In the realm of magic and imagination, human nature can be better understood than in the world of our everyday lives: ‘The best of our tales do not lie or die.’ It is a bold claim, which the folklorist Jack Zipes explores across continents and class in a series of essays. He guides the reader from the origin of oral storytelling, through medieval writings, to 17th-century literary salons and finally to today’s cinema screens. In the course of this journey, he focuses on the specific genre of the ‘wonder tale’, in which ‘those who are naive and simple are able to succeed because they are untainted and can recognise the wondrous signs… They have not been spoiled by conventionalism, power or rationalism.’
As Zipes follows the trajectory of these stories, the path twists and turns, moving back and forth between the imagination and lived experience. He combines precise text analysis and historical fact as a means of investigation. Like all good storytellers, he leaves space for the reader to form their own connections from these interwoven narratives.
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