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The Land of Green Ginger
This beloved classic is a funny, clever, and original novel that opens with Aladdin - now Emperor of China - trying to decide what to name his new son, a child who won't stop talking and is already far too articulate for his own good. The Genie of the Lamp announces that Abu Ali should be the child's name and that his destiny is to rescue the magician who created the Land of Green Ginger - a sort of fabulous floating garden - and then turned himself into a Button-Nosed Tortoise by mistake. Abu Ali is told he is the only one who can find the peripatetic island, locate the Button-Nosed Tortoise, and reverse the spell. And so begins a series of adventures that invoke a memorable cast of characters, some despicable, some feckless, and some (no surprise) beautiful and feisty.The Land of Green Ginger was first published in 1937, this edition is the 1962 reading by Noel Langley himself at the studios of WBAI.The preface to the recording states that Langley cut down the length of the text himself so that it would fit on a single record.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1937
15 people are currently reading
761 people want to read
About the author
Noel Langley
46 books7 followersNoel Langley (December 25, 1911 – November 4, 1980) was a successful novelist, playwright, screenwriter and director. While under contract to MGM he was one of the screenwriters for The Wizard of Oz. He was chosen for the job on the basis of his children's story, The Tale of the Land of Green Ginger — a children's classic which has seldom been out of print since it was first published in 1937. However, his finished script for The Wizard of Oz was somewhat revised by Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf, revisions that Langley himself strongly objected to, but which appear in the finished film. Langley is on record as saying that he hated the completed product, an opinion not borne out by the general critical and public consensus. The Wizard of Oz has become one of the best-loved films ever made. He attempted to write a sequel based on The Marvelous Land of Oz using many of the concepts he had added to its predecessor, but this was never realized.
Born in Durban, South Africa, he was first an author and a successful Broadway playwright. Langley began writing for films in the 1930s. After World War II, Langley worked on many British films including the film noir They Made Me a Fugitive (1947), the remake of Tom Brown's Schooldays (1951), the Alastair Sim Scrooge (1951), The Pickwick Papers (1952), Ivanhoe (1952) and the Technicolor The Prisoner of Zenda (1952). (His contribution to Zenda, however, was minimal, since the 1952 film followed the script of the 1937 film version, on which Langley did not work, nearly word-for-word.)
In 1964, Langley made a series of tapes for New York radio station WBAI, reading "The Tale of the Land of Green Ginger" in its entirety. He subsequently edited it down to fit on an LP, which was issued by the listener-sponsored station and offered as a fund-raising premium. Langley continued to write novels and plays throughout his life. He also wrote short stories for the Saturday Evening Post and other magazines.
Langley died in 1980 in Desert Hot Springs, California, United States.
Born in Durban, South Africa, he was first an author and a successful Broadway playwright. Langley began writing for films in the 1930s. After World War II, Langley worked on many British films including the film noir They Made Me a Fugitive (1947), the remake of Tom Brown's Schooldays (1951), the Alastair Sim Scrooge (1951), The Pickwick Papers (1952), Ivanhoe (1952) and the Technicolor The Prisoner of Zenda (1952). (His contribution to Zenda, however, was minimal, since the 1952 film followed the script of the 1937 film version, on which Langley did not work, nearly word-for-word.)
In 1964, Langley made a series of tapes for New York radio station WBAI, reading "The Tale of the Land of Green Ginger" in its entirety. He subsequently edited it down to fit on an LP, which was issued by the listener-sponsored station and offered as a fund-raising premium. Langley continued to write novels and plays throughout his life. He also wrote short stories for the Saturday Evening Post and other magazines.
Langley died in 1980 in Desert Hot Springs, California, United States.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
January 27, 2015
This 1975 version simplifies and removes much of the wonderful elaboration of language that is to be found in the 1966 text. Such dumbing down is distressing to one who knows and loves the theatricality of the 1966 text. The 1975 version is nowhere near as much of a pleasure to read aloud, and dress-up and act to; though the removal of much capitalisation can, for some, make it considerably easier (if less colourful in the imagination) to read silently.
For example:
“Every afternoon, just before Silver Bud went for her Daily Walk around the Lily Pond, Sulkpot Ben Nagnag’s Special Guards, armed with large knives and long spears, marched round the Garden, and at every hundred paces – which the Captain of the Guard counted loudly under his breath – a Guard was left on duty. Each Guard had a Whistle, and orders to Blow First and Ask Questions Afterwards.” (p.63).
“Every afternoon, just before Silver Bud took her daily walk around the lily pond, Sulkpot Ben Nagnag’s special guards marched round the garden armed with large knives and long spears. At every hundred paces – which the Captain of the Guard counted under his breath – a guard was left on duty. Each guard had a whistle, and his orders were to blow first and ask questions later.” (p.56).
So, horses for courses. If you want your child to grow up with a love of the English language, and to move seamlessly between the Land of Green Ginger, Shakespeare, and Antony Trollope; then search high & low for a copy of Noel Langley’s superb 1966 text. If your child looks like turning into a button nosed tortoise a budding mathematician or engineer, then the 1975 version may go down better.
Best of all, buy both because different members of your family (including you) may have different preferences.
For example:
“Every afternoon, just before Silver Bud went for her Daily Walk around the Lily Pond, Sulkpot Ben Nagnag’s Special Guards, armed with large knives and long spears, marched round the Garden, and at every hundred paces – which the Captain of the Guard counted loudly under his breath – a Guard was left on duty. Each Guard had a Whistle, and orders to Blow First and Ask Questions Afterwards.” (p.63).
“Every afternoon, just before Silver Bud took her daily walk around the lily pond, Sulkpot Ben Nagnag’s special guards marched round the garden armed with large knives and long spears. At every hundred paces – which the Captain of the Guard counted under his breath – a guard was left on duty. Each guard had a whistle, and his orders were to blow first and ask questions later.” (p.56).
So, horses for courses. If you want your child to grow up with a love of the English language, and to move seamlessly between the Land of Green Ginger, Shakespeare, and Antony Trollope; then search high & low for a copy of Noel Langley’s superb 1966 text. If your child looks like turning into a button nosed tortoise a budding mathematician or engineer, then the 1975 version may go down better.
Best of all, buy both because different members of your family (including you) may have different preferences.
August 28, 2023
We had a first edition copy of this in my parents' library, which sadly I think went as part of a job lot of books in an auction. It was signed to my Dad, most likely because Noel Langley wrote the screenplay for and directed the 1952 film of Pickwick Papers, in which Dad starred as Samuel Pickwick.
June 26, 2015
This may be a pointless review. The copy I have is an original 1937 edition which, so far as I know, is the only one to contain the beautiful original colour illustrations by the author.
Many (if not all) paperback editions may also have a different ending, which is unforgivable - there was nothing wrong wit the original.
The book tells of the adventures of Abu Ali, the son of Aladdin, who has become the Emperor of China. It strength lies in the wonderful characters that people the book, from the young djinn, Boomalakka Wee to the wicked princes Tintac Ping Foo and Rubdub ben Thud.
It's a delight - in the original edition. The same plates were used to publish it in the USA, and these editions can still be found at a more reasonable price than the UK originals.
Recommended if you can find it.
Many (if not all) paperback editions may also have a different ending, which is unforgivable - there was nothing wrong wit the original.
The book tells of the adventures of Abu Ali, the son of Aladdin, who has become the Emperor of China. It strength lies in the wonderful characters that people the book, from the young djinn, Boomalakka Wee to the wicked princes Tintac Ping Foo and Rubdub ben Thud.
It's a delight - in the original edition. The same plates were used to publish it in the USA, and these editions can still be found at a more reasonable price than the UK originals.
Recommended if you can find it.
June 20, 2016
Just to be clear, I am talking about the 2015 reprinted edition of the 1966 version of this book!
