantásticos, envuelto en la innatural atmósfera de la casa y en su historia de recuerdos trágicos (uno de sus antepasados fue juez en el famoso proceso de las brujas de Salem), que novelaría posteriormente en La casa de los siete tejados (1851).
El problema del mal y de su transmisión a través de las generaciones llegaría a convertirse en el tema por excelencia de sus obras, entre ellas la célebre La letra escarlata (1850).
En 1839, dejó por fin la casa familiar y se instaló en Boston, donde fue inspector de aduanas; en 1842, se casó; participó brevemente en la experiencia de la comuna de Brook Farm, sobre la que escribió una novela, La granja de Blithedale (1852); fue luego cónsul de los Estados Unidos en Liverpool, vivió en Florencia, Roma y Londres, «pero su realidad –dice Borges– fue, siempre, el tenue mundo crepuscular, o lunar, de las imaginaciones fantásticas».
El libro de las maravillas (1852), así como su continuación, Cuentos de Tanglewood (1853), representan la faceta más clara y luminosa de su personalísima obra. Murió en Plymouth (Nueva Inglaterra) en 1864.
Walter Crane (1845-1915) fue un ilustrador inglés, uno de los líderes del movimiento Arts & Crafts. Su trabajo con los clásicos infantiles (los cuentos de los hermanos Grimm, las fábulas de Esopo, las Mil y una noches y El príncipe feliz de Oscar Wilde, entre otros) tuvo una gran influencia en los ilustradores del siglo XX.
Virginia Frances Sterret (1900-1931) fue una ilustradora norteamericana, afín al movimiento Art Nouveau. Entre los clásicos que ilustró se cuentan los cuentos de la condesa de Ségur y las Mil y una noches.
458 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1851
363 people are currently reading
2826 people want to read
About the author
Nathaniel Hawthorne
5,346 books3,511 followersNathaniel Hawthorne was a 19th century American novelist and short story writer. He is seen as a key figure in the development of American literature for his tales of the nation's colonial history.
Shortly after graduating from Bowdoin College, Hathorne changed his name to Hawthorne. Hawthorne anonymously published his first work, a novel titled Fanshawe, in 1828. In 1837, he published Twice-Told Tales and became engaged to painter and illustrator Sophia Peabody the next year. He worked at a Custom House and joined a Transcendentalist Utopian community, before marrying Peabody in 1842. The couple moved to The Old Manse in Concord, Massachusetts, later moving to Salem, the Berkshires, then to The Wayside in Concord. The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850, followed by a succession of other novels. A political appointment took Hawthorne and family to Europe before returning to The Wayside in 1860. Hawthorne died on May 19, 1864, leaving behind his wife and their three children.
Much of Hawthorne's writing centers around New England and many feature moral allegories with a Puritan inspiration. His work is considered part of the Romantic movement and includes novels, short stories, and a biography of his friend, the United States President Franklin Pierce.
Shortly after graduating from Bowdoin College, Hathorne changed his name to Hawthorne. Hawthorne anonymously published his first work, a novel titled Fanshawe, in 1828. In 1837, he published Twice-Told Tales and became engaged to painter and illustrator Sophia Peabody the next year. He worked at a Custom House and joined a Transcendentalist Utopian community, before marrying Peabody in 1842. The couple moved to The Old Manse in Concord, Massachusetts, later moving to Salem, the Berkshires, then to The Wayside in Concord. The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850, followed by a succession of other novels. A political appointment took Hawthorne and family to Europe before returning to The Wayside in 1860. Hawthorne died on May 19, 1864, leaving behind his wife and their three children.
Much of Hawthorne's writing centers around New England and many feature moral allegories with a Puritan inspiration. His work is considered part of the Romantic movement and includes novels, short stories, and a biography of his friend, the United States President Franklin Pierce.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
February 6, 2018
Una gran introducción a los mitos griegos, con unas ilustraciones maravillosas de Walter Crane y Virginia Frances Sterret.
