Book Description

A stark and allegorical tale of adultery, guilt, and social repression in Puritan New England, The Scarlet Letter is a foundational work of American literature. Nathaniel Hawthorne's exploration of the dichotomy between the public and private self, internal passion and external convention, gives us the unforgettable Hester Prynne, who discovers strength in the face of ostracism and emerges as a heroine ahead of her time. As Kathryn Harrison points out in her Introduction, Hester is "the herald of the modern American heroine, a mother of such strength and stature that she towers over her progeny much as she does the citizens of Salem." ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Let's be for real!!!!!!!
I think that the book is pretty good so far, but it does have a few things that I can't quite relate to or understand. Most people in today's society don't get pointed out for commiting adultery. It's like an everyday thing now. People just don't do that anymore. I do think that is was great to see how the people back then viewed certain quailties and how they carried out their religious beliefs. To me, this was a story about a woman named Hester Prynne who was caught up in a bad love triangle. She was married to a scholar who had sent her ahead to Boston. She got caught up and fell in love with the minster Dimmesdale. She got pregnant and had a daughter who she named Pearl because she was the most precious and expensive thing in her life. All of her earnings went towards her. They made Hester and baby Pearl sit out on a scaffold allday to let the people come by and look at them and ridicule them. Hester had to wear a scarlet A on her bosom from hence forth. She made the most of it, though. Pearl had an intuition and she could recognize how was good and who was bad. She knew the Chillingworth, Hester's husband, was a bad man. She felt a connection with Dimmesdale. One day when Pearl was about seven years old, she asked her mother what did the scarlet letter mean and why did Dimmesdale always cover up his heart. Hester had still not revealed who the father of her child was because she loved him that much. As far as I have read the guilt is eating Dimmesdale up and he wants to tell the people but he doesn't know how. In the end you should try your best not to keep hurtful secrets inside because in the end it will be the thing that destroy's you the most!

Maybe the book was cheated...!?
Yes, I enjoyed this book. The STORY was good...I am sure you have an idea about it so I won't waste time with a summary. The SETTING was great...Hawthorne brought 17th Century frontier Boston alive with his stunning descriptions. The CHARACTERS were ok...yes, only ok, because I never found myself loving or hating any of them, which to me is evidence that the author was successful with his creation. But...The SYMBOLISM is what makes this book, what makes it a classic!...This book is a brilliant essay on how important it is to abide by a conscience. One mishap can lead you down a path towards destruction. BUT aiding in that destruction were Christians who were more unforgiving then the heathen around them...The christian who reads this book should learn that forgiveness was the #1 thing Christ taught and expects from us! (i.e. He who is merciful shall obtain mercy). BUT what I learned most from this book was how important it is to understand Gods grace! God is not some powerful ogre waiting to punish but a friend waiting to forgive. If this frontier town only could have known this how different their experience would have been!

However, I think this book was cheated because I read it right after the stunning 'Grapes of Wrath' and it simply could not compare, overall, and therefore can not receive the elite five star status! Still a must read if you have never...!

My opinion of The Scarlet Letter
If stories of sacrifice, strength, commitment and love perk your interests, then this may be gratifying reading material for you. Hawthorne's text, The Scarlet Letter, requires concentration and thought to comprehend some of the wording. This book has a copious amount of run-on sentences which makes it seem way too drawn out. I also found it challenging to follow the plot and theme because of the ample amount of detail provided about each character and the various situations. I can see why The Scarlet Letter is considered a classic, but I would not recommend it to anyone.

A Wonderful Example of Classic Literature.
The Scarlet Letter tells a story of a young woman named, Hester Prynne. As
the reader enters the story, Hester has a three month old baby girl and no
father in site. She had come to Boston months before to make a place for her
much older husband who was to arrive later but never had.
The normal punishment for adultery was death. Hester was very young,
however, so the church officials were "merciful." Instead of sentencing her to
death, she was to wear a red letter 'A' on the front of her dress and be put on
public display for three hours. After those hours she was to wear the "scarlet
letter" for the rest of her life. At the end of which her tombstone would be
engraved with nothing other than her name and the letter A.
While on public display she was given a chance to repent and escape
her punishment. She was asked to reveal the father of the child. In protection
of the man she loved, she vehemently declined the offer.
Needless to say, Hester and her child are shunned by the townspeople,
who believe them both to be hell sent. As you read The Scarlet Letter, you
travel with Hester through the next seven years of her life. You experience
with her the pain, isolation and ignominy she carries upon her dress, and in
her heart.
I enjoyed reading the Scarlet Letter and experiencing with Hester the
events and circumstances that shaped her life, the life of her daughter, Pearl,
and the life of the man she would forever love.