The Land of Green Ginger is a wonderful children's book, and as an added bonus makes for a wonderful adult book as well. I first came across it many years ago, as a young child, from a public library. I then lost track of it for a while before finding it again in a bookshop in the town where I lived as an older child. But like the Land of Green Ginger itself, the book floated away somewhere while I wasn't paying attention, and only the fragrant memory remained. But then very recently I saw it in a local bookshop, and seized the moment to buy it again.
I understand that in the intervening years, an abridged version was published, which many people do not like, but the one I know and love is the 1966 version, reprinted again in 2015. Never having seen the shorter version, I cannot comment on what was left out, but the full story is well worth it.
In essence, The Land of Green Ginger picks up the story of Aladdin after he was married and living happily ever after. It's a sort of next-generation Aladdin, if you like, written in a gentle and delightful prose which draws you into the wide lands between China, Persia and Arabia - though geography is never really taken very seriously, and is certainly never a constraint on people's movements.
The villains are truly villainous, seeking nothing more than to deceive the innocent, and concocting wicked and apparently invincible plans for advancing their own cause. The good guys and girls, whether human, animal, or mythological are authentically good, though frequently absent-minded and careless. They bumble their way through a series of mishaps to successfully thwart the schemes of the wicked. The happy ending is never really in doubt, even though the obstacles continue to pile up until the very last chapter.
All in all it's a great book, whether you buy it to give to - or read to - a child, or just for your own pleasure.
The Land of Green Ginger is a wonderful children's book, and as an added bonus makes for a wonderful adult book as well. I first came across it many years ago, as a young child, from a public library. I then lost track of it for a while before finding it again in a bookshop in the town where I lived as an older child. But like the Land of Green Ginger itself, the book floated away somewhere while I wasn't paying attention, and only the fragrant memory remained. But then very recently I saw it in a local bookshop, and seized the moment to buy it again.
I understand that in the intervening years, an abridged version was published, which many people do not like, but the one I know and love is the 1966 version, reprinted again in 2015. Never having seen the shorter version, I cannot comment on what was left out, but the full story is well worth it.
In essence, The Land of Green Ginger picks up the story of Aladdin after he was married and living happily ever after. It's a sort of next-generation Aladdin, if you like, written in a gentle and delightful prose which draws you into the wide lands between China, Persia and Arabia - though geography is never really taken very seriously, and is certainly never a constraint on people's movements.
The villains are truly villainous, seeking nothing more than to deceive the innocent, and concocting wicked and apparently invincible plans for advancing their own cause. The good guys and girls, whether human, animal, or mythological are authentically good, though frequently absent-minded and careless. They bumble their way through a series of mishaps to successfully thwart the schemes of the wicked. The happy ending is never really in doubt, even though the obstacles continue to pile up until the very last chapter.
All in all it's a great book, whether you buy it to give to - or read to - a child, or just for your own pleasure.
June 29, 2023
Several years ago, I became aware of The Land of Green Ginger by Noel Langley. At that time, I purchased what was readily available: the 2005 Faber and Faber paperback (ISBN 0571226183). I read it and thought it just fine. Subsequently I learned more about the different versions of the text and purchased another Faber and Faber paperback (IBSN 9780571321346), this one from 2015. This was read aloud recently, and all listeners found it to be a most excellent tale of the highest quality. I was interested to know more about the differences between editions. Sifting things out has not been all that easy, and I would like to provide a chunk of information that might be useful to future readers.
The 2015 edition is only available in paperback, and my main complaint is that it is a book of awkward squarish size (18cm high by 13.5cm wide). As it is fairly long: 270 pages, plus 8 pages at the front, plus 10 pages of advertising material at the back (more than 2cm thick), it could easily have been reconfigured to fit onto fewer pages of a larger size. I really could wish for a hardcover of a very standard size (23cm by 14.5cm), perhaps like the red-spined NYRB series. I have strong prejudices against paperbacks, as a rule, and I especially feel that anything being promoted as a "Faber Classic" should be available as a durable hardcover.
On to the textual disparities. The 2005 book I first encountered presents a revised text that was first published in 1975 by Puffin (as ISBN 0140302565, 157 pages), as does a slightly earlier 2001 Faber edition (ISBN 057121083X, 115). This is also the text found in the US paperback edition published by David R. Godine in 2007 (ISBN 9781567923339), which is 149 pages, with the added pages seeming to be the consequence of more generous line spacing. The 2015 book, on the other hand, presents a different variant of the text, as first published in 1966 by Puffin (pre-ISBN, . It is 270 pages with 22 lines per page (the line spacing is excellent). The 2005 typeface is comparatively smaller, with a tighter spacing of 36 lines per page, and certainly it seems the publishers were trying to squeeze things into a limited space. It would not be easy to count words to compare the exact lengths of the texts. Beginning in 1966, all editions have black-and-white illustrations by Edward Ardizzone. One thing is easily discovered in comparing the two: the 1975 text lacks "Chapter the Eighth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Consulted Nosi Parka and Gained Fresh Hope," a chapter which is 20 pages long and contains two Ardizzone illustrations in the 1966 text. Some of the story has been relocated to the previous chapter. However, all traces of the character Nosi Parka, the egg head, have been removed (including the Ardizzone illustration of him found on p.148). But this is by no means the only difference.
I have yet to encounter the original 1937 text (which is actually titled The Tale of the Land of Green Ginger) or the 1947 second edition (which has the shorter title on its dust jacket, but the longer on the actual cover), but I live in hope. It may well be that earliest is not best and that Langley improved things later, but I remain curious, particularly since it was this, the 1937 edition, that generated the original enthusiasm for the story. The first edition is 143 pages and has color illustrations by the author. Apparently the 1937 edition was published in two sizes, the larger being 30cm high. I believe the printing is actually identical, just with an expanded bottom margin in the larger size. The second edition is reported to have 122 pages, and it has black-and-white illustrations, also by the author. I have seen a scans of most of the color illustrations, and the 1937 ones are very whimsical with absolutely glorious, vibrant hues. Over the course of the book there are only twenty of them, however. I'm less impressed with what little I have seen of the 1947 illustrations.
The 1937 text tells the story in twelve chapters. In the 1966 text, however, we are presented with a most rare and wonderful thing. Immediately following Chapter the Twelfth, we are treated to Chapter the Twelfth and a Halfth, Which Brings the Story to a Close. One sad thing about the 1975 text is that it condenses things so much that with chapter reconfigurations, everything is again done in twelve chapters.
I cannot say for how long the first or second editions remained in print. But in 1958, nearly twenty years after its first publication, the story was presented as an episode in the first season of Shirley Temple's Storybook, a television series which dramatized mostly familiar fairy tales. Langley himself wrote the teleplay. A series of companion print volumes was published by Random House, and The Land of Green Ginger appears in the first of these (again from 1958). It is illustrated by William Bolin.
Here it runs just sixteen pages and is nearly unrecognizable to those who know the book-length tale. It has become a very generic quest-type fairy tale story with all the wit and charm excised. About a third of the length is devoted to setting up the quest for a suitable bride for Abu Ali. Though I cannot compare to the 1937 text, I believe that this version introduces new material, including a much stronger focus on the magic lamp. Absent entirely are the Widow Twankey, Omar Khayyam, Uncle Abanazar, Nosi Parka, the button-nosed tortoise, the magician, Kublai Snoo, and Small Slave. Tintac Ping Foo and Rubdub Ben Thud are now just nameless "rival princes." Sulkpot Ben Nagnag is without name and is now the king of Samarkand (not a jeweller), and Silver Bud is now the Princess Silverbud. Almost all of the interactions are presented in new ways (for example, the phoenix birds are tricked into attacking each other). Knowing that Noel Langley was partly responsible for the film version of The Wizard of Oz, and how very different that screenplay is from the original L. Frank Baum book, the huge discrepancies are perhaps to be expected. That fact does not make them any more palatable, however.