El libro de las maravillas contiene seis cuentos, historias que todo el mundo conoce, más o menos: Pandora, Atlas y el Jardín de las Hespérides, el Rey Midas, Perseo y la Medusa... algo modificadas, más simples, más en forma de cuento. Muy entretenido y la estructura, una gozada.
Aunque ponga para niños y niñas, creo que cualquier adulto puede disfrutarlas de la misma manera, me ha gustado esto que pone el autor en el prólogo: En la presente versión han perdido gran parte de su aspecto clásico (o, en cualquier caso, al autor no le ha preocupado preservarlo) y pueden, quizá, haber cobrado una forma gótica o romántica.
Al llevar a cabo esta grata tarea, porque ha sido de verdad una tarea idónea para un tiempo de estío, y una de las más agradables, en materia literaria, que haya podido emprender, el autor no siempre ha creído necesario rebajar su estilo a fin de satisfacer la comprensión de los niños. En general, ha dejado que el tema se eleve, si ésa era su inclinación, y si él personalmente tenía ánimos suficientes para seguirlo sin esfuerzo. Los niños tienen una sensibilidad incalculable para todo lo que es elevado y profundo, en imaginación y sentimiento, siempre y cuando sea también sencillo. Sólo lo artificial y complejo los desconcierta.
El segundo libro, Cuentos de Tanglewood me ha gustado menos. No sigue la misma estructura, aquí todos los cuentos van seguidos, y le quita algo de encanto, y con los cuentos me ha pasado lo mismo, algunos se me han hecho algo pesados: Los dientes del dragón no me gusta cómo lo termina, un poco abrupto, y en Las semillas de la granada, le quita toda la fuerza al mito de Proserpina.
El libro de las maravillas contiene seis cuentos, historias que todo el mundo conoce, más o menos: Pandora, Atlas y el Jardín de las Hespérides, el Rey Midas, Perseo y la Medusa... algo modificadas, más simples, más en forma de cuento. Muy entretenido y la estructura, una gozada.
Aunque ponga para niños y niñas, creo que cualquier adulto puede disfrutarlas de la misma manera, me ha gustado esto que pone el autor en el prólogo: En la presente versión han perdido gran parte de su aspecto clásico (o, en cualquier caso, al autor no le ha preocupado preservarlo) y pueden, quizá, haber cobrado una forma gótica o romántica.
Al llevar a cabo esta grata tarea, porque ha sido de verdad una tarea idónea para un tiempo de estío, y una de las más agradables, en materia literaria, que haya podido emprender, el autor no siempre ha creído necesario rebajar su estilo a fin de satisfacer la comprensión de los niños. En general, ha dejado que el tema se eleve, si ésa era su inclinación, y si él personalmente tenía ánimos suficientes para seguirlo sin esfuerzo. Los niños tienen una sensibilidad incalculable para todo lo que es elevado y profundo, en imaginación y sentimiento, siempre y cuando sea también sencillo. Sólo lo artificial y complejo los desconcierta.
El segundo libro, Cuentos de Tanglewood me ha gustado menos. No sigue la misma estructura, aquí todos los cuentos van seguidos, y le quita algo de encanto, y con los cuentos me ha pasado lo mismo, algunos se me han hecho algo pesados: Los dientes del dragón no me gusta cómo lo termina, un poco abrupto, y en Las semillas de la granada, le quita toda la fuerza al mito de Proserpina.
