The Animal Story
Book - Andrew Lang
In the late 19th century, Scottish author, poet, and scholar
Andrew Lang had fairy, folk, and animal tales translated from writers such as
Pliny, Alexandre Dumas, and Théophile Gautier. Then, he commissioned artists to
create pretty black and white drawings. The collections were madly popular,
probably influencing the reading tastes and habits of children and young people
of the early 20th century.
On the positive side, Lang, a romantic Victorian-era folklorist, chose good stories and edited the translation in such a way that the language is simple, direct, clear, and coherent. Like Lemony Snicket, he includes copious – that’s a fifty-cent way to say “many” or “numerous” - hard words that young readers do well to learn.
On the negative side, post-modernist readers will identify patriarchal and misogynist tendencies in Lang. Political philosophy aside, Lang sounds sweetly condescending, with a “Now, children!” tone that will put on edge the teeth of skeptical kids. Since the Doubting Thomas temperament is probably genetic, some kids, then and now, have a sensitive Bushwah Detector. It flashes red when it detects Didactic Intentions to Implant Mindless Compliance to Pretentious Authority.
Readers who like sentiment and animals and whimsy will probably enjoy this. Passing on this would be readers who were bloody-minded kids that instinctively felt that something was wrong with Disney and all its works.
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