The 1966 version appears to have a very particular provenance. The 2015 edition includes a note stating, "In 1964, Langley read the book for a New York radio station and this broadcast was so successful that the story was edited down to fit on an L.P. The edited version was published in 1966 [...] In 1975, the story was shortened once again, and it was this edition that stayed in print for the next forty years...until now." Now, this implies that the original radio broadcast was of the 1937 text and that this original text was longer still than what was published in 1966 (and republished in 2015), but the evidence contradicts this.
The radio broadcast was issued on Pacifica Radio Records in 1965. It is yet another variant of the text. It is similar to the 1966 text, but greatly reduced. The Pacifica Radio Archives states, "This week on From the Vault, we share a 1962 recording of Noel Langley reading his beloved classic 'The Land of Green Ginger' in the studios at WBAI. First broadcast on Stories Children Love hosted by Elinor Gene Hoffman, this funny and clever children's story was an instant and total success among Pacifica listeners, and for over a decade remained one of the most requested programs throughout the Pacifica Network." Another Pacifica webpage states that it was in 1965 that the special edition was read live on Pacifica's WBAI in New York. However, the WBAI Folio program guide shows that it was presented in five parts between September 17 and 21, 1962 (but in ten parts between November 25 and December 6, 1963). A 1968 rebroadcast was again in five parts.
Yet a different source gives September 22, 1963 as the recording date for the LP. Questions remain: did Langley ever really read it live on air - and how long was it? Does the LP issue contain an entirely different recording or an edit from what was broadcast? This is unclear.
The BBC radio program Story Time featured a six-part dramatized reading by Thea Holme and others, starting in November 1966, and the BBC Jackanory television program featured the book twice: in a five-part reading by Kenneth Williams starting in December 1968 and another, also in five parts, by Michael Barrymore in December 1984. All BBC productions appear to be adapted/edited, not verbatim from a published book. Jeremy Swan did the 1968 adaptation and Julia Godley did the 1984 one.
I do not know any story behind the creation of the 1975 edition. As the 1960s versions seem to have been so successful, why was the 1966 published edition found to be less than satisfactory? I can fully accept that the 1975 changes were apparently made by Noel Langley himself. For whatever reason, he deemed that version worthy of publication. I disagree, however, that the 1975 text is superior in every way to the 1966 text. Many others agree with me. One question I have is about capitalization. The 1975 text makes great use of capitalization to indicate Very Important things. The 2015 book removes almost all nonstandard capitalization (we are referred to as Gentle Reader, however). Was this the case when the 1966 text was first published? I can confirm that the 1937 text does use the Very Important capitalization (sometimes called 'Title Case'). My opinion is that this makes things Exceptionally Grandiose, which is very apt for a tale such as this. It may not matter one weasel's whisker when reading aloud, but then again, maybe it may.
Under its Kestrel imprint, Puffin published a hardcover (ISBN 0722654146) in 1977. It runs to 197 pages. Interestingly, the title page verso notes, "This re-written version first published by Puffin Books, 1966. Also published in an abridged paperback by Puffin Books." I can only assume what I refer to as the 1975 text is the abridged version. But clearly there was an understanding by Puffin at the time that these were different versions with different intentions. As for this Kestrel book, it would seem that by my specifications, it is actually the ideal version: the full 1966 text in a standard sized hardcover.
At least one other reviewer has mentioned that all paperback editions (anything 1966 and later?) have an ending that differs from the 1937 original. I am fairly sure that the 1977 hardcover should also be included in this caveat. Unfortunately at this point, I cannot confirm how drastic such a change to the ending might be. Obviously this is a crucial bit of information, but even the more subtle differences are enough to make me want to track down and read the original.
So, as I have determined it, the timeline is as follows:
1937: First edition published in the UK by Arthur Barker
1938: US edition published by William Morrow
1947: Second edition published in the UK by Arthur Barker
1958: TV adaptation by Langley produced for Shirley Temple's Storybook on NBC
1958: Adaptation (by Langley?) included in Shirley Temple's Storybook companion volume published by Random House in the US
1962: WBAI radio broadcast of Langley reading a version (a "special version"?) - subsequently rebroadcast on other Pacifica Radio stations for years
1965: LP recording of Langley's recitation (identical to broadcast?) issued by Pacific Radio Records to great response
1966: New paperback versions published by Puffin in UK and US (similar, but not identical to the radio/LP version)
1966: BBC radio Story Time program features adaptation read by cast including Thea Holme
1968: BBC television Jackanory series features adaptation read by Kenneth Williams
1975: Shorter paperback version published by Puffin in the UK
1977: 1966 text was published by Puffin/Penguin/Kestrel for the first time in hardcover (UK only). (The 1975 text has never seen a hardcover edition.)
1984: BBC television Jackanory series features adaptation read by Michael Barrymore
1986: One-page excerpt summary titled "Beware of the Dragon!" appeared in educational anthology Readings from the Bookshelf, Level Three
1994: Another excerpt included as the chapter "Abu Ali Meets a Dragon" anthology Spellbound: Fantasy Stories (apparently republished in 2003/04 and 2007)
2001: Faber and Faber republished the 1975 text in the UK
2005: Faber and Faber again republished the 1975 text in the UK
2007: David R. Godine published the 1975 text in the US
2015: 1966 text was republished by Faber and Faber in the UK
For purposes of comparison, here are the chapters for each edition:
1937 hardcover
Chapter the First, Which Explains How, Why, When and Where Everything Began in the First Place
Chapter the Second, Which Explains How Abu Ali Began the Search for the Land of Green Ginger, and Introduces You to the Wicked Prince Tintac Ping Foo
Chapter the Third, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met the Wicked Princes Tintac Ping Foo and Rubdub Ben Thud for the First Time
Chapter the Fourth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met a Friend
Chapter the Fifth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Attempted a Rescue
Chapter the Sixth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met a Green Dragon, and How a Spell Went Wrong
Chapter the Seventh, Which Explains the Awful Villainy of the Wicked Princes About a Magic Carpet
Chapter the Eighth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Consulted Nosi Parka and Gained Fresh Hope
Chapter the Ninth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Found the Button-Nosed Tortoise and a Great Deal More Trouble as Well
Chapter the Tenth, Which Explains How the Wicked Princes Went Back to Their Old Tricks Again
Chapter the Eleventh, Which Explains How Sulkpot Ben Nagnag Went Back on His Word
Chapter the Twelfth, Which Explains How Abu Ali, Greatly Helped by the Mouse, Was Able to Win the Day
1947 hardcover (unknown - but likely identical or nearly to 1937)
1958 Shirley Temple's Storybook (not divided into chapters)
1963? (LP issue not divided into chapters)
1966 Puffin paperback
Chapter the First, Which Explains How, Why, When and Where There Was Ever Any Problem in the First Place
Chapter the Second, Which Explains How Abu Ali Began the Search for the Land of Green Ginger, and Introduces the Wicked Prince Tintac Ping Foo
Chapter the Third, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met the Wicked Princes Tintac Ping Foo and Rubdub Ben Thud for the First Time
Chapter the Fourth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met a Friend
Chapter the Fifth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Attempted a Rescue
Chapter the Sixth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met a Green Dragon, and How a Spell Went Wrong
Chapter the Seventh, Which Explains the Awful Villainy of the Wicked Princes Over a Magic Carpet
Chapter the Eighth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Consulted Nosi Parka and Gained Fresh Hope
Chapter the Ninth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Found the Button-Nosed Tortoise and a Great Deal More Trouble as Well
Chapter the Tenth, Which Explains How the Wicked Princes Went Back to Their Old Tricks Again
Chapter the Eleventh, Which Explains How Sulkpot Ben Nagnag Went Back on His Word
Chapter the Twelfth, Which Explains How Abu Ali, Greatly Helped by Loyal Friends, Was Nearly Able to Win the Day
Chapter the Twelfth and a Halfth, Which Brings the Story to Its Close
1966 BBC radio
Part One: (title/summary unknown)
Part Two: Prince Abu Ali, son and heir of the Emperor Aladdin, sets out to seek the hand of Silver Bud. the jeweller's beautiful daughter, and to redeem from its aimless wanderings through space the Land of Green Ginger
Part Three: Prince Abu Ali of China continues his search for the Land of Green Ginger and plans to rescue Silver Bud from the clutches of the wicked Princes, Tintac and Rubdub
Part Four: Prince Abu Ali and the wicked Princes Tintac and Rubdub are all in love with the beautiful Silver Bud. In order to decide who will marry her, the three suitors are set Difficult Tasks to perform. Prince Abu Ali, who has the most difficult Task, sets out on his donkey - not forgetting that he is still searching for the Land of Green Ginger
Part Five: Prince Abu Ali is still searching for the Magic Phoenix Birds - a Difficult Task he has to perform in order to win the hand of the beautiful Silver Bud. Helped by his friends the Mouse and Boomalakka Wee, Abu Ali makes a surprising discovery and he begins to see an end to his troubles
Part Six: Prince Abu Ali has now accomplished his Difficult Task and found the Land of Green Ginger.
