New Book: The Grimm Reader: The Classic Tales of the Brothers Grimm by Maria Tatar

A few weeks ago I wrote a lengthy entry, Reading Grimms; or, Picking an English Translation, Etc., in which I mentioned the upcoming The Grimm Reader: The Classic Tales of the Brothers Grimm by Maria Tatar.  It is now available on Amazon for ordering--although I see that it is already out of stock temporarily--although  the official release is August.  This is a new translation of 40 Grimms tales.  I haen't seen a copy yet, so I don't know how much introductory or extra materials there are beyond an introduction by A. S. Byatt.

Here's the publisher's description:

Forty of the most famous and celebrated stories from the Brothers Grimm translated and edited by a leading professor of folklore.

Even after two hundred years, the tales collected by the Brothers Grimm remain among our most powerful stories. Their scenes of unsparing savagery and jaw-dropping beauty remind us that fairy tales, in all their simplicity, have the power to change us. With some of the most famous stories in world literature, including “Cinderella,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Hansel and Gretel,” “Snow White,” as well as some less well known stories like “The Seven Ravens,” this definitive collection promises to entrance readers with the strange and wonderful world of the Brothers Grimm.

Maria Tatar’s engaging preface provides readers with the historical and cultural context to understand what these stories meant and their contemporary resonance. Fans of all ages will be drawn to this elegant and accessible collection of stories that have cast their magical spell over children and adults alike for generations.

I know this will be an automatic buy for many libraries and some readers--Tatar's name is enough to insure that--but it also promises to be a new translation worthy of comparison to the other best ones. (See that previous blog entry I mentioned above.)  I have gained a much great understanding and respect for translators this past year after working through several for my upcoming Sleeping Beauties--I have translated roughly 20 tales for that collection.  Tatar approached the project as both an expert on German and the Grimms, so I expect this to be an excellent offering, especially considering her previous books.