Very good and very unlike the movie
I am an avid reader, specially of books in the English language. The movie "The Scarlet Letter" has been a favorite of mine, but reading other reviews of the novel (other editions) here in Amazon, prompted me to read it. People kept saying they were dissapointed with the movie and vice versa; people kept saying they could not deal with Hawthorne's 19th century language. But I could deal perfectly with the idiom, even though it's not my first language. Both the movie and the novel are excellent, although different. ... Read more

Book Description

"Tales and Sketches" offers what no reader has ever been able to find--an authoritative edition of Hawthorne's complete stories in a single comprehensive volume. Here is everything from his three collections, "Twice-told Tales," "Mosses from an Old Manse," "The Snow-Image, and Other Twice-told Tales," his two books of stories for children based on classical myths, "A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys" and "Tanglewood Tales," and sixteen uncollected stories. The unique arrangement by order of publication charts Hawthorne's evolution into one of the most powerful and experimental writers of American fiction. From familiar but always surprising works like "Young Goodman Brown," to masterly fables like "My Kinsman, Major Molineux," to lesser known gems like "The Wives of the Dead," these haunting stories of love and guilt, of duty and licence, of the fateful ties of family and nation, show why Hawthorne is a great artist, and an astonishingly contemporary one. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent
An excellent book
A treasure of Hawthorne
A must have for any library

My personal desert island book.
If Library of America had never published another book, this one alone would have justified their existence and earned them the gratitude of readers everywhere. Nearly 1,500 pages of what is arguably the best prose ever published by an Ameican writer.

I am sappy enough to enjoy Hawthorne the most in old editions, the older the better. But the stories are the same, no matter whether you're reading them in a dusty 19th century edition of _Mosses from an Old Manse_ or in this state-of-the-art omnibus edition, which includes all of Hawthorne's tales and sketches arranged chronologically, with brief bibliographic and biographic essays and a few explanatory notes. Take it on vacation with you some summer and experience it for yourself.

All or Nothing at All
This is the best selection to buy of Hawthorne's short stories because it is NOT a selection, it is complete and, if you believe the editor, it's actually more accurate in its assessment of what is and is not a Hawthorne story than some complete collections because he did not include here some stories that his co-editors on the Hawthorne Centenary Edition did want to include. (Hawthorne spent much of his career as an underpaid and unsung magazine writer and some of his work went with no byline and without reprinting at his own choice, so what he wrote is no easy matter to decide.) The stories are, you probably know if you're looking up this book, stark and wonderful. But some of them are also twee and a little fanciful and not so wonderful. That too is instructive. One very useful thing about this volume is that it includes a listing of when each story first saw print in magazine form and when in book form. In that way the reader can chart Hawthorne's development as a magazine writer and a professional which in every possible sense of the word he determined to become and despite some difficult odds finally was. Some of the most beautiful and terrifying stories in the language and a beautiful object to hold in your hand. Expensive, but if you can get it - this is the one to buy.

The Authoritative Hawthorne Collection
The only complaint I have about this book it its paper, which is "bible thin." The tales and sketches from all of Hawthorne's collections are included here, along with 16 previously uncollected stories. If you've read any of Hawthorne's more popularly anthologized tales, you will be amazed at the eloquence and quality of these lesser known jems. ... Read more

Book Description

For nearly a century and a half, Hawthorne’s masterpiece has mesmerized readers and critics alike. One of the greatest American novels, its themes of sin, guilt and redemption, woven through a story of adultery in the early days of the Massachusetts Colony, are revealed with remarkable psychological penetration and understanding of the human heart. New introductory Note.
... Read more

Reviews (309)

A wonderful classic story!
Nathaniel Hawthorne's prose in "The Scarlet Letter" is slightly complex at first but his description of Boston and of the people during the Puritan era is vivid and strong. I disagree with an earlier reviewer that the book was boring. The description of the characters and of the situations they were undergoing was helpful. It made the story much stronger. The last three or four chapters were surprisingly suspenseful. It is a fantastic read.

Moreover, "The Scarlet Letter" is a classic example of why social oppression is such a terrible thing. Thanks to the oppression of those times a child grew up without her father and a man died without ever having a real relationship with his daughter. One can't help but to think about the type of oppression (ie. sexual) that goes on today. This novel is a stark reminder of why oppression of any kind is really not worth it. When oppression exists in society, good people are always bound to suffer and all because of rigid, inhumane, socially conservative beliefs. Within its own context (Puritan era), the novel delves into this topic in a very powerful way. I highly recommend it because its subject matter still applies today.