1968 BBC television
Chapter the First, Which Explains How, Why, When, and Where There Was Ever Any Problem in the First Place, and How Abu Ali Began the Search for the Land of Green Ginger
Chapter the Second, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met the Wicked Princes, Tintac Ping Foo and Rubdub Ben Thud, For the First Time
Chapter the Third, Which Explains How Abu Ali Attempted a Rescue and How a Spell Went Wrong
Chapter the Fourth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Found the Button-Nosed Tortoise and a Great Deal More Trouble as Well
Chapter the Fifth, Which Explains how Abu Ali, Greatly Helped by His Loyal Friends, was Able to Win the Day - and the Story Is Brought to a Close
1975 Puffin paperback
Chapter the First, Which Explains How, Why, When and Where There Was Ever Any Problem in the First Place
Chapter the Second, Which Explains How Abu Ali Began the Search for the Land of Green Ginger, and Introduces Us to the Wicked Prince Tintac Ping Foo
Chapter the Third, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met the Wicked Princes Tintac Ping Foo and Rubdub Ben Thud for the First Time
Chapter the Fourth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met a Friend
Chapter the Fifth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Attempted a Rescue
Chapter the Sixth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met a Green Dragon, and How a Spell Went Wrong
Chapter the Seventh, Which Explains the Awful Villainy of the Wicked Princes Over a Magic Carpet
Chapter the Eighth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Found the Button-Nosed Tortoise and a Great Deal More Trouble as Well
Chapter the Ninth, Which Explains How the Wicked Princes Went Back to Their Old Tricks Again
Chapter the Tenth, Which Explains How Sulkpot Ben Nagnag Went Back on His Word
Chapter the Eleventh, Which Explains How Abu Ali, Greatly Helped by Loyal Friends, Was Nearly Able to Win the Day
Chapter the Twelfth, Which Brings the Story to Its Close
[continued in comments]
The 2015 edition is only available in paperback, and my main complaint is that it is a book of awkward squarish size (18cm high by 13.5cm wide). As it is fairly long: 270 pages, plus 8 pages at the front, plus 10 pages of advertising material at the back (more than 2cm thick), it could easily have been reconfigured to fit onto fewer pages of a larger size. I really could wish for a hardcover of a very standard size (23cm by 14.5cm), perhaps like the red-spined NYRB series. I have strong prejudices against paperbacks, as a rule, and I especially feel that anything being promoted as a "Faber Classic" should be available as a durable hardcover.
On to the textual disparities. The 2005 book I first encountered presents a revised text that was first published in 1975 by Puffin (as ISBN 0140302565, 157 pages), as does a slightly earlier 2001 Faber edition (ISBN 057121083X, 115). This is also the text found in the US paperback edition published by David R. Godine in 2007 (ISBN 9781567923339), which is 149 pages, with the added pages seeming to be the consequence of more generous line spacing. The 2015 book, on the other hand, presents a different variant of the text, as first published in 1966 by Puffin (pre-ISBN, . It is 270 pages with 22 lines per page (the line spacing is excellent). The 2005 typeface is comparatively smaller, with a tighter spacing of 36 lines per page, and certainly it seems the publishers were trying to squeeze things into a limited space. It would not be easy to count words to compare the exact lengths of the texts. Beginning in 1966, all editions have black-and-white illustrations by Edward Ardizzone. One thing is easily discovered in comparing the two: the 1975 text lacks "Chapter the Eighth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Consulted Nosi Parka and Gained Fresh Hope," a chapter which is 20 pages long and contains two Ardizzone illustrations in the 1966 text. Some of the story has been relocated to the previous chapter. However, all traces of the character Nosi Parka, the egg head, have been removed (including the Ardizzone illustration of him found on p.148). But this is by no means the only difference.
I have yet to encounter the original 1937 text (which is actually titled The Tale of the Land of Green Ginger) or the 1947 second edition (which has the shorter title on its dust jacket, but the longer on the actual cover), but I live in hope. It may well be that earliest is not best and that Langley improved things later, but I remain curious, particularly since it was this, the 1937 edition, that generated the original enthusiasm for the story. The first edition is 143 pages and has color illustrations by the author. Apparently the 1937 edition was published in two sizes, the larger being 30cm high. I believe the printing is actually identical, just with an expanded bottom margin in the larger size. The second edition is reported to have 122 pages, and it has black-and-white illustrations, also by the author. I have seen a scans of most of the color illustrations, and the 1937 ones are very whimsical with absolutely glorious, vibrant hues. Over the course of the book there are only twenty of them, however. I'm less impressed with what little I have seen of the 1947 illustrations.
The 1937 text tells the story in twelve chapters. In the 1966 text, however, we are presented with a most rare and wonderful thing. Immediately following Chapter the Twelfth, we are treated to Chapter the Twelfth and a Halfth, Which Brings the Story to a Close. One sad thing about the 1975 text is that it condenses things so much that with chapter reconfigurations, everything is again done in twelve chapters.
I cannot say for how long the first or second editions remained in print. But in 1958, nearly twenty years after its first publication, the story was presented as an episode in the first season of Shirley Temple's Storybook, a television series which dramatized mostly familiar fairy tales. Langley himself wrote the teleplay. A series of companion print volumes was published by Random House, and The Land of Green Ginger appears in the first of these (again from 1958). It is illustrated by William Bolin.
Here it runs just sixteen pages and is nearly unrecognizable to those who know the book-length tale. It has become a very generic quest-type fairy tale story with all the wit and charm excised. About a third of the length is devoted to setting up the quest for a suitable bride for Abu Ali. Though I cannot compare to the 1937 text, I believe that this version introduces new material, including a much stronger focus on the magic lamp. Absent entirely are the Widow Twankey, Omar Khayyam, Uncle Abanazar, Nosi Parka, the button-nosed tortoise, the magician, Kublai Snoo, and Small Slave. Tintac Ping Foo and Rubdub Ben Thud are now just nameless "rival princes." Sulkpot Ben Nagnag is without name and is now the king of Samarkand (not a jeweller), and Silver Bud is now the Princess Silverbud. Almost all of the interactions are presented in new ways (for example, the phoenix birds are tricked into attacking each other). Knowing that Noel Langley was partly responsible for the film version of The Wizard of Oz, and how very different that screenplay is from the original L. Frank Baum book, the huge discrepancies are perhaps to be expected. That fact does not make them any more palatable, however.
The 1966 version appears to have a very particular provenance. The 2015 edition includes a note stating, "In 1964, Langley read the book for a New York radio station and this broadcast was so successful that the story was edited down to fit on an L.P. The edited version was published in 1966 [...] In 1975, the story was shortened once again, and it was this edition that stayed in print for the next forty years...until now." Now, this implies that the original radio broadcast was of the 1937 text and that this original text was longer still than what was published in 1966 (and republished in 2015), but the evidence contradicts this.
