Once Upon a time

28 November 2014

iStock

FAIRY stories used to be looked on as tales of innocence. Thanks largely to Dr Marina Warner, we now know that innocence is the last thing they teach. Her academic work on the genre is the background to Once Upon a Time: A short history of the fairy tale (Oxford, £10.99 (£9.90); 978-0-19-871865-9). She traces the folk traditions that fed into published works such as Histoires et Contes du temps passé by Charles Perrault (1697) and the works of the Grimm Brothers (1812-57), bringing the history up to date with a critical look at films such as Maleficent and Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty (with a vampire's bite rather than a kiss). PH

Browse Church and Charity jobs on the Church Times jobsite

Book reviews

Unputdownable (outside office hours)

28 Nov 2014

Fleeting moments in Corsica

28 Nov 2014

Closing Janus’ gates

28 Nov 2014

Good loving set him free

28 Nov 2014

Powerful Brits . . . if there are any now

28 Nov 2014

Flight from the tethers of grief

28 Nov 2014

Church Times Bookshop

Save money on books reviewed or featured in the Church Times. To get your reader discount:

> Click on the “Church Times Bookshop” link at the end of the review.

> Call 0845 017 6965 (Mon-Fri, 9.30am-5pm).

The reader discount is valid for two months after the review publication date. E&OE

Forthcoming Events

Can a ‘Good Death‘ be Assisted?

28 November 2024

A webinar in collaboration with Modern Church

tickets available

Through Darkness To Light: Advent Journeys

30 November 2024

tickets available

Women Mystics: Female Theologians through Christian History

13 January - 19 May 2025

An online evening lecture series, run jointly by Sarum College and The Church Times

tickets available

Festival of Faith and Literature

28 February - 2 March 2025

tickets available

Visit our Events page for upcoming and past events

jobs.CHURCHTIMES

Job of the Week

Team Rector

North West

Team Rector, West Bolton Team The West Bolton Team is seeking a new Team Rector to lead its mission, evangelism, prayer, and service at a time of exciting opportunities and challenges.

Appointments

Director of Contextual Formation

Scotland

The Scottish Episcopal Institute (SEI) seeks to appoint a Director of Contextual Formation.

Director of Mission and Ministry

West Midlands

Could God be calling you to shape the future of Mission and Ministry across the Diocese of Worcester?

Two Governors

South East

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST IN JOINING THE GOVERNING BODY INVITED

Find more jobs

The Church Times Archive

Read reports from issues stretching back to 1863, search for your parish or see if any of the clergy you know get a mention.

FREE for Church Times subscribers.

Explore the archive

Once Upon a time

Other stories

Chaperoned by dachshunds

Some serious sci-fi

Hobbits . . . again

Counting on pointed fingers

Copybook blotted

If you want a silly answer . . .