The Complete Tales of Uncle Remus Author: Visit Amazon's Joel Chandler Harris Page | Language: English | ISBN:
0618154299 | Format: PDF
The Complete Tales of Uncle Remus Description
From Publishers Weekly
Brer Rabbit and friends return in The Complete Tales of Uncle Remus by Joel Chandler Harris. Originally issued in 1955 and compiled by folklorist Richard Chase, the collection includes all the original stories (the first of which appeared in 1880), b&w artwork and glossary. Barbara McClintock provides updated jacket art.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Review
"These stories are as American as the stars and stripes, even though they have some of their origins in Africa." Saturday Review
See all Editorial Reviews
- Age Range: 12 and up
- Grade Level: 3 and up
- Hardcover: 848 pages
- Publisher: Houghton Mifflin (May 27, 2002)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0618154299
- ISBN-13: 978-0618154296
- Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.5 x 1.8 inches
- Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
These animal stories were banned in the late sixties from many schools and libraries for being racist (the storyteller in the book, Uncle Remus, is a slave and uses the "n" word). But it seems that it's now ok to like these stories again, and a good thing that is, because they are not only hilariously funny, they are also deeply revealing of the foibles of us humans. But perhaps most importantly, they are a treasure trove of African American folklore.
The stories combine folktale motifs brought from Africa by slaves with those of the native peoples of the south, particularly the Cherokee and Choctaw. Since both cultures had stories with animal characters, and specifically trickster rabbit characters, ethnologists have not been able to completely determine which elements are the African and which are the Native American. No matter, since the two storytelling traditions blend together seamlessly.
This edition is the most encyclopedic of all the Uncle Remus collections, and contains many different types of tales. There are origin tales, like how Mr. Dog originally came to live with Mr. Man and why Mr. Cricket has elbows on his legs. There are satirical tales, like the one in which Brer Rabbit convinces Brer Fox that it's the fashion in town for up-to-date foxes to have their heads cut off, which is information that Brer Fox, out of vanity, acts on in the way Brer Rabbit hopes. There are Trickster tales --mostly involving Brer Rabbit and Brer Tortoise (who is the only character who can out-trickster Rabbit). And there are tales of witches, magic, and superstition specific to Africa.
The Complete Tales of Uncle Remus Preview
Link
Please Wait...