The radio broadcast was issued on Pacifica Radio Records in 1965. It is yet another variant of the text. It is similar to the 1966 text, but greatly reduced. The Pacifica Radio Archives states, "This week on From the Vault, we share a 1962 recording of Noel Langley reading his beloved classic 'The Land of Green Ginger' in the studios at WBAI. First broadcast on Stories Children Love hosted by Elinor Gene Hoffman, this funny and clever children's story was an instant and total success among Pacifica listeners, and for over a decade remained one of the most requested programs throughout the Pacifica Network." Another Pacifica webpage states that it was in 1965 that the special edition was read live on Pacifica's WBAI in New York. However, the WBAI Folio program guide shows that it was presented in five parts between September 17 and 21, 1962 (but in ten parts between November 25 and December 6, 1963). A 1968 rebroadcast was again in five parts.
Yet a different source gives September 22, 1963 as the recording date for the LP. Questions remain: did Langley ever really read it live on air - and how long was it? Does the LP issue contain an entirely different recording or an edit from what was broadcast? This is unclear.
The BBC radio program Story Time featured a six-part dramatized reading by Thea Holme and others, starting in November 1966, and the BBC Jackanory television program featured the book twice: in a five-part reading by Kenneth Williams starting in December 1968 and another, also in five parts, by Michael Barrymore in December 1984. All BBC productions appear to be adapted/edited, not verbatim from a published book. Jeremy Swan did the 1968 adaptation and Julia Godley did the 1984 one.
I do not know any story behind the creation of the 1975 edition. As the 1960s versions seem to have been so successful, why was the 1966 published edition found to be less than satisfactory? I can fully accept that the 1975 changes were apparently made by Noel Langley himself. For whatever reason, he deemed that version worthy of publication. I disagree, however, that the 1975 text is superior in every way to the 1966 text. Many others agree with me. One question I have is about capitalization. The 1975 text makes great use of capitalization to indicate Very Important things. The 2015 book removes almost all nonstandard capitalization (we are referred to as Gentle Reader, however). Was this the case when the 1966 text was first published? I can confirm that the 1937 text does use the Very Important capitalization (sometimes called 'Title Case'). My opinion is that this makes things Exceptionally Grandiose, which is very apt for a tale such as this. It may not matter one weasel's whisker when reading aloud, but then again, maybe it may.
Under its Kestrel imprint, Puffin published a hardcover (ISBN 0722654146) in 1977. It runs to 197 pages. Interestingly, the title page verso notes, "This re-written version first published by Puffin Books, 1966. Also published in an abridged paperback by Puffin Books." I can only assume what I refer to as the 1975 text is the abridged version. But clearly there was an understanding by Puffin at the time that these were different versions with different intentions. As for this Kestrel book, it would seem that by my specifications, it is actually the ideal version: the full 1966 text in a standard sized hardcover.
At least one other reviewer has mentioned that all paperback editions (anything 1966 and later?) have an ending that differs from the 1937 original. I am fairly sure that the 1977 hardcover should also be included in this caveat. Unfortunately at this point, I cannot confirm how drastic such a change to the ending might be. Obviously this is a crucial bit of information, but even the more subtle differences are enough to make me want to track down and read the original.
So, as I have determined it, the timeline is as follows:
1937: First edition published in the UK by Arthur Barker
1938: US edition published by William Morrow
1947: Second edition published in the UK by Arthur Barker
1958: TV adaptation by Langley produced for Shirley Temple's Storybook on NBC
1958: Adaptation (by Langley?) included in Shirley Temple's Storybook companion volume published by Random House in the US
1962: WBAI radio broadcast of Langley reading a version (a "special version"?) - subsequently rebroadcast on other Pacifica Radio stations for years
1965: LP recording of Langley's recitation (identical to broadcast?) issued by Pacific Radio Records to great response
1966: New paperback versions published by Puffin in UK and US (similar, but not identical to the radio/LP version)
1966: BBC radio Story Time program features adaptation read by cast including Thea Holme
1968: BBC television Jackanory series features adaptation read by Kenneth Williams
1975: Shorter paperback version published by Puffin in the UK
1977: 1966 text was published by Puffin/Penguin/Kestrel for the first time in hardcover (UK only). (The 1975 text has never seen a hardcover edition.)
1984: BBC television Jackanory series features adaptation read by Michael Barrymore
1986: One-page excerpt summary titled "Beware of the Dragon!" appeared in educational anthology Readings from the Bookshelf, Level Three
1994: Another excerpt included as the chapter "Abu Ali Meets a Dragon" anthology Spellbound: Fantasy Stories (apparently republished in 2003/04 and 2007)
2001: Faber and Faber republished the 1975 text in the UK
2005: Faber and Faber again republished the 1975 text in the UK
2007: David R. Godine published the 1975 text in the US
2015: 1966 text was republished by Faber and Faber in the UK
For purposes of comparison, here are the chapters for each edition:
1937 hardcover
Chapter the First, Which Explains How, Why, When and Where Everything Began in the First Place
Chapter the Second, Which Explains How Abu Ali Began the Search for the Land of Green Ginger, and Introduces You to the Wicked Prince Tintac Ping Foo
Chapter the Third, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met the Wicked Princes Tintac Ping Foo and Rubdub Ben Thud for the First Time
Chapter the Fourth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met a Friend
Chapter the Fifth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Attempted a Rescue
Chapter the Sixth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met a Green Dragon, and How a Spell Went Wrong
Chapter the Seventh, Which Explains the Awful Villainy of the Wicked Princes About a Magic Carpet
Chapter the Eighth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Consulted Nosi Parka and Gained Fresh Hope
Chapter the Ninth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Found the Button-Nosed Tortoise and a Great Deal More Trouble as Well
Chapter the Tenth, Which Explains How the Wicked Princes Went Back to Their Old Tricks Again
Chapter the Eleventh, Which Explains How Sulkpot Ben Nagnag Went Back on His Word
Chapter the Twelfth, Which Explains How Abu Ali, Greatly Helped by the Mouse, Was Able to Win the Day
1947 hardcover (unknown - but likely identical or nearly to 1937)
1958 Shirley Temple's Storybook (not divided into chapters)
1963? (LP issue not divided into chapters)
1966 Puffin paperback
Chapter the First, Which Explains How, Why, When and Where There Was Ever Any Problem in the First Place
Chapter the Second, Which Explains How Abu Ali Began the Search for the Land of Green Ginger, and Introduces the Wicked Prince Tintac Ping Foo
Chapter the Third, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met the Wicked Princes Tintac Ping Foo and Rubdub Ben Thud for the First Time
Chapter the Fourth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met a Friend
Chapter the Fifth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Attempted a Rescue
Chapter the Sixth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met a Green Dragon, and How a Spell Went Wrong
Chapter the Seventh, Which Explains the Awful Villainy of the Wicked Princes Over a Magic Carpet
Chapter the Eighth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Consulted Nosi Parka and Gained Fresh Hope
Chapter the Ninth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Found the Button-Nosed Tortoise and a Great Deal More Trouble as Well
Chapter the Tenth, Which Explains How the Wicked Princes Went Back to Their Old Tricks Again
Chapter the Eleventh, Which Explains How Sulkpot Ben Nagnag Went Back on His Word
Chapter the Twelfth, Which Explains How Abu Ali, Greatly Helped by Loyal Friends, Was Nearly Able to Win the Day
Chapter the Twelfth and a Halfth, Which Brings the Story to Its Close
1966 BBC radio
Part One: (title/summary unknown)
Part Two: Prince Abu Ali, son and heir of the Emperor Aladdin, sets out to seek the hand of Silver Bud. the jeweller's beautiful daughter, and to redeem from its aimless wanderings through space the Land of Green Ginger
Part Three: Prince Abu Ali of China continues his search for the Land of Green Ginger and plans to rescue Silver Bud from the clutches of the wicked Princes, Tintac and Rubdub
Part Four: Prince Abu Ali and the wicked Princes Tintac and Rubdub are all in love with the beautiful Silver Bud. In order to decide who will marry her, the three suitors are set Difficult Tasks to perform. Prince Abu Ali, who has the most difficult Task, sets out on his donkey - not forgetting that he is still searching for the Land of Green Ginger
Part Five: Prince Abu Ali is still searching for the Magic Phoenix Birds - a Difficult Task he has to perform in order to win the hand of the beautiful Silver Bud. Helped by his friends the Mouse and Boomalakka Wee, Abu Ali makes a surprising discovery and he begins to see an end to his troubles
Part Six: Prince Abu Ali has now accomplished his Difficult Task and found the Land of Green Ginger.