"The Scarlet Letter"
Like many reviewers here, I was "forced" to read this book for my English Composition class. However, unlike many reviewers here, I have a much different view of the story. As some people have said before, Hawthorne's book takes a good deal of concentration, effort, and strength to understand. Not only to understand, but to finish. The story can drag sometimes, it is true, and Hawthorne's style of writing occasionally leaves something to be desired (I don't think I've ever seen that many commas, 15 letter words, or page long paragraphs before), but we simply must look past these minor issues. Overall, the plot is highly creative and intense, despite the writing.\

Ok, ok, I agree that the first chapter, "The Custom-House", was pretty bad. In fact, it was so bad and boring that I drifted off to sleep several times while reading it! The first chapter has little relevancy with the story, so, unless you have to, I would suggest skipping that part of the text. The rest is exceptionally good, and the quality of the plot cannot be overlooked. My advice is to just lay off the first chapter; that way you'll be able to enjoy the rest of the book without difficulty.

The story itself deals with sin and adultery, a subject that isn't very popular right now. Hawthorne does an excellent job of telling us about this, but he leaves the reader with many questions floating around in his mind at the conclusion. At the end of the story you're not 100% sure if Hawthorne was condemning the Puritan society, or if he was commending it. He leaves that for the reader to figure out, which is a thing authors seldom do. That's a major reason I believe this work is so unique and timeless.

The story involves a women named Hester Prynne, living in the New World in the late 17th century. She has committed adultery with someone unknown, and, since the Puritan society considered the Bible to be their ultimate source of law, the punishment was quite severe for such an act. Hester is forced to wear a scarlet "A" (for adultery) on her attire at all times, as a sign to everyone that she has sinned deeply. And so she must carry out the rest of her life this way. That's the major gist of the plot, although there's much more. I won't give it anyway, though, you'll have to read the book to find out.

Let's face it: at some time or another we all are going to probably have to read this book, voluntarily or involuntarily. Shouldn't we try to make the best of it? Read it for its enjoyment, anything else would be missing the point.

Strengths and Weaknesses
This story has been synopsized repeatedly on this item page, and I'll not be redundant. Instead, I'll move directly to explaining the four-star rating I gave it.

Strengths
1. It is, from a technical standpoint, very well-written.
2. It paints a clear picture of the era.
3. It describes, and questions, the social mores regarding infidelity and adultery.
4. It describes the consequences of adultery, not just for the unfaithful spouse, but for all affected parties.

Weaknesses
1. "The Scarlet Letter" is very detailed and descriptive, and can be boring at times, especially in the beginning.
2. Many adults think this is a great book for teens to read. Most of the teens I've discussed this book with do not agree; they find it boring, wordy, and irrelevant.

A classic for all ages
"The Scarlet Letter" is one of those books you start out reading because you had to finish it for a class assignment; or because you never got around to reading it in school but you feel you should because it's a so-called "classic", and end up getting hooked and realizing it's a classic for a good reason: it's a timeless story that resonates as much in our own time as when it was written, centuries ago. At the center of the book is Hester Prynne, a young wife in puritan New England, trapped in a loveless marriage with a man old enough to be her father, sent ahead of him to the new world while he takes care of business in the old. But before he can join her, she falls in love and into an affair, and nine months later, the result is born for all to see. In colonial New England, where religion controls every aspect of everyone's life, Hester and her lover have committed a horrendous crime, never mind a sin, for which they could both be executed; the powers that be feel they are being lenient with her by condemning her to wear a scarlet letter A, for adultery, prominently displayed on her clothes. Hester shocks the whole village by embroidering the scarlet letter with gold thread and wearing it like a badge of honor. Is this her way of spitting into the eye of the village, or is she making her public dishonor deliberately more shameful as a penance?

And who is Hester's lover? The village demands he show himself; Hester, out of pity, love, or contempt, or more probably a mixture of all three, isn't saying. We know early on it's the reverend Dimmesdale, a young preacher beloved and respected by all, but if he doesn't have the courage to come forth himself, Hester will keep his secret. The story isn't a whodunit, who done it is obvious almost from the beginning. The book is about love vs. lust, courage vs. cowardice, and the hypocrisy of public piety covering up a shameful secret. Reverend Dimmesdale can flagellate himself all he wants in private; we can't help but feel contempt for him for not having the guts to share Hester's public humiliation.

But as bad as things are for Hester and Dimmesdale, they are about to get infinitely worse with the appearance of Hester's husband, Roger Chillingsworth, who arrives in the new world to find he has been cuckolded by his wife, who has given birth to another man's child, and wants his honor avenged.

Hawthorne tells a compelling tale which captures our imagination as much as it did when it was written. We realize these star-crossed lovers don't stand a chance in the uptight society they lived in. The book moves slowly, but in doing so it gives the reader time to think about the timeless issues of love, betrayal, deception, and the social mores that controlled the protagonists lives. Hawthorne raised plenty of questions; the readers will find their own answers.

