The Legendary Life and Fables of Aesop

By Mayvis Anthony

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0973926104
• ISBN13: 9780973926101
• Release Date: March 2006
• Publisher: Mayant Press
• Length: 130 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.4" x 5.4"

Customer Reviews

a must for every school library

Most of us know the fables of Aesop - so why is it worthwhile to have yet another compilation of his fables? There is few pieces of literature, which have such a wide spanning influence on the world literature as Aesop's fables. A reflection of these original works should always be welcome. Mayvis Anthony manages to put the fables into the context of Aesop's life, which is narrated through short annecdotal episodes. These episodes present Aesop very much like the original type of the "wise fool" as we encounter him in literature in the German medivial character of Till Eulenspiegel or Bertold Brechts "Herr Keuner". As such Aesop's life is narrated in a way that it reflects the wisdom of Aesop's fables itself. The book is pleasant to read and it is edited with appealing graphics. However, it is also well suited if one just want to look up certain fables. Therefore, I consider this book a must for the library of every Elementary, Middle and High School.

Editorial Review

"Sour grapes!" "The Tortoise and the Hare." The beast fables of Aesop have been part of the literary heritage of the world for over 2,500 years. It is debatable whether the Ethiopian slave Aesop (like Homer) actually existed, but the tales continue to enrich our understanding of human nature. Mayvis Anthony's "The Legendary Life and Fables of Aesop" gives an engaging account of the story of Aesop's life and retells the fables with wit and vigour. The volume is illustrated with delightful drawings by Mary Anne Miller and Grace Freed Muscarella. The appeal of these old tales is especially strong today, because "in a world that is changing so fast [they] lure us back to our ancient roots" (ix). They restore us to elemental truths about our nature and our follies. Human beings learn a great deal from the observation of animals ("All I know about life I learned from my cat"), and to give animals (and gods, and forces of nature) human characteristics has remained a more vivid and pointed way of revealing truth than mere moralizing. Have a look at James Thurber's "Fables for our Times" if you want proof. Mayvis Anthony's "Aesop" makes equally clear how much insight we can gain about ourselves, when we meet again "the boy who cried wolf" or "the wolf in sheep's clothing." We all have heard of the few well-known Aesop's fables (such as The North Wind and the Sun and The Hen and the Golden Eggs) but how much do you know about the life of the man himself? Mayvis Anthony brings us this story in a truly unique book that includes both the rare, ancient biography of Aesop, the legendary 'father' of fables and over a hundred of his fables, many of them have been lost over time and are now brought back to print in this book. Here we see Aesop, born a slave in 550 BCE, but who eventually overcame his lowly status through sheer wit and intelligence. We follow him through his many memorable and sometimes humorous encounters encounters with his master, Xanthus, a renowned philosopher of his time, his eventual rise to become a famous ambassador and then to his untimely end in accordance with the Delphic oracle. The story is very engaging and at times has its poignant moments. This is a distillation of all the oldest biographies of Aesop, meticulously researched from many out-of-print resources and then brought to life in today's modern language. There are two sets of illustrations. The chapters on the life of Aesop are illustrated by Toronto artist, Mary Anne Miller, who accurately captured the time-period of Aesop through historical research and are unique to this book. The fables are illustrated by American, Grace Muscarella, whose silhouette drawings were done while she was stationed in Greece back in 1958. Together, they recreate a book reminiscent of the original books of these fables that were created to be appreciated by all ages. A rare specimen of ancient fiction.

This book is for young and old

My child loves this book! I read 3 or 4 stories every night before she goes to bed and she keeps wanting to hear more. I enjoy reading about Aesop's life and how he was a slave who rose to becoming an Ambassdor.This book is also great for young adults. This is a book I will treasure all my life.