November 28, 2011
Today, Nathaniel Hawthorne, former United States consul to Great Britain, is remembered more for his literary masterpieces like The Scarlet Letter and The House of Seven Gables, less for his contribution to children’s literature. First published in 1853, this story is a sequel to a popular book called A Wonder Book. In both books Hawthorne retells Greek myths and covers the tales of the Minotaur, Pgymies, dragon’s teeth, Circe’s palace, pomegranate seeds, and Golden Fleece in this narrative. Hawthorne’s brilliance reveals itself in the narrative frame around these stories: the book begins with children, named poetically after flowers, gathering around a benign storyteller to hear these occasionally gruesome tales. The storyteller, Mr. Bright, spares no details and edits nothing out of the original Greek stories, but the children know they are safe with him as their guide to the Greek mythic world. And there is something delicious about being a little scared, when you have friends around you, otherwise children wouldn’t beg for ghost stories around a campfire. Establishing a setting like that, Hawthorne proceeds to translate the Greek literary myths that many readers today would know the basic tenets of, but the author writes detailed accounts of each. Rich vocabulary and flawlessly made speeches on the part of the Greek heroes make this book a veritable jewel to read. Hawthorne’s diction will deter all but the advanced and/or highly interested student. His account of the myths combines his own literary powers with the storytelling powers of the Greeks—this book should be considered a classic. Available for free download as a book in the public domain, public libraries should have at least one copy, whether print or electronic. Recommended for public libraries, not recommended for school libraries.
June 15, 2022
I’m not certain of Hawthorne’s target audience but I have to assume, after reading this, that it was medieval cosplayers between the ages of seven and seventeen. This has a Shakespearean verbiage that may have been in vogue in 1853, but now reads as pretentious and wordy. Still, there were a few moments when this adaptation of Greek mythology was magical—but a few inspired bits here and there ‘doth not a classic make.’
October 28, 2024
A collection of Greek myths retold by Nathaniel Hawthorne and first published in the 1850s, I’m thinking this is written for a very young audience with how Theseus is described as a good king for listening to his mum, and Medea as wicked and naughty (which did make me laugh).
There’s a lot of books I have not read, this is one of the many which my younger self would have found fun and engaging. My current self, putting aside the outdated stereotypes, was enchanted by the adventures, the little bit of magic, the monsters to fight, some quirky characters and the heroic deeds. Okay, the last one I care the least about but it made the story.
My edition from the public domain (Project Gutenberg) ended when the last story ended when I wanted the book to carry on and tell me more stories, or maybe I’m just making up for lost time of not having books like this to read.
There’s a lot of books I have not read, this is one of the many which my younger self would have found fun and engaging. My current self, putting aside the outdated stereotypes, was enchanted by the adventures, the little bit of magic, the monsters to fight, some quirky characters and the heroic deeds. Okay, the last one I care the least about but it made the story.
My edition from the public domain (Project Gutenberg) ended when the last story ended when I wanted the book to carry on and tell me more stories, or maybe I’m just making up for lost time of not having books like this to read.
November 5, 2013
This is a delightful edition of Hawthorne's Greek mythology for young readers. With a heavy cloth imprint, 150 gsm premium paper, and the 1920s illustrations from Virginia Frances Sterrett, this is one of those books that takes pride-of-place on the bookshelf. Essentially a reprint of the 1921 Penn Publishing volume, this is a win-win for youngster and adult alike.
Mr. Hawthorne wrote these tales as a way to have the myths explained for younger ears. And I do mean "ears" as these stories are meant to be read aloud to children, who will appreciate the wonder of Jason and the Golden Fleece, the terror of the Minotaur, the humor of Giant and the Pygmies, the adventures of Ulysses, the sadness of Mother Ceres, and the shock of the Dragon's Teeth. With his New England Puritan touch, Hawthorne turns these famous characters into accessible good-vs-evil allegories, and the illustrations make everything work together.
Sterrett's artwork is art-deco-ish with lithe males and elegant women. Really a treasure, such a shame she died so young.
Book Season = Autumn (moonbeams)
Mr. Hawthorne wrote these tales as a way to have the myths explained for younger ears. And I do mean "ears" as these stories are meant to be read aloud to children, who will appreciate the wonder of Jason and the Golden Fleece, the terror of the Minotaur, the humor of Giant and the Pygmies, the adventures of Ulysses, the sadness of Mother Ceres, and the shock of the Dragon's Teeth. With his New England Puritan touch, Hawthorne turns these famous characters into accessible good-vs-evil allegories, and the illustrations make everything work together.
Sterrett's artwork is art-deco-ish with lithe males and elegant women. Really a treasure, such a shame she died so young.
