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'


A Summary and Analysis of Sandra Cisneros’ ‘My Lucy Friend Who Smells Like Corn’

‘My Lucy Friend Who Smells Like Corn’ is the opening story in Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories, a 1991 collection of short stories by the American writer Sandra Cisneros (born 1954). In the story, a young girl describes her friendship with a girl named Lucy, and it emerges that […] Continue reading at Interesting Literature

[ Interesting Literature | 2023-04-13 14:00:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #opening story #sandra cisneros #short stories


A Feminist Before Feminism: A Reading List in Honor of Isabella Stewart Gardner’s Boston

How funny to curate a list about Boston when I never really considered it my home—possibly not until my new novel, The Lioness of Boston. I moved a lot as a kid—house to apartment, town to city, out of the country, back in, out again, until I finally moved back to the US and my […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-04-13 08:52:53 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Dogger to the rescue: how my mother’s books brought joy to the children of Ukraine

After the death last year of children’s author Shirley Hughes, her son took hundreds of her books, including the award-winning Dogger, to libraries in Ukraine, where reading is helping to heal the children traumatised by warThe National Library of Ukraine for Children in Kyiv, a city at war for... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2023-04-09 07:00:44 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #library network #shirley hughes #beloved author #real thing #russia launched #famous character #libraries


The Culture Wars Are Energizing Feminist Bookstores

As book banning efforts, assaults upon women’s autonomy, and more intensify, both old-school feminist bookstores and new intersectional feminist shops are drawing customers seeking a safe space and solace in books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2023-03-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #culture wars #safe space


Little Atlantic puffin rescued on busy N.B. roadway

A lost Atlantic puffin found itself in a bit of a bind after crashing down onto a busy New Brunswick street, far from where the seabirds are supposed to be found this time of year. Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2023-03-04 11:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #puffin


Untangling the Wolf: Erica Berry on Fairytales, Fear, and Dismantling Narratives

I met Erica Berry at the Monson Arts Residency in 2019. From the outset, it was clear Berry was not only a kind, loving person, but also a person of great thought-fullness. I have enjoyed reading her work ever since and was thrilled to hear her debut book was on the way. Wolfish: Wolf, Self, […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2023-02-22 09:52:37 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #debut book


What happens to Substack if Elon Musk ruins Twitter?

While some of the most popular writers on the publishing platform were able to convert their sizable Twitter following into newsletter subscriptions, a huge Twitter presence isn’t necessarily a prerequisite for Substack success. In just a few weeks, Elon Musk has created a number of questions... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2022-11-18 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #elon musk #media businesses #publishing platform


Rob Delaney Wants You to Know How He’s Feeling (It May Ruin Your Day)

In his memoir “A Heart That Works,” the comedian and actor grapples with the pain of losing a child, and how to keep living. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-11-12 10:00:26 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #rob delaney #memoir


How Rudy Giuliani, once a national hero, ruined his own reputation

Andrew Kirtzman explains how America's Mayor became a nonsense-peddling Trump loyalist. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-09-16 10:00:50 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #rudy giuliani


How Should Feminists Have Sex Now?

A new memoir on the unfinished sexual revolution explores the difficulty of enacting one’s political beliefs in intimate spaces. Continue reading at The Atlantic

[ The Atlantic | 2022-08-14 11:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #memoir


Lucy Sante on Writing with the Back Brain

The following first appeared in Lit Hub’s The Craft of Writing newsletter—sign up here. At a literary festival a few years ago, during question time after a panel discussion, an audience member told me, “You’re one of those intuitive writers,” stepping hard on the adjective. Aren’t we all... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-08-12 08:52:32 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lit hub #sthe craft #question time #panel discussion #writing newsletter—sign #literary festival


Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s new novel puts a feminist twist on ‘Dr. Moreau’

With a powerful woman at its center, ‘The Daughter of Doctor Moreau’ is a gripping tale that melds horror, history and a little romance Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-07-28 11:00:11 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #doctor moreau #silvia moreno-garcia #feminist twist #gripping tale


10 Indispensable Black, Queer, and Feminist Coming-of-Age Stories

Mecca Jamilah Sullivan, author of the new novel 'Big Girl,' recommends 10 essential stories of young people coming into deeper understandings of race, gender, class, sexuality, and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-23 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #big girl


Fable Book Club App Review

The Fable app is a new platform that aims to make reading more social. Here's what one writer thought of it. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-07-20 10:36:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #make reading #book club


Lucy Liu as Tracy Flick and other new audiobooks for your playlist

Tom Perrotta’s novel features a terrific full cast. Also, new this month, wonderful narrations of ‘The Last White Rose’ and Horse.' Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-07-01 11:00:13 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lucy liu #tracy flick #tom perrotta


2 Literary Novels Find the Poetry in Animal Rescue

A Nobel laureate and a future publisher play major roles in Margarita Engle’s “Singing With Elephants” and Michael Morpurgo’s “The Puffin Keeper.” Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-06-03 04:06:53 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #nobel laureate #margarita engle #michael morpurgo #puffin


Exclusive cover reveal: Elizabeth Strout’s Lucy by the Sea.

Lit Hub is pleased to reveal the cover for Pulitzer-winning author Elizabeth Strout’s latest novel Lucy by the Sea, which will be published by Random House this September. In Lucy by the Sea, Strout follows Lucy—the protagonist of My Name is Lucy Barton and Oh William!—through the early days of... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-03-22 18:56:21 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lucy barton #elizabeth strout #lit hub #early days #covid-19 pandemic #random house


Reyna Grande wants her new novel to help us rethink the term 'invasion'

Reyna Grande, author of "A Ballad of Love and Glory," will join the L.A. Times Book Club on March 29. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-03-15 14:00:51 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #times book


Margot Atwell Named Executive Director and Publisher of Feminist Press

The former director of outreach and international for Kickstarter plans to build on the Press’s mission of centering marginalized voices. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-03-10 05:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #feminist press