Great story...difficult to understand.
I purchased this book because I was told that in junior year it's required to read this novel. Instead my teacher showed us a movie version that follows the book exactally, but I decided to read the book for fun. If it wouldn't have been for the help of my English teacher I never would have understood this novel, but from what I did gather it had a great story and wonderful moral. If you are good at reading Hawthorne's style of writing, I suggest you read it because it is good, just hard to follow at times. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Good, but not a great classic...
Well, I read this in my Intro to Lit class. It was right after Frankenstein, so perhaps that made me like the book more than I normally would. Or maybe it was just Hawthorne's writing style. He tells us the story of Hester, a woman forced to wear the scarlet A for adultery in early Puritan America. How did they know she committed adultery? Her husband had not yet joined her in America and suddenly, she's pregnant. She refuses to reveal the father of her child. For the next couple of years we follow Hester, her daughter Pearl as she grows up isolated, and Pearl's father as well as Hester's newly returned husband...who has a new identity. Sometimes Hawthorne got so descriptive he went off-track, but for the most part, it's quite an interesting, almost soap opera storyline.

Putting Morals to the Test
The Scarlet Letter puts even the most morally secure people's beliefs to the test. The line between what is really sin and what is "different" in this novel is one that most cannot define at the end of finishing this book. It makes the reader think about the choices in their own life, and the choices they would make in situations such as those of Hester Prynne, Dimmsdale, and little Pearl. The Scarlet Letter has a wonderful way of depicting the exclusiveness of the early Puritans that is not outwardly horrible, but chips away at the patience of the reader until their feelings towards the Puritans are nothing but distain. The novel uses light and dark in ways that subconsciously show what is Godly and reverent and what is evil and sin. So many elements in The Scarlet Letter just capture the reader into wanting more, and I recommend this book to anyone who wants to challenge their beliefs.

A Great Classic
I first read this book in high school, and i didn't like it much, which was surprising because i really enjoy Hawthorne's short fiction. i again picked it up recently, and found that loved it. There no doubt that it is a difficult book to read, Hawthorne requires the reader to think as he reads. everything is symbolic of something in this book. Hawthorne has a mastery of the language that you just don't see anymore. think this is one we should re-read every few years, as we mature. I got the Norton edition, which helps a little with understanding the story, but most of the articles were not that helpful.

The Scarlet Letter
This was an interesting book. I liked the plot, but the author really needed to wrap up those words that I didn't understand. I mean, I can define any one of the words in the book, save few, but using about 5 of them in one sentence just makes me too confused to try to get into the story like I normally do.

Hawthorne's novel deals with issues that face all of mankind
The Scarlet Letter is one of those novels which richly repay a re-reading every 5 years or so. While most of us are first exposed to this great work in high school, few of us have the depth of understanding at that age to do the novel justice. Hawthorne's study of the human mind and heart, of the nature of evil, and his exploration of relative morality is a constant revelation to me. His symbolism and understanding resonate more deeply every time I pick this novel up again. A close reading of his language is especially rewarding. One of the great ironic, symbolic and passionate novels of all time. ... Read more

Book Description

In addition to the text of the first edition of the novel, the New Riverside Edition of The Scarlet Letter contains a wide variety of contextual materials and scholarly essays. "Contexts" includes additional writings and letters by Hawthorne, as well as essays on the New England sources of the novel and the novel's publication history. "Criticism" contains early reviews of the novel and critical readings from the 19th century (such as an excerpt from Henry James' book Hawthorne) to the present.

Book Description

Tor Classics are affordably-priced editions designed to attract the young reader. Original dynamic cover art enthusiastically represents the excitement of each story. Appropriate "reader friendly" type sizes have been chosen for each title—offering clear, accurate, and readable text. All editions are complete and unabridged, and feature Introductions and Afterwords.

This edition of A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys includes a Foreword, Biographical Note, and Afterword by Eileen Charbonneau.

Thousands of years ago, when monsters roamed the earth and magic rules the world, the Greeks set sail among the islands of the Aegean Sea in search of incredible riches and fantastic adventures...adventures that would become legendary.

The Gorgons: cruel witches with snakes for hair.

Midas: everything he touched turned to gold...even people.

Hercules: the greatest hero of all time.

Chimaera: part lion, part goat, part snake--but all monster!

Pegasus: the magical flying horse.