Book Season = Autumn (moonbeams)
Read
October 9, 2014I didn't rate this because I chose to walk away from it. I won't say it was bad - the writing was fine. I just tend to prefer my fairy tales and myths with all the dark edges and dirty bits, so the cleanup wasn't to my taste. Hawthorne's child-proofing of the myths goes so far that he makes Ariadne stay with her father out of filial devotion, rather than running off with Theseus. I also found the use of Roman deity names in Greek myths annoying. While these may seem superficial reasons to walk away from a book, I have always loved the Greek myths and I didn't want to spend time reading sanitized retellings that I could use to read something new.
January 13, 2019
Excellent book. I love Nathaniel Hawthorne's writing.
November 16, 2021
I love reading Greek Myths. They are tales of flawed heroes, gargantuan monsters, and what happens when mankind tries to create their own gods.
Tanglewood tales took all that away.
Instead there were perfect heroes, easily defeating enemies and no mentions of the gods. As Christians, the purpose of Greek myths is a way of showing what happens when mankind creates their own deities. The gods of Greek mythology were lying rapists and tyrants and the heroes that they lorded over were illegitimate children who followed in the ways of their parents.
I understand that this book was meant for young children but no one in the modern era appreciates a story where all the heroes are strong, handsome, perfect men and all the ‘damsels’ are weak, in need of help, beautiful and ‘tender.’
The only strong females were Circe and Medea and both were portrayed as villains. There was also Atlanta, but she barely got 2 sentences
I’ve read Nathaniel Hawthorne’s book of pirates and Robin Hood and loved them, but this book was a disappointment.
One star for rich writing and strong vocabulary. All ages.
Personally I think I’m going to stick with the original tales. At least those portrayed them as they were supposed to be: stories with morals and lessons despite the paganism reflected in them. I’m done with this TANGLE of pathetic characters and a lame plot.
Tanglewood tales took all that away.
Instead there were perfect heroes, easily defeating enemies and no mentions of the gods. As Christians, the purpose of Greek myths is a way of showing what happens when mankind creates their own deities. The gods of Greek mythology were lying rapists and tyrants and the heroes that they lorded over were illegitimate children who followed in the ways of their parents.
I understand that this book was meant for young children but no one in the modern era appreciates a story where all the heroes are strong, handsome, perfect men and all the ‘damsels’ are weak, in need of help, beautiful and ‘tender.’
The only strong females were Circe and Medea and both were portrayed as villains. There was also Atlanta, but she barely got 2 sentences
I’ve read Nathaniel Hawthorne’s book of pirates and Robin Hood and loved them, but this book was a disappointment.
One star for rich writing and strong vocabulary. All ages.
Personally I think I’m going to stick with the original tales. At least those portrayed them as they were supposed to be: stories with morals and lessons despite the paganism reflected in them. I’m done with this TANGLE of pathetic characters and a lame plot.
March 30, 2019
This was fun!
I had no idea that Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote children's books, but he did a pretty good job of this one.
Of all the retellings in this book, The Minotaur was probably my favorite. Theseus was such a fun hero, and all the odd little twists and turns made for a fun story.
Even though all the myths were watered down a little so as to be kid-friendly, Hawthorne did a good job of making sure that each one was still a very fun story. The descriptions were especially lovely, and some of the myth' s more ridiculous elements were jist played for comedy, which I really liked.
The language was a little stiff at times, and occasionally the stories would try to force one moral or another, but not so vociferously as to keep them from being enjoyable.
More than anything else, this book was just plain fun--an enjoyable trip into a low-stakes fantasy world with lots of wild monsters, courageous heroes, and a surprising amount of cows.
I had no idea that Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote children's books, but he did a pretty good job of this one.
Of all the retellings in this book, The Minotaur was probably my favorite. Theseus was such a fun hero, and all the odd little twists and turns made for a fun story.
Even though all the myths were watered down a little so as to be kid-friendly, Hawthorne did a good job of making sure that each one was still a very fun story. The descriptions were especially lovely, and some of the myth' s more ridiculous elements were jist played for comedy, which I really liked.
