Fairy Tale and Folklore
Starter Library: Nonfiction

This list of books includes the texts I consider essential to my folklore and fairy tale library. The list also includes titles that have been well-received and reviewed by scholars and students.

Anthologies of Tales

The best place to start is, of course, with Grimms. While the text of tales are available on this website, it helps to have a reliable and credible translation of the tales for reference. In the 21st century, two of the most accurate and best translations of the Grimms' tales are byJack Zipes and Ralph Manheim. The Zipes translation, currently in a third edition, includes extra fragments and earlier manuscripts, but some readers prefer Manheim's translations. The choice is aesthetic and should be decided by the individual reader. However, if you are looking for a reliable English translation, I recommend selecting either one or both of these translations.

Excellent translations of the French fairy tales can be found in Jack Zipes' Beauties, Beasts, and Enchantment: Classic French Fairy Tales. Another helpful translation, The Complete Fairy Tales in Verse and Prose, includes the original French alongside an English translation.

Academic Texts

This book has become one of the most popular text books for fairy tale classes since its publication. Jack Zipes, currently the most prolific fairy tale scholar,

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