These are only a few of the fabulous heroes and monsters in the collection of classic Greek adventures retold especially for young people by one of the world's greatest authors.
... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent retellings of Greek myths
Once upon a time (I was about 8), a family friend handed down his Collier's Junior Classic series to me - each volume is a glorious hodgepodge of short stories from here, there, and everywhere. I got to be very fond of Greek mythology, especially "The Chimaera" and "The Miraculous Pitcher", since the Collier retellings of their respective legends were much more lively than the ordinary.

Alas, I forgot the name of the author of "The Chimaera", and even that my favourite versions of the myths were all written by the same person. Some talented guy writing for the series, no doubt, I would have said, if I'd thought about it. A couple of years ago, I started browsing through an impressive-looking illustrated volume of mythology in a bookstore (which you now see before you). Whoa. "Scarlet Letter" Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote *THESE*?

His retellings of Greek myths were originally spread over 2 volumes (the other being _Tanglewood Tales_), but they can be obtained in a single volume these days. I can personally do without the gang of Tanglewood kids providing the official audience for the stories-within-a-story, or the defense against critics put into the mouth of the storyteller Eustace Bright, but then I want more space for more myths. :) Each myth in _A Wonder Book_ has an Introductory and After the Story section where the storyteller leads up to the tale, then fends off any awkward questions from his young audience.

"The Gorgon's Head" - The story of Perseus, from his infancy through the quest for Medusa's head. Hawthorne skates delicately past the question of who put Perseus and his mother, Danae, in a chest and abandoned them on the sea, let alone why (toned down for kids, and all that), and of course doesn't go into detail about what mischief Polydectes might intend if Perseus can be got out of the way.

Hawthorne is otherwise thorough about details: he even includes the Three Gray Women, who share the use of a single eye, who had to be persuaded to reveal the location of the monsters whose gaze turns living creatures to stone.

"The Golden Touch" - The Midas legend, of how a king, blinded by a love of gold, foolishly asked Apollo that he be given the gift of turning things into gold with a touch. Be careful what you ask for...

"The Paradise of Children" - The story of Pandora's box. Hawthorne's version, much as I like his other mythological tales, has been prettified a little too much: everyone in the world was a child who never grew up, before the box arrived.

"The Three Golden Apples" - The 11th labour of Hercules, wherein the king sent him to fetch the apples of the Hesperides. The tale begins with Hercules meeting a band of nymphs, who hear his account (only briefly summarized, alas) of his preceding labours before directing him to the one person who can direct him to the garden: the Old Man of the Sea...

"The Miraculous Pitcher" - Philemon and his wife Bauchis have grown old together - the only kindly folk living for a good way around a prosperous village, whose inhabitants delight in tormenting vagabonds (although they'll fawn on wealthy-looking strangers). Then one day a ragged youth called Quicksilver and a taciturn man with an appearance of great wisdom are driven out of the village...

"The Chimaera" - Bellerophon's pursuit of Pegasus, whom he seeks because only in the air does he have a chance of killing the monstrous chimaera. Bellerophon's long wait beside the fountain of Pirene, where Pegasus descends to drink, is enlivened by several characters living round about: an old man who can't even remember his glory days, an overly timid maiden who'd run from anything unusual, a yokel who only appreciates plowhorses, and a little boy (the only one who really believes in Pegasus).

A little-known gem of thrills for all ages
One day last week, I could not, even after hours of deliberation (the snow had made engagements scarce), decide what book to read next. I finally came upon this little volume on the end of my parent's bookshelf and decided to give it try. How could I have known what charms were in store? I felt like a little girl again, and as Eustace Bright, the ambitious college student who narrates these tales, held his little auditors in awe, my eyes, too, were wide with wonder. It truly is a "wonder book," full of high fantasy, thrilling action, and the inimitable imagery of a master. Though geared towards "boys and girls," Hawthorne explains in his introduction that "children possess an unestimated sensibility to whatever is deep or high, in imagination or feeling, so long as it is simple . . . It is only the artificial and complex that bewilder them." Indeed; the book hardly condescends, and so will gently stretch the middle-grader's vocabulary. But readers -- or listeners -- of all ages will delight in this collection of tales, for I was equally, if not more, entertained by the introductories and postludes to each story, which relate the antics and dialogue of Eustace and the little children he entertains. These interludes also expand the stories by slipping in commentary and interpretation.

Don't pass this one by; it will truly win your heart, whoever you may be!

"...it had the effect of a vision." - from the Introductory
Hawthorne's gentle, charming collection of classic myths retold for the children of his day is a neglected classic. Addressing the reader in personable Victorian fashion, his prose is clear and beautiful. Consider this sample:

"Within the verge of the wood there were columbines, looking more pale than red, because they were so modest, and had thought proper to seclude themselves too anxiously from the sun. There were wild geraniums, too, and a thousand white blossoms of the strawberry. The trailing arbutus was not yet quite out of bloom; but it hid its precious flowers under the last year's withered forest-leaves, as carefully as a mother-bird hides its little young ones."