The language was a little stiff at times, and occasionally the stories would try to force one moral or another, but not so vociferously as to keep them from being enjoyable.
More than anything else, this book was just plain fun--an enjoyable trip into a low-stakes fantasy world with lots of wild monsters, courageous heroes, and a surprising amount of cows.
August 1, 2016
I listened to these Greek myths as told by Nathaniel Hawthorne over a weekend. My kids listened to some of these as well and really enjoyed the ones that they heard. I'm sure they'll request that we download these again the next time we have a long car ride as we all enjoyed listening. The stories are written as if being told to young listeners, so they translate perfectly to audio format.
I always forget how many familiar story lines have origins in ancient Greece. These tales are truly timeless -- first told in Greece, written in this form in the 1800s, and enjoyed in 2016 by children and adults. Part of what is so engaging here is that the tales are told in rich language by a master storyteller. The full cast recording also brings the stories to life.
I always forget how many familiar story lines have origins in ancient Greece. These tales are truly timeless -- first told in Greece, written in this form in the 1800s, and enjoyed in 2016 by children and adults. Part of what is so engaging here is that the tales are told in rich language by a master storyteller. The full cast recording also brings the stories to life.
April 14, 2024
➳ 3.5 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
i enjoyed the greek mythology in this one, and there were stories i liked and stories that were just ok but overall a good read 😌☁️
୧ ‧₊˚ 🍓 ⋅ ☆
i enjoyed the greek mythology in this one, and there were stories i liked and stories that were just ok but overall a good read 😌☁️
୧ ‧₊˚ 🍓 ⋅ ☆
April 2, 2024
The actual myths are pretty good. But there also plenty of way better versions with way better writing to choose from. I know I have had a lot of beef with Nathaniel Hawthorne in the past, but you seriously have got to respect and admire the purely unfounded and enthusiastic confidence he had in his writing style to think this version of the Greek myths would be more enjoyable to read for people than literally any of the other bajillion versions of this. Trust me. They are ALL more fun to read than this. Percy Jackson's Greek Gods is an actual existing book for goodness' sake! Who wants to read these myths told by the same bland writer who brought you gems like 'The Scarlet Letter' and 'The Celestial Railroad' when you could read it told by a snarky teen? But alas, I envy Nathaniel Hawthorne. I wish I could have the same blissful ignorance of all of my downfalls. At least I KNOW I'm not a very good writer, but even I don't write stories with the singular motive of putting readers to sleep in a very effective, yet inhumane fashion. It's a rare occurrence to come across a book that both manages to be extremely long winded and prosey, yet not manage to fill you in on ANY of the important descriptions and also not sound poetic at all.
Oh, and I forgot. It also cleans up all of the dark stuff in the myths to be more 'kid friendly' and make the characters 'better role models'. You can still write the myths in a way that is kid appropriate without completely altering the stories to be something completely separate to what the myths are supposed to be. I don't think the characters in myths need to be good role models. The story doesn't even need to teach a good lesson. You kind of lose the heart of the myths when you take out all of the horrible and disgusting elements, because that's just what Greek myths are. You can't toddlerify them to such an extreme degree and still call them Greek myths.
Oh, and I forgot. It also cleans up all of the dark stuff in the myths to be more 'kid friendly' and make the characters 'better role models'. You can still write the myths in a way that is kid appropriate without completely altering the stories to be something completely separate to what the myths are supposed to be. I don't think the characters in myths need to be good role models. The story doesn't even need to teach a good lesson. You kind of lose the heart of the myths when you take out all of the horrible and disgusting elements, because that's just what Greek myths are. You can't toddlerify them to such an extreme degree and still call them Greek myths.
August 10, 2023
Fun and quirky myth retellings.
