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| Aesop's Fables. Barnes and Noble Collector's Edition |
Classic lessons in ethics and morality...
Aesop (/ˈiːsɒp/ EE-sop; Ancient Greek: Αἴσωπος, Aisōpos; c. 620 - 564 BCE) was an Ancient Greek fabulist or story teller credited with a number of fables now collectively known as Aesop's Fables. Although his existence remains uncertain and no writings by him survive, numerous tales credited to him were gathered across the centuries and in many languages in a storytelling tradition that continues to this day. Many of the tales are characterized by animals and inanimate objects that speak, solve problems, and generally have human characteristics.
Scattered details of Aesop's life can be found in ancient sources, including Aristotle, Herodotus, and Plutarch. An ancient literary work called The Aesop Romance tells an episodic, probably highly fictional version of his life, including the traditional description of him as a strikingly ugly slave (δοῦλος) who by his cleverness acquires freedom and becomes an adviser to kings and city-states. Older spellings of his name have included Esop(e) and Isope. Depictions of Aesop in popular culture over the last 2500 years have included several works of art and his appearance as a character in numerous books, films, plays, and television programs.
"This brilliant new hardcover version of Aesop's timeless tales offers a fresh take on the classic 1909 Hodder and Stoughton edition. Newly reset and decorated with ornate borders and running heads, this edition features more than 300 of the legendary fabulist's brief but pithy morality tales. The stories are further embellished by 23 full-page color images and numerous black-and-white drawings by illustrator Edward J. Detmold, the famed Victorian artist who was highly influenced by the traditional Japanese style, the works of Albrecht Dürer, and the burgeoning Art Nouveau movement."