1968 BBC television
Chapter the First, Which Explains How, Why, When, and Where There Was Ever Any Problem in the First Place, and How Abu Ali Began the Search for the Land of Green Ginger
Chapter the Second, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met the Wicked Princes, Tintac Ping Foo and Rubdub Ben Thud, For the First Time
Chapter the Third, Which Explains How Abu Ali Attempted a Rescue and How a Spell Went Wrong
Chapter the Fourth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Found the Button-Nosed Tortoise and a Great Deal More Trouble as Well
Chapter the Fifth, Which Explains how Abu Ali, Greatly Helped by His Loyal Friends, was Able to Win the Day - and the Story Is Brought to a Close
1975 Puffin paperback
Chapter the First, Which Explains How, Why, When and Where There Was Ever Any Problem in the First Place
Chapter the Second, Which Explains How Abu Ali Began the Search for the Land of Green Ginger, and Introduces Us to the Wicked Prince Tintac Ping Foo
Chapter the Third, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met the Wicked Princes Tintac Ping Foo and Rubdub Ben Thud for the First Time
Chapter the Fourth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met a Friend
Chapter the Fifth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Attempted a Rescue
Chapter the Sixth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Met a Green Dragon, and How a Spell Went Wrong
Chapter the Seventh, Which Explains the Awful Villainy of the Wicked Princes Over a Magic Carpet
Chapter the Eighth, Which Explains How Abu Ali Found the Button-Nosed Tortoise and a Great Deal More Trouble as Well
Chapter the Ninth, Which Explains How the Wicked Princes Went Back to Their Old Tricks Again
Chapter the Tenth, Which Explains How Sulkpot Ben Nagnag Went Back on His Word
Chapter the Eleventh, Which Explains How Abu Ali, Greatly Helped by Loyal Friends, Was Nearly Able to Win the Day
Chapter the Twelfth, Which Brings the Story to Its Close
[continued in comments]
November 19, 2012
I managed to obtain a tattered and falling apart copy of the 1966 paperback from ebay, for just over £5. Might sound a lot for a falling apart paperback, but considering that the only other copy I've found for sale (of the 1966 text) is listed at £40 then I think it was a bargain.
I've also got a copy of the 1975 text for comparative reading, but I doubt I'll be able to get a hold of a copy of the original 1937 text without considerable expense. Having glanced at the 1975 version after finishing this one, and from reading comments online, I get the gist that the 75 version is basically a stripped-down version of the 66 text with a few modifications. I also understand, from what I've found online, that the 66 version expands on, and greatly adds humour to, the original 37 text. The 66 version seems to be the most highly regarded of the three versions by those who've had the great fortune to read all 3 versions. I'd love to be able to read the original text someday.
As for the story itself, I'm unsure if I've read it before, if I've ever had it read to me, or if I've just known about it for so long that I feel like I must've read it. It's a fantastic story, full of wit and charm. I kept thinking, while reading it, that it'd be great if Aardman got their hands on this and made a film of it, it's full of that classic English kind of humour. There's action and adventure, and plenty of magic. I loved it.
The only part of it that I didn't like so much, was the Overdoing of the Capitalisation. I'm all for a bit of emphatic capitilising, but I'd rather it was used sparingly (like A. A. Milne does in Winnie-the-Pooh). For me, the near constant capitilisation of words made them just become a bit of a blur and lose the impact that it was intended to have. But that's really the only thing I didn't like, and it's quite easily forgiven when the rest of the book is so very clever.
I've also got a copy of the 1975 text for comparative reading, but I doubt I'll be able to get a hold of a copy of the original 1937 text without considerable expense. Having glanced at the 1975 version after finishing this one, and from reading comments online, I get the gist that the 75 version is basically a stripped-down version of the 66 text with a few modifications. I also understand, from what I've found online, that the 66 version expands on, and greatly adds humour to, the original 37 text. The 66 version seems to be the most highly regarded of the three versions by those who've had the great fortune to read all 3 versions. I'd love to be able to read the original text someday.
As for the story itself, I'm unsure if I've read it before, if I've ever had it read to me, or if I've just known about it for so long that I feel like I must've read it. It's a fantastic story, full of wit and charm. I kept thinking, while reading it, that it'd be great if Aardman got their hands on this and made a film of it, it's full of that classic English kind of humour. There's action and adventure, and plenty of magic. I loved it.
The only part of it that I didn't like so much, was the Overdoing of the Capitalisation. I'm all for a bit of emphatic capitilising, but I'd rather it was used sparingly (like A. A. Milne does in Winnie-the-Pooh). For me, the near constant capitilisation of words made them just become a bit of a blur and lose the impact that it was intended to have. But that's really the only thing I didn't like, and it's quite easily forgiven when the rest of the book is so very clever.
May 18, 2010
"One of the great children's books!"
-Joshua Glenn, The Boston Globe
"What makes this familiar hero-undergoing-ordeals-to-win-pretty-girl plot unusually fun are the absurd supporting characters...and the skilled, playful writing."
-Meghan Cox Gurdon, The Wall Street Journal
"[The Land of Green Ginger:] is the perfect read-aloud anti-depressant. I am very very very very pleased to announce that it is now in print in this country, in a lovely edition. . . and I must say that the pleasures of the book are in the language: Whether or not you are a fan of magic carpets and button-nosed tortoises, you will know that you need this book as soon as I tell you that one of the chief villain's lines is, "This isn't About Cheating at Chess, is it? Because I adore Cheating at Chess; I shall Continue to Cheat at Chess; and if you Dare Try to Stop Me, I shall put Glue in your Beard."
- Ellen Kushner
-Joshua Glenn, The Boston Globe
"What makes this familiar hero-undergoing-ordeals-to-win-pretty-girl plot unusually fun are the absurd supporting characters...and the skilled, playful writing."
-Meghan Cox Gurdon, The Wall Street Journal
"[The Land of Green Ginger:] is the perfect read-aloud anti-depressant. I am very very very very pleased to announce that it is now in print in this country, in a lovely edition. . . and I must say that the pleasures of the book are in the language: Whether or not you are a fan of magic carpets and button-nosed tortoises, you will know that you need this book as soon as I tell you that one of the chief villain's lines is, "This isn't About Cheating at Chess, is it? Because I adore Cheating at Chess; I shall Continue to Cheat at Chess; and if you Dare Try to Stop Me, I shall put Glue in your Beard."
- Ellen Kushner
February 4, 2015
Brilliant; and unbelievably good to read aloud. Edward Ardizzone's illustrations are superb (b/w in the text, plus colour on the front & back covers).
Should I be stuck on a desert island with just the Bible (KJV), the Works of William Shakespeare, and one other book to read; then I'm pretty sure that Noel Langley's "The Land of Green Ginger" would be that third book (however I'd try & swap Shakespeare for the 1662 Book of Common Prayer!)
This copy of "The Land of Green Ginger" is a 1972 reprint of Noel Langley's 1966 adaptation of her 1937 "The Tale of the Land of Green Ginger".
NOTES:
1. 2nd para modified 11-Oct-2012.
2. 3rd para belatedly corrected 23-Sep-13 in accordance with Comment 1 received].
August 3, 2023
This was a delightful, whimsical story that functions as sort of sequel to the story of Aladdin. This time around, his son gets mixed up in lots of misadventures. Noel Langley has a distinct early 20th Century style, but he also captures the wild and dreamlike imagination of the Arabian Nights. Lots of colorful characters, some genuinely funny dialog, and plenty of strange ideas make this one a great little read. I imagine the young ones will enjoy it quite a bit. I'd love to see an animated adaptation.
