Literature

The Sorcerer's Apprentice: An Anthology of Magical Tales

    Illustrated by
  • Natalie Frank

A diverse new anthology that traces the meaning and magic of the sorcerer's apprentice tale throughout history

Hardcover

Price:
$37.00/拢30.00
ISBN:
Published:
Apr 4, 2017
2017
Pages:
432
Size:
6 x 9.25 in.
Illus:
20 halftones.
Main_subject:
Literature
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鈥淭he Sorcerer’s Apprentice鈥 might conjure up images of Mickey Mouse from the Disney film Fantasia, or of Harry Potter. As this anthology reveals, however, 鈥渟orcerer’s apprentice鈥 tales鈥攊n which a young person rebels against, or complies with, an authority who holds the keys to magical powers鈥攈ave been told through the centuries, in many languages and cultures, from classical times to today. This unique and beautifully illustrated book brings together more than fifty sorcerer’s apprentice stories by a plethora of writers, including Ovid, Sir Walter Scott, and the Brothers Grimm. From Goethe’s 鈥淭he Pupil in Magic鈥 to A. K. Ramanujan’s 鈥淭he Guru and His Disciple,鈥 this expansive collection presents variations of a classic passed down through countries and eras.

Readers enter worlds where household objects are brought to life and shape-shifting occurs from human to animal and back again. We meet two types of apprentice: 鈥淭he Humiliated Apprentice,鈥 a foolish bumbler who wields magic ineffectively and promotes obedience to authority; and 鈥淭he Rebellious Apprentice鈥 who, through ambition and transformative skills, promotes empowerment and self-awareness. In an extensive introduction, esteemed fairy-tale scholar Jack Zipes discusses the significance and meaning of the apprentice stories, the contradictions in popular retellings, and the importance of magic as a tool of resistance against figures who abuse their authority. Twenty specially commissioned black-and-white illustrations by noted artist Natalie Frank bring the stories to visual life.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice enlightens and entertains readers with enduring, spellbinding tales of sorcery that have been with us through the ages.