I admit it, I buy books for their covers as well as their content, and for the illustrations that interleaf their writing. Look forward to sharing an eclectic selection, old and new.

Fairy Tales and Legends of the World

On the cusp of a new decade, I've turned some new year resolutions into ten-year readolutions. One of them is to read 1000 fairy tales, folk tales, myths and legends, starting with the first such book I remember, which I still have and cherish. Fairy Tales and...

Once Upon a Time & Far Away

Another collection of fairy tales dating from my sixth Christmas, a gift from my mother. This one has exuberant illustrations by Anton Kolnberger, whimsical and bright, and like many children's stories, it covers the full spectrum of human splendour and squalor. I...

The Pied Piper of Hamelin

A beloved possession, this book was given to me by my mother for Christmas 1969, when I was six. You can just see below her dedication in the illustration of the inside front cover. Like her, I loved the poem presented Robert Browning's superb translation from the...

The Mermaid & the Red Candle

As you may recall, in preparing for a new decade of life, I made a resolution to read 1000 fairy tales, legends and myths. This is the second book I've read since embarking on this joyous venture. One of several given to me by my mother for Christmas 1969, when I...

All good publishers have a department of exceptions.

Gabriel Zaid – So Many Books