March 28, 2011
My all-time favourite children's book! I read it as a child and I have always cherished the memories of Samarkand, Abu Ali, Boomalakka Wee, Omar Khayyam, Nosey Parker, Tintac Ping Foo and Rubdub Ben Thud!! I can recommend it to all children.
I just re-read it in a few hours, and it's just as good from an adult's point of view. It should be read aloud.
I just re-read it in a few hours, and it's just as good from an adult's point of view. It should be read aloud.
June 27, 2010
Themes: fairy tales, adventure, magic, love, friendship
Setting: China, Istanbul, and the Land of Green Ginger
Aladdin is enjoying being emperor of China and celebrating the birth of his son, when his newborn son starts talking. This is rather a shock, so Aladdin summons the genie again to ask what to do. Turns out little Abu Ali is going to set off on an adventure to discover the location of The Land of Green Ginger and save the magician who lives there. As soon as Abu Ali turns 18, he sets off on his journey. And if he happens to rescue the most beautiful girl in the world, make friends with a mouse and a genie, confront a couple of Evil Princes, and escape prison, so much the better.
This was written back in the 1930s, so I don't know why I never heard of it until this year, but it was a wonderful read. It would be a great story to read out loud. Lots of fun.
Setting: China, Istanbul, and the Land of Green Ginger
Aladdin is enjoying being emperor of China and celebrating the birth of his son, when his newborn son starts talking. This is rather a shock, so Aladdin summons the genie again to ask what to do. Turns out little Abu Ali is going to set off on an adventure to discover the location of The Land of Green Ginger and save the magician who lives there. As soon as Abu Ali turns 18, he sets off on his journey. And if he happens to rescue the most beautiful girl in the world, make friends with a mouse and a genie, confront a couple of Evil Princes, and escape prison, so much the better.
This was written back in the 1930s, so I don't know why I never heard of it until this year, but it was a wonderful read. It would be a great story to read out loud. Lots of fun.
October 11, 2017
I'd be a different person if I hadn't read this forty years ago - and many times since. There's no higher praise.
May 19, 2024
There’s not much to say about this one. It’s an old children’s book that’s reminiscent of the old fairytales and fables. All of its characters are caricatures created for maximum silliness. It makes use of wordplay and seems a bit confused regarding its geography. I giggled a few times and very much enjoyed the sassy mouse and the incompetent child genie. Although this story takes love at first sight to new heights so if you hate that trope - steer clear 😅😜
September 30, 2017
Boomalaka Wee
#1 reason to read this book: hilarious names.
#2 Edward Ardizonne is the illustrator.
#3 It's funny.
Good enough for me.
#1 reason to read this book: hilarious names.
#2 Edward Ardizonne is the illustrator.
#3 It's funny.
Good enough for me.
March 18, 2024
This is the first book I remember being read at school. It stuck in my memory for some reason so I had to find it again. I enjoyed it but not sure why it made such a strong impression
April 2, 2023
The author wrote the original screenplay for MGM's The Wizard of Oz, possibly partially because of the success of this book. The 2015 edition I read includes what I believe is the most complete version of the text, which had been shortened in earlier publications. It's a sequel to the tale of Aladdin, which begins with him having become Emperor of China and had a son, Abu Ali, whose first words are "button-nosed tortoise." According to the Genie of the Lamp, this means Abu is destined to disenchant the magician who created the titular flying garden, who had accidentally turned himself into a tortoise. Along the way, he falls in love with the daughter of a nasty rich merchant who's also being courted by two selfish princes. As he travels to disenchant the tortoise and fulfill the task the merchant has given him of bringing back three phoenix tail feathers, he receives assistance from the Genie's son Boomalakka Wee, who hasn't quite mastered his magic; a mouse whom Boomalakka summons instead of a donkey; and the poet Omar Khayyam. The story takes a lot of influence from the pantomime version of Aladdin that was popular in the United Kingdom. Aladdin's disagreeable mother, the Widow Twankey (traditionally a drag character in the show), is in the story; and the names Bedr-el-Budur for Aladdin's wife and Abanazar for the evil magician (who's now a carpet seller). There's a lot of humor that seems like it might have been intended for the stage, or at least has that kind of style, like the constant bickering between the two rival princes and Omar's speech impediment. Jokey names are also common: the princes are Rubdub Ben Thud and Tintac Ping Foo, the merchant Sulkpot Ben Nagnag, and a fortune teller Nosi Parka. There's clearly an element of stereotyping that might not come across so well today, but overall it's a fun, whimsical read.
February 16, 2018
It was the Edward Ardizzone illustrations that drew me in compulsively to this book, and they are an absolute delight - full of magic and wonder and joy. From the beginning it's a book that reveals itself as a sequel to Aladdin and has a real fairytale/pantomine feel to it.
The story has everything, from wicked princes, to thieves, to djins and comedy characters, but it is a very old fashioned fantasy. Creative and delightful it might be but it's also borderline racist I think (probably more than borderline if you take it out of it's time and judge it on today's standards, which for the record I really shouldn't do.)
It's still a charming, engaging tale, packed full of Ardizzone's illustrative wit to accompany the text.
The story has everything, from wicked princes, to thieves, to djins and comedy characters, but it is a very old fashioned fantasy. Creative and delightful it might be but it's also borderline racist I think (probably more than borderline if you take it out of it's time and judge it on today's standards, which for the record I really shouldn't do.)
It's still a charming, engaging tale, packed full of Ardizzone's illustrative wit to accompany the text.
July 31, 2014
I remember a time in my teen years when this book came back dimly in memory but I could not think of the name. It took me a long time to remember what it was called and then it was like winning the lottery. I ran out and got a copy and read it again with delight.
Last year I read it again. Such a treat.
By the way, the Ardizzone illustrations are indistinguishable from the text in my memory. They are so much a part of the delight of this book.
Last year I read it again. Such a treat.
By the way, the Ardizzone illustrations are indistinguishable from the text in my memory. They are so much a part of the delight of this book.
August 8, 2018
Apart from the rather curious conviction that China is a hop, skip, and a jump away from the Middle East, and that the son of its ruler would be named Prince Abu Ali, this was a delight. Wonderfully fantastic, and always delighting in wordplay, this was a world of its own and never took itself at all seriously.
I do believe I caught snippets of the Marx Brothers rhythm, if not the Three Stooges. Nothing wrong with that!
I do believe I caught snippets of the Marx Brothers rhythm, if not the Three Stooges. Nothing wrong with that!
January 8, 2009
magic carpet, djinn in the lamp, wicked princes, beautiful and lovely lass, love at the first sight, the humble prince, the wicked prince, the talking mouse, an old wizard, the feather of phonix birds, desert, the land of green ginger...
.. what else can you ask from a fairy tale?
the land of green ginger delivers all
.. what else can you ask from a fairy tale?
the land of green ginger delivers all
January 11, 2009
I loved this book. It was a quick, fun read. A fantasy begun in 'ancient China,' it plays with the genre. Granted, the focus is on the language, not plot or character development, but it is a kick. The word use is delightful and different, the voice of the narrator quirky and very present, and the situations funny.
April 5, 2010
It was very good. My mum read it to me a very long time ago, so I hardly remember it. But it was very strange that Abu Ali suddenly was eighteen.
Want to read
April 13, 2015Anybody out there happen to know whether any of the recent editions use the original text instead of the expurgated 1970s version?
April 26, 2023
I am saying goodbye to this book today. It is a paperback, 2007 pubdate, and hasn't been checked out in years, so I don't feel too bad because not many people will miss it. It is worn on the edges the way books get when they are only sitting on the shelf, not going home with anyone.
However, my process for weeding a sadly-neglected book like this is to read at least some of it. Plus I love Edward Ardizzone's illustration style.