June 24, 2019
This is a fun collection, Hawthorne's second, of Greek myths lightly re-interpreted and retold for children. They're well-known stories with a rather friendlier take. Antaeus has some buddies (his brothers) that are called "pygmies" but which seem to be about six inches tall, for example. But they rally to avenge him after Hercules kills him, and the big H takes the loss good-naturedly. Theseus still slays the Minotaur, though the beast seems to be something of an unfortunate soul, but doesn't abandon Ariadne—rather, she refuses to abandon her father, for all his faults.
There are little nuggets of wisdom cleverly dropped in. When describing how Antaeus just watches the pygmies go about their business, and only interferes when one of their wars (against the cranes!) is going badly for them, he says something to the effect of "the best thing big people can do for little people is let them manage their own affairs." There are similar "I see what you did there" moments throughout which are quite charming.
Fun little read.
There are little nuggets of wisdom cleverly dropped in. When describing how Antaeus just watches the pygmies go about their business, and only interferes when one of their wars (against the cranes!) is going badly for them, he says something to the effect of "the best thing big people can do for little people is let them manage their own affairs." There are similar "I see what you did there" moments throughout which are quite charming.
Fun little read.
Read
June 11, 2024I read the copy by Dutton and Co. but it was a thrift store find and can't find the edition here. Read aloud with my fifth grader with my younger children often listening in.
January 19, 2018
This is an awesome introduction to Greek mythology! It is clean and fun. I think I would even let toddlers read it (though they might not understand a few of the words). I was reading this to refresh my mythology in preparation for the National Latin Exam (yikes!). This is a great book and I would recommend it to everyone.
May 9, 2016
Tanglewood Tales is one of those book titles I've known forever, while having no idea what it was about. I rather wish I hadn't bothered. No-one can quite kill the imaginative force of the Greek myths, but Hawthorne comes fairly near. I found the style insufferably coy and condescending.
June 7, 2020
A book like Tanglewood Tales is not the sort of book I would normally scout out for myself, seeing as it is a children's book, but after receiving it as a gift, I'm very glad I gave it a chance. This collection of short stories are concerned with mainly Greek (with some Roman) mythology and although they are shortened to appeal to a younger audience, I would still say are quite advanced in terms of language and so would encourage any readers of any age to pick this up. For the rest of my review, I would like to focus on the individual six short stories in which it contained:
The Minotaur
This was the only one of the six short stories that I was honestly a little bit disappointed in. With the tale of the Minotaur being so famous and action-packed, Hawthorne's retelling fell short in my expectations and lacked any type of excitement, with the first half of this story seeming most like unrelated filler used just to get the page count up. That being said, overall, this collection was awarded five stars due to the other stories being so simplistically brilliant that I felt I could forgive this one.
The Pygmies
This one was much better than the first one and was one that I had never heard of was refreshing to learn a new story rather than having a retelling of one I was familiar with. What made this short story so charming was its characters; six inch men being friends with a giant, what more could you possibly want?
The Dragon's Teeth
Initially, I had mixed feelings about this one because right up until the last few pages, it had seemed that Hawthorne was going to ignore the initial issue he had created and never provide any resolution and although the 'resolution' he gave - if you could call it that - wasn't really what I was hoping for, it didn't make this story as infuriating as it was about to make me.
Circe's Palace
After studying The Odyssey in college for a year straight and honestly being entirely sick of the storyline and the characters, this one did not excite me from the title in the slightest and instead I dreaded having to read it. That being said, the way Hawthorne retold this story made it such a delightful, non-strenuous experience and even provided a good moral story about greed in the midst of his storytelling.
The Pomegranate Seeds
This story was filled with pathos and a little bit repetitive on that account, meaning that I don't have really too much to say about this one apart from the fact it also offered a good moral story for children and taught the importance of not straying away from familiar places alone and listening to your elders.
The Golden Fleece
A particularly nice end to the collection of short stories with this one, being littered with references from each story that came before it.
The Minotaur
This was the only one of the six short stories that I was honestly a little bit disappointed in. With the tale of the Minotaur being so famous and action-packed, Hawthorne's retelling fell short in my expectations and lacked any type of excitement, with the first half of this story seeming most like unrelated filler used just to get the page count up. That being said, overall, this collection was awarded five stars due to the other stories being so simplistically brilliant that I felt I could forgive this one.
