The Irresistible Fairy Tale

 By Jack Zipes

The subtitle for this book is The Cultural and Social History of a Genre, and this is pretty much it, but also so much more! Each chapter discusses a certain aspect of the history of fairy tales, starting with how and why tales were created and told, and how they formed the basis of culture. Then there's a fabulous chapter that talks about the women writers in late 17th century France who combined folklore and mythology to create short-form tales that were suitable for print. Another favorite chapter is about Baba Yaga, the evolution of a beautiful, revered goddesses who healed and transformed into old, ugly witches, emphasizing how tales told by women are often different than those told by men with regard to the Baby Yaga. Similarly, the next chapter discusses how persecuted heroines differ in stories told by women storytellers, where they are not simply submissive, dependent creatures, but also canny and smart and doing the best they can in their difficult circumstances, where they are threatened or experiencing assaults and incest. 

So the book not only provides a lot of novel information about the history of this genre, but also lots of food for thought about the culture that made common fairy tales what they are, and how their retelling evolves with cultures. [235 pp., including notes and index]

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The Big Oyster

 By Mark Kurlansky

I would describe this book as a fascinating and humorous collection of anecdotes, all connected by their relevance to oysters. It's a great way to learn about the history of New York, and in particular, Manhattan, from the time before the Dutch arrived till early 21st century. There's so many things mentioned in the book that I would like to learn more about. I totally enjoyed reading this, and I've never had an oyster in my life, nor do I plan to have one. [307pp. including bibliography and index]

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Circe

By Madeline Miller

A fascinating account of the goddess Circe, based on available mythology, with the author's interpretations and additions. It's very nicely written, and I'd say more enjoyable than Homer's extremely violent account. [393 pp.]

 

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Jamrach's Menagerie

By Carol Birch

This is the second time I read this book. The first time was back in 2013. All I wrote about it was how surprising it was. Well, this time, I knew what to expect. There was still some surprise, though, as I didn't remember all the details, and perhaps there were things I noticed for the first time. I found myself wishing one part of the book to be over already. I knew what was coming, but was still hoping that wouldn't come. That the part would end sooner and the inevitable won't happen. But that's not how things work. Needless to say, the book is very engrossing and illuminating. [I just learned through Wikipedia that two of the major events in the book are based on true stories.]  It is a beautifully written book. You know, the kind of book you go back to and still get surprised by things. [295pp.]

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Devotion (Why I Write)

 By Patti Smith

An enchanting story of a teenager and her devotion to skating, nestled within a brief memoir of sorts, perhaps a travel journal which in itself exemplify devotion to writing. She has a way of choosing the perfect sequence of words. I specifically remember one toward the end of the book that talks about how inspiration hits and the consequences of that. [95 pp.]

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The Age of Innocence

 By Edith Wharton

This book is mostly a criticism of a place and time in which the author may have experienced as a child. A society that has enclosed itself thinks itself the best that could be, not open to outside ideas and people, even those who were born inside it. The criticism comes through the story of two people who fall in love, but are not allowed to be together because of society's restrictions. But the book also shows the transient nature of societal conventions. 

I could relate to this story more than I did with Ethan Frome. The plot and actions of the main characters here seemed more believable. It could be because I was more aware of context in this book -- thanks to the introduction and afterward-- than I was in Ethan Frome. 

[fiction, 316pp.]

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Hitting A Straight Lick With A Crooked Stick

By Zora Neale Hurston

This book of short stories by a wonderful writer was entertaining and surprising, sometimes sad, sometimes with a happy endings. Not always easy to read, as they are written in dialect. It is neat to see progression in- and experimentation with different writing styles. The writer has a great sense of humor and the introduction provides useful insights. [304 pp. Finished it at least 2 weeks ago...]