In fact, the tiny illustrations are delicately beautiful and show people with a welcome variety of body types and interesting antique fashions...and some creatures like mice, snails, horses, donkeys, and dragons. Ardizzone's work is amazing - it is not condescending, it is not laughable - the tiny illustrations show real humans interacting in a variety of ways, with dignity or silliness as the scene demands.
However, what would be a wonderful silliness of the old-style children's literary text - what authors like Lemony Snicket parody! - is UTTERLY SPOILED by the fact that the tale is set in a made-up locale clearly meant to depict a specific region of the world - although the author isn't from there, so readers can't trust the sensitivity. As a person *not* from that cultural grouping - Asian and Islamic cultures - my hackles were raised because of all the fun-poking and ridiculing...I wanted confirmation that all of it is actually a friendly, warmly welcoming teasing, and not a burning, humiliating, exploitative humor starting out (in the first place) on the assumption that real, authentic names will surely sound silly to English-speaking audiences.
So of course I wonder how Ardizzone felt when asked to make illustrations of Emperor Aladdin, Widow Twankey, Empress Bedr-el-Budr, Prince Abu Ali, Wicked Princes Tintac Ping Foo of Persia & Rubdub Ben Thud of Arabia, Kublai Snoo, and Sulkpot Ben Nagnag - showing them all to be people of Asian or Middle Eastern descent. Did Ardizzone bristle at all? Clearly the editor in 1937 barely blinked at the text...but what about the editors in 1966, 1975, and 2007? Did they ask for sensitivity readers? How do Ardizzone's illustrations manage to come across as humanizing, even while the text seems insulting?
Well, I do not find a confirmation from anyone who identifies as Muslim-Chinese, Asian, or Middle Eastern that this is truly funny and transcends the superficial guffaws of foreign language teasing. However, it has been analyzed thoroughly by fans, especially willing to sift through, pick up, and gently place back down all the TROPES that can be found within it, see here: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
The eccentric narrator, bizarre/deadpan chapter headings, and erudite use of synonyms make this seem like it was the actual book on which Lemony Snicket modeled his writing.
Oy vey. Now I'm thinking I should keep it - in storage.
However, my process for weeding a sadly-neglected book like this is to read at least some of it. Plus I love Edward Ardizzone's illustration style.
In fact, the tiny illustrations are delicately beautiful and show people with a welcome variety of body types and interesting antique fashions...and some creatures like mice, snails, horses, donkeys, and dragons. Ardizzone's work is amazing - it is not condescending, it is not laughable - the tiny illustrations show real humans interacting in a variety of ways, with dignity or silliness as the scene demands.
However, what would be a wonderful silliness of the old-style children's literary text - what authors like Lemony Snicket parody! - is UTTERLY SPOILED by the fact that the tale is set in a made-up locale clearly meant to depict a specific region of the world - although the author isn't from there, so readers can't trust the sensitivity. As a person *not* from that cultural grouping - Asian and Islamic cultures - my hackles were raised because of all the fun-poking and ridiculing...I wanted confirmation that all of it is actually a friendly, warmly welcoming teasing, and not a burning, humiliating, exploitative humor starting out (in the first place) on the assumption that real, authentic names will surely sound silly to English-speaking audiences.
So of course I wonder how Ardizzone felt when asked to make illustrations of Emperor Aladdin, Widow Twankey, Empress Bedr-el-Budr, Prince Abu Ali, Wicked Princes Tintac Ping Foo of Persia & Rubdub Ben Thud of Arabia, Kublai Snoo, and Sulkpot Ben Nagnag - showing them all to be people of Asian or Middle Eastern descent. Did Ardizzone bristle at all? Clearly the editor in 1937 barely blinked at the text...but what about the editors in 1966, 1975, and 2007? Did they ask for sensitivity readers? How do Ardizzone's illustrations manage to come across as humanizing, even while the text seems insulting?
Well, I do not find a confirmation from anyone who identifies as Muslim-Chinese, Asian, or Middle Eastern that this is truly funny and transcends the superficial guffaws of foreign language teasing. However, it has been analyzed thoroughly by fans, especially willing to sift through, pick up, and gently place back down all the TROPES that can be found within it, see here: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
The eccentric narrator, bizarre/deadpan chapter headings, and erudite use of synonyms make this seem like it was the actual book on which Lemony Snicket modeled his writing.
Oy vey. Now I'm thinking I should keep it - in storage.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2026
This is a second-rate book, and I mean this in no pejorative sense. I write second-rate books myself. The author did not set out to write a classic, a book that would delight children of successive generations and find a place on library shelves along with Kenneth Graham, E.Nesbit and A.A.Milne. Rather, he gave us a lightweight piece of nonsense that would amuse the children round the fire when read aloud by a pipe-smoking, corduroy-clad father just before he had to get on his bicycle and ride off to fight the Hun. My own father did not write stories but he was an accomplished sketch-artist and fed us with a constant diet of comical little drawings with clumsy witticisms for captions, with silly made-up names just like those of Langley's characters, Tintac Ping Foo, Rubdub Ben Thud, Sulkpot Ben Nagnag and Boomalakka Wee.
That said, I discovered this book only recently, and read it with enjoyment. It's dated, like my father. It's unashamedly silly. I am absolutely convinced it was written by someone wearing corduroy trousers with braces and a fairisle sweater while smoking a pipe. And the illustrations by Ardizzone (if that is the edition you've discovered) are delightful. Just don't let's make it out to be some kind of masterpiece because it's not, and was never meant to be.
That said, I discovered this book only recently, and read it with enjoyment. It's dated, like my father. It's unashamedly silly. I am absolutely convinced it was written by someone wearing corduroy trousers with braces and a fairisle sweater while smoking a pipe. And the illustrations by Ardizzone (if that is the edition you've discovered) are delightful. Just don't let's make it out to be some kind of masterpiece because it's not, and was never meant to be.
November 11, 2017
I'm pretty sure I bought this book as a gift for one of my nieces many years ago. It popped up some other way recently, so I rather impulsively ordered it from the library. I was thinking this kind of children's literature is about all my brain can handle right now. Nothing heavy and a little fun and fantastical. This book was exactly that and short, too! The story is told in a fun voice and with spunky characters. Almost a little too slapstick, but it is hard not to love the main character, Abu Ali, who showed his spunk at birth. My only major complaint is the lack of female characters. The grandmother is frozen in the first chapter. The love interest is the only other human female. I did love when the mouse had to correct their assumptions about her gender. As another benefit, 'Boomalakka Wee' is fun to say repeatedly. If my boy was younger, I would enjoy reading it aloud to him. All in all this book was a fun diversion, but little more... which is perfectly acceptable and welcome once in a while.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2022
recommended by steven isserlis - and he's never been wrong. wish i had the means to look at the original edition, but the 1975 version was ok. i'm sure the original is even better, i can only imagine the difference in illustrations and editing. what entertainment! We read it aloud as a family right after finishing reading rene bull's arabian nights.
April 6, 2024
not my cup of tea and really needed editing, every person's dialogue was attributed with an adverb thrown on, in reading it aloud, i kept dropping those. (i read it out loud to my daughters)
he said, delightedly.
he said, craftily.
he said, slowly.
she said, rapturously.
where were the editors! horrible
i did laugh a couple times, but needed editing and 75 pages sliced off
he said, delightedly.
he said, craftily.
he said, slowly.
she said, rapturously.
where were the editors! horrible
i did laugh a couple times, but needed editing and 75 pages sliced off
May 2, 2024
The last time I experienced this book it was on Jackanory and being read by Kenneth Williams. It is very like a pantomime and probably not for 21st century children. The writing is lovely and the illustrations are divine(Edward Ardizzone). Some lines I really enjoyed : ‘ never trouble trouble till troubles you’ and ‘ While hope is not lost, nothing is lost.’
March 2, 2020
A really fun book. I learned of this book when reading about the making of the Wizard of Oz movie - the author was one of the scriptwriters. A good story for young kids, with a genie that is anything but funny and pleasant.
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