But Hawthorne is also equal to the task of less genteel, more vigorous images:

"At this sound the three heads reared themselves erect, and belched out great flashes of flame. Before Bellerophon had time to consider what to do next, the monster flung itself out of the cavern and sprung straight toward him, with its immense claws extended, and its snaky tail twisting itself venomously behind."

Adding to the pleasure of these retold tales is the gorgeous art of Arthur Rackham, both in black-and-white drawings and full-color plates, which captures the unearthly beauty and the unexpectedly surprising humor of Hawthorne's work. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Book Description

Tor Classics are affordably-priced editions designed to attract the young reader. Original dynamic cover art enthusiastically represents the excitement of each story. Appropriate "reader friendly" type sizes have been chosen for each title—offering clear, accurate, and readable text. All editions are complete and unabridged, and feature Introductions and Afterwords.

This edition of Tanglewood Tales includes a Foreword, Biographical Note, and Afterword from the Publisher.

Set sail with the greatest heroes of all time. Take up arms as they battle terrifying monsters. Be thrilled as they match wits with the gods. Enter a world of magic and intrigue and adventure in these exciting retellings of the greatest legends of Greek mythology.

Theseus. With the help of Ariadne he battles the ferocious Minotaur-a hulking beast who is half-man and half-bull!

Circe. She is a beguiling enchantress who charms Odysseus with an intoxicating potion that turns men into pigs! Luckily, Odysseus has a few tricks up his sleeve.

Cadmus. He sets off to rescue his sister Europa, who has been abducted by a bull. But the bull is none other than mighty Zeus himself!

Jason. After many adventures he and his Argonauts find the Golden Fleece-tucked away in a sacred grove and guarded by a ferocious dragon!

Here are the most exciting tales of the ancient Greeks, written especially for young people by one of our greatest authors.
... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great introduction to Greek mythology for children
I am 30-ish. When I was a child, my grandfather who lived overseas sent me "Tanglewood Tales." From the second I opened it, I was enthralled - not just by the stories, but by the fabulous illustrations. I agree wholeheartedly with the 79 year old reviewer who commented on how much good illustrations enhance a good book. But even without drawings, the book is well worth reading. I took that book with me on one of our family's summer holidays and the entire family spent many an evening before bedtime absorbed by the doings of the Gods.

At 79 y/o and remember this book vividly from childhood.
A wonderful collection of tales for children, however, the edition available from amazon does not have the wonderful illustrations which did so much to enhance the stories. Try to get the old version. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A really fun listen for the whole family!!
I purchased this CD for my two older children (9 and 11), not sure how well it would go over. We listened to it for the first time in the car on a long trip. It was quite a giggle for everyone! We loved the comic points in the Canterville Ghost story, especially. Mr. Weiss's rendition of one of the characters had my husband and I in stitches - sounding just like Carol Channing.

I have since purchased 6 other Jim Weiss story CD's and my Girl Scouts have begun to request them when going on trips with the troop.

You won't be disappointed.

a little disappointed
I'm a novice storyteller, and I was looking forward to finally hearing the renowned Jim Weiss, especially sharing spooky tales. He does an adequate job voicing the different characters, but I was disappointed at the lack of humor displayed at what could have been comical events. I now know these stories well enough to tell them better myself! ... Read more

Book Description

Tor Classics are affordably-priced editions designed to attract the young reader. Original dynamic cover art enthusiastically represents the excitement of each story. Appropriate "reader friendly" type sizes have been chosen for each title-offering clear, accurate, and readable text. All editions are complete and unabridged, and feature Introductions and Afterwords.

This edition of The House of the Seven Gables includes a Foreword, Biographical Note, and Afterword by Andre Norton.

Built on land taken from a dead wizard, The Pyncheon's seven-gabled mansion was the focus for two centuries' secrets and legends: legends of hauntings and undying curses, secrets of madness and missing fortunes. Age and poverty now claimed the house and its residents--old, reclusive Miss Hepzibah; her strange, troubled brother Clifford; and the mysterious young artist Holgrave.

Then, suddenly the house as transformed by the arrival of the Pyncheons' beautiful young cousin, Phoebe. She brought life, laughter, and love into the tiny world of dusty, dark despair.