The Pygmies
This one was much better than the first one and was one that I had never heard of was refreshing to learn a new story rather than having a retelling of one I was familiar with. What made this short story so charming was its characters; six inch men being friends with a giant, what more could you possibly want?
The Dragon's Teeth
Initially, I had mixed feelings about this one because right up until the last few pages, it had seemed that Hawthorne was going to ignore the initial issue he had created and never provide any resolution and although the 'resolution' he gave - if you could call it that - wasn't really what I was hoping for, it didn't make this story as infuriating as it was about to make me.
Circe's Palace
After studying The Odyssey in college for a year straight and honestly being entirely sick of the storyline and the characters, this one did not excite me from the title in the slightest and instead I dreaded having to read it. That being said, the way Hawthorne retold this story made it such a delightful, non-strenuous experience and even provided a good moral story about greed in the midst of his storytelling.
The Pomegranate Seeds
This story was filled with pathos and a little bit repetitive on that account, meaning that I don't have really too much to say about this one apart from the fact it also offered a good moral story for children and taught the importance of not straying away from familiar places alone and listening to your elders.
The Golden Fleece
A particularly nice end to the collection of short stories with this one, being littered with references from each story that came before it.
November 9, 2025
Two stars ⭐️⭐️
This was a school read and is about Greek mythology. It was written during the late 1800s (which means it was also written in old English.) it felt very dry and hard to follow. Now I’m interested in Greek mythology when it comes to a story like Percy Jackson. But in this case, it felt like I had to force myself to sit down and read it. If you’re very into Greek mythology, I might recommend this to you but personally, I did not enjoy it.
This was a school read and is about Greek mythology. It was written during the late 1800s (which means it was also written in old English.) it felt very dry and hard to follow. Now I’m interested in Greek mythology when it comes to a story like Percy Jackson. But in this case, it felt like I had to force myself to sit down and read it. If you’re very into Greek mythology, I might recommend this to you but personally, I did not enjoy it.
June 13, 2018
Readers can find a great collection of short stories based on greek myths. The Gorgon's Head,The Three Golden Apples. The Miraculous Pitcher, The Golden Fleece, The Golden Touch. The Paradise of Children, The Minotaur, The Pygmies, The Dragon's Teeth, Circe's Palace,The Pomegranate Seeds, The Chimaer and The Wayside are all great short tales.
August 25, 2021
What a fun, exciting and thoroughly engaging introduction to myths. The background information is minimal, and I am sure that as I learn more about myths this book will tell me even more. Until then, I was still about to learn and see connections between these little tales and others. A great read!
July 21, 2019
¡Casi un año!
Me costo un mundo leerlo...
Lo encontré aburrido...
Lo sentí largooooooooooo
Me costo un mundo leerlo...
Lo encontré aburrido...
Lo sentí largooooooooooo
August 5, 2020
This is a fun collection of Greek myths, some I've heard before and some I haven't.
June 8, 2021
Diversão garantida para pais e filhos! Uma reunião de contos da mitologia grega, feitos heróicos, exemplos de bravura, coragem, sacrifício e amor ao próximo.
October 12, 2023
Read aloud to my 8-year-old son. It was a definite favourite!
November 26, 2023
Przeczytane (a właściwie - przesłuchane): ,,Chimera" oraz ,,Dziecięcy raj"
November 28, 2023
Tratando con algunos mitos grecos, claramente este libro tiene más que ver con niños (mira al título). Pero es una introducción ligera, con una falta de sustancia.
November 11, 2024
school book bro
November 12, 2024
This is not my favorite rendition of these Greek myths, I'm quite partial to D'Aulaire's versions, but it is interesting to see the influences of Hawthorne's surroundings.
January 26, 2025
Very different from what I'm used to from Hawthorn. Took me a bit to wrap my head around it. I learned a lot and enjoyed it more as uwide i read. By the end I didn't want it to be over.
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