Rethinking fairytales as feminist fables is rescuing them, not ruining them | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett

A new collection of rejigged tales gets much closer to the spirit of these stories than the ‘traditional’ versions we’re force-fed There’s a book called Politically Correct Bedtime Stories, written by James Finn Garner, which used to be on my parents’ shelves, and is now on mine. Published in 1994, it was a massive bestseller in its time, satirising changing social attitudes and acting as an amusing corrective for the holier-than-thou: Little Red Riding Hood, for example, finds the wolf’s suggestion that it isn’t safe for a little girl to walk through the woods alone “sexist” and “offensive in the extreme… ” but, she says, “I will ignore it because of your traditional status as an outcast from society, the stress of which has caused you to develop your own, entirely valid, worldview”. It also stands as a reminder that the so-called culture wars, all that rightwing fury at the “tyranny of woke”, are simply the political-correctness-gone-mad wars of yesteryear rebranded for a new, digital age.Right-on children’s books have had a resurgence, as demonstrated by the success of series such as Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. This autumn, children have been gifted four rejigged fairytales in the form of Vintage Children’s Classics’ new Fairy Tale Revolution series, which sees Bluebeard, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel and The Ugly Duckling revisited by Malorie Blackman, Rebecca Solnit, Jeanette Winterson and Kamila Shamsie respectively. They are all just lovely: sweet and funny... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2020-11-04 09:00:13 UTC ]
News tagged with: #digital age #rebel girls #malorie blackman #rebecca solnit #jeanette winterson #kamila shamsie #adult reading #sincerely hope

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Rethinking fairytales as feminist fables is rescuing them, not ruining them | Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett'


Morpurgo pens Leicester City football fairytale

Children’s author Michael Morpurgo has written a fairytale for BBC Radio 4 about Leicester City winning the football Premier League, suggesting the club had a helping hand from King Richard III, whose remains were found in a car park in the city in 2012. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-05-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #helping hand


‘A girl needs to learn that she has to rescue herself’

For International Women’s Day, author Sophia Bennett on the importance of female role models in literature. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #international women


Campaigners protest closure of London's Feminist Library

Over 100 campaigners gathered last night to protest the eviction of London's Feminist Library from the building that has housed it for 30 years. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-02-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #feminist library


Kaite Welsh pens 'feminist' Victorian crime series

Headline has acquired a "feminist" Victorian crime series by journalist Kaite Welsh, about a "trailblazing" female doctor-turned-detective. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Feminist blogger Clarkson's essay collection to S&S

Simon & Schuster UK has pre-empted Can I Speak to Someone in Charge?, a collection of essays by journalist and blogger, Emily Clarkson. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #essay collection


Goodreads to host Emma Watson's new 'feminist book club'

Emma Watson has named My Life on the Road by Gloria Steinem (Oneworld Publication) as the first title for her "feminist book club" - and selected free book-recommendation website Goodreads to host it. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2016-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #emma watson


Lucy Maud Montgomery: From hat box novelist to Google Doodle tribute

On the Canadian author's birthday, Google honors Lucy Maud Montgomery's famous novel 'Anne of Green Gables.'  Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-12-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #canadian author #green gables


Children's 'elegant fable' wins Waterstones Book of the Year

Children’s book The Fox and the Star by aPenguin cover designer Coralie Bickford-Smith has beaten Harper Lee and Paula Hawkins to be crowned The Waterstones Book of the Year 2015. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-12-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #waterstones book #paula hawkins


Fox fable beats bestsellers to book prize

A fable about friendship and loss by a debut author beats bestselling novels The Girl on the Train and Go Set a Watchman to be named Waterstones Book of the Year. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2015-12-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book prize


Thursday's TV highlights: 'The All-Star Dog Rescue Celebration' and more

SERIES The Twilight Zone An annual tradition continues as KTLA presents an 18-episode marathon of Rod Serling's classic 1960s-era sci-fi anthology series. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. KTLA 2 Broke Girls Ryan Hansen guest stars as Caroline's (Beth Behrs) ex-boyfriend. 9:30 p.m. CBS Elementary "Law &... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2015-11-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tv highlights


Atlanta Feminist Bookstore Seeks New Path to Viability

The 41-year-old Charis Books and More bookstore, one of approximately a dozen remaining feminist bookstores in the U.S., has put its building up for sale. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Four questions for Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison

Authors Tom Ellen and Lucy Ivison answer questions about their new book Never Evers (Chicken House). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tom ellen #lucy ivison


The Struggles Facing Mormon Feminists: PW Talks With Joanna Brooks

The co-editor of 'Mormon Feminism: Essential Writings' discusses the challenges of Mormon feminism and where the movement stands today. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-10-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Tuskar Rock to publish Kraus' feminist novel

Tuskar Rock Press will publish I Love Dick, the autobiographical-novel by American writer Chris Kraus. The book was originally published in 1997 by Kraus’s own Semiotext(e) Press. This is the first time it will be available as a UK edition. I Love Dick merges fiction and memoir to tell the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-09-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #love dick #tuskar rock #originally published #uk edition


How a feminist anthology taught me that outsiders can pull together | Mark Haddon

I grew up on a diet of Carry On films, Benny Hill and my parents’ Daily Telegraph. The Spare Rib Reader helped me articulate an unease that I had felt for as long as I could rememberTo be honest, I can’t remember a single thing about the contents of this book. Mind you, that’s true of many books... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #early 1980s #germaine greer #female eunuch #team effort #early 80s


Revisit Fables’ Beautiful, Groundbreaking Comic Book Covers

Let's celebrate some of the best cover artwork comics fans have ever seen. The post Revisit Fables’ Beautiful, Groundbreaking Comic Book Covers appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2015-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


BookCon 2015: A Classy Canine to the Rescue

Men and fashion? The well-dressed man? Just look around, and you’ll see that it’s a concept reserved for glossy magazines and red carpets, but rarely found in reality. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #glossy magazines #red carpets


BEA 2015: Feminist Press: Bending Rules, Pushing Boundaries

Now in its 45th year, the Feminist Press is pushing the boundaries of what “feminism” means. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #feminist press #45th year


Portfolio signs Feminist Fight Club

Portfolio has acquired a book by Lean In employee Jessica Bennett. Editor Zoe Bohm acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to Feminist Fight Club in a pre-empt from Rachel Clements at Abner Stein on behalf of the Ross Yoon Agency for publication in May 2016. North American rights were acquired by... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-05-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #rachel clements #abner stein #12-publisher auction


Can Independent Publishers Rescue in South Korean Publishing?

Independent publishing and bookstores that offering indie press books are lone bright spots in an otherwise depressed South Korean publishing landscape. The post Can Independent Publishers Rescue in South Korean Publishing? appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-04-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #independent publishing