But one rich, powerful, corrupt man--Judge Jaffrey Pyncheon--coveting the mansion's hidden secrets. And his plot to find them meant destroying all hope and happiness in The House of the Seven Gables.
... Read more

Reviews (48)

This book was difficult at times, but in the end is worth it
After reading The House of the Seven Gables, I think that it is a decent book to read. I would not recommend it for younger teenagers because of the fact that the language is so descriptive and at times difficult to understand. Throughout the book, I found myself picking up a dictionary to find out what certain terms meant. At times I found it annoying because I did not understand all of the meanings, but then you have to remember that Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote this book in 1851. During the beginning of the book, I would find myself reading, and as I got down to the bottom of a page, I would realize I had no idea what I had just read. The book was dull and boring at times, but the plot was rather interesting to me. Although The House of Seven Gables was difficult at times, in the end it was worth reading.

Characters You Won't Soon Forget
Although I'm a big fan of Hawthorne's short stories, this is my first venture into his novel writing. His short stories, by their very nature, move from conflict to climax without much ado. They are preachy, pedantic, and allegorical--and I love them. "...Seven Gables" moves along at a much slower pace, developing symbolism and characters with greater subtlety and depth. The plot itself is not much deeper than one of his short stories. We watch humbled, yet strong Hepzibah struggle for a living from a one room shop in the house. Along the way, she meets a variety of characters and becomes host and confidant to a long-lost relative, gentle Phoebe. Phoebe is sunlight, poking into the shadows of the gabled house, bringing vivacity to its occupants, Hepzibah, Clifford, and Holgrave. Yes, Hawthorne hints at sinister things in the past and present of the old house, but only with the arrival of Judge Pyncheon do we begin to suspect trouble brewing.

The conclusion of the book involves death and hidden riches and suspicions and redemption. The symbols throughout--the house, the chimney, the elm tree, the chickens, etc.--manage to reveal their purposes in due time. In a satisfactory manner, Hawthorne contrasts the insidious nature of religious hypocrisy with the virtues of honesty and gentle love. The horrors of the Pyncheons' past fade away in the light of Phoebe's commitment and care. Her time in the house brings life to all within...all except one.

Hawthorne could've encapsulated this tale in one of his short stories. He could've sliced away words with meticulous demand. Instead, he allows us to know and care for the people in his story. Some readers, granted, will find it difficult to care and will call it a waste of their time; sure, it takes a little effort. But, just as Phoebe and Hepzibah display sacrificial love, a reader who's willing to give the time might find worthwhile rewards by the book's end.

If you're already a fan, you'll enjoy it. I certainly did. If it seems too long, try some of his short works and work up your appetite for these heartier courses. This is rich stuff.

A mixed review from this Hawthorne fan
What can you say about Nathaniel Hawthorne's "House of the Seven Gables" that hasn't been said before? It's dark; it's Gothic; much of it is depressing; and the language is dense 19th century prose. Those who read primarily for plot will find it slow going, and those who look for likeable characters may be largely disappointed. In other words, for modern readers, this book may be a tough sell. Personally, I found it a little dull and a letdown after having recently reread (and enjoyed) "The Scarlet Letter."

Nonetheless, "The House of the Seven Gables" has its pleasures. Hawthorne, the scion of an old Massachusetts Puritan family, injects an unusual sense of historical depth into his writings. This is certainly true of "The House of the Seven Gables," which explores the idea of character flaws, evil and retribution passed down from generation to generation in a single family. Of course not everyone in the family is guilty, but the sins of a few taint the lives of all. As in much of Hawthorne's work, the supernatural, sometimes implied and sometimes explicit, plays a role in the workings of the plot. Even the daguerrotypist--nothing but an early photographer to us--must have given the 19th century reader a frisson because of his combination of mesmeric powers and miraculous ability to produce telling images out of pure light.

Hawthorne is a master of description, an expert at using his words to create images that convey far more than simple visuals. Even when the plot seemed stale and the characters wooden, the author's use of the language made it worth continuing. Hawthorne's descriptions of a little boy's love of animal-shaped cookies, of the garden with Maule's bitter well, and of the dead Jaffrey unmoving in his chair, to mention just a few, made the book well worth reading. "The House of the Seven Gables" may or may not be Hawthorne's best work (that's always a matter of opinion--try some of his short stories too), but it is an interesting book nonetheless

Enjoyable but not spectacular
Though there were definitely times when this book was slow or difficult to understand, Hawthorne's writing, through the use of metaphors, allusions and other rhetorical devices is a wonderful accomplishment. It was hard for me to get into the book at the beginning and especially through the long discussion of the Pyncheon family but it payed off to know this information when the climax arose. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, but was not totally impressed by the story, reguardless of the universal themes that apply to us today.

House of the boring gables
This is quit possibly the worst book i have ever read, it was dry, there was no plot, and it was hard to understand. if you are considering buying this book, bad idea...don't waste your penny, i recommend not reading anything by Nathaniel Hawthorne, he is the worst writter in the history of book writing. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

SKIP THE RAILROAD AND GET TO THE REAL STORIES
This is a nice pocket book edition of some of Nathaniel Hawthorne's greatest short stories. It's just the right size to carry around in your back pocket to read whenever you're stuck somewhere waiting for whatever it is.

Hawthorne, with his Puritan ancestry, was obsessed with the idea of sin and what human beings do to conceal them from the community at large. I guess, in a way, he was concerned with hypocrisy. Hawthorne believed in the Biblical saying that noone could cast the first stone against anyone else because we all have our secret sins. You can tell he has disgusted by the Puritan way of life because it allowed no confession and no reconciliation. Everything not up to their moral par, all their desire and passion, was pushed down into their subconscious where they rotted. Like William Blake says, "Desire not acted upon, breeds a pestilance". The very act of suppressing desire makes it stronger.

In the story "The Birthmark" a woman named Georgiana is the most beautiful woman in the world, except for a birthmark on her cheek in the shape of a red hand. Her husband fixates on this harmless mark, believing it to be the symbol of all that is evil in the world. So he tries to destroy it with all his scientific knowledge and destroys her along with it.

In another story called "Egotism" a man is afflicted with a snake growing out of his bosom. It gives him the ability to see everyone's secret sins. "The Minister's Black Veil", one of his most famous, concerns a community's obsession and ultimate horror of their village priest wearing a black veil. Why is he wearing it they ask? What horrible sin could he have committed to feel ashamed to show his face? All it is a thin veil of lace but all their evil comes out in the face of it. Ironically, the people that have awareness of the evil in themselves manifest physical symbols of them which themselves and others can see. Thereby excluding themselves from hypocrisy because their souls are on public display. "Young Goodman Brown" is also included here and is a nightmarish meeting with the Devil.

Some of the more haunting stories that divert away from the Puritan psyche are "Wakefield" in which a husband one day walks out of his house and never goes back home. He lives close by his wife and passes by her in the street for decades but never approaches her. There is no rhyme or reason for doing this. In "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" the fountain of youth is presented to some elderly guests with surprising results. "The Ambitious Guest" is a cautionary tale about seizing the day. "The Maypole of Merry-Mount" is a surreal tale of circus entertainers coming to found a colony in the new world and their inevitable confrontation with the Puritans.

The only story in this book that I didn't like was "The Celestial Railroad", strangely enough. It's an allegorical odyssey based on John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress and if you've never read that work, like me, you will not get anything out of it.

Hawthorne is a master of the short story. His strength is the ability to acknowledge that the evil in ourselves is undeniably existant but that only through admitting that existence can it be combatted. Lots of the characters in this collection destroy their lives with this admission. But at least they are true to themselves. If you enjoy this book, seek out The Scarlet Letter and The House of Seven Gables, or vice versa. ... Read more

Book Description

Here are the stories of King Midas, Pandora, Medusa, Hercules, and the other inhabitants of Mount Olympus told by one of America's greatest writers.Written in 1851 as a money-maker for the struggling Hawthorne, A Wonder Book has become a favorite for generations of children everywhere. Hawthorne's mastery of adventure and his command of narrative and character open a child's mind to the wondrous landscapes of ancient mythology in stories such as "The Gorgon's Head" and "The Three Golden Apples."

Oxford has created a beautiful and memorable edition of this classic children's text with illustrations by famed book artist Walter Crane, whose full-color plates and decorative art originally accompanied the text in the late 1800s. An introduction by Ola d'Aulaire, son of the creators of d'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths, sets the stage for the young reader, and an afterword for adults by Hawthorne scholar Joel Pfister places A Wonder Book in Hawthorne's body of work and in historical context, conveying the strength of its romantic imagination in the face of the encroaching Industrial Revolution. Adults and collectors will find this major new edition a treasure and their children will happily enter a world of magic and imagination, led by one of the greatest American storytellers. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Vibrant Treasure
This affordably priced quality paperback edition of familiar tales from Greek mythology is truly a treasure and a wonderful way to enjoy these timeless stories or to introduce them to young people. One of America's greatest writers, Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote these versions of stories about Pandora, Medusa, Hercules, King Midas and the host of gods and goddesses that make up the Greek pantheon. The language is evocative and colorful yet easily understandable. You needn't worry if your high school teacher's assigned reading of "The Scarlet Letter" bored you to tears, as this collection of stories is filled with exciting adventures and vivid characters. I love the beautiful illustrations in this book. They were done by Walter Crane, one of the most popular illustrators of children's books in the late 19th century. The paintings are in the Pre-Raphaelite style in full color. The decorations at the beginning of each chapter are filled with Victorian charm and make this new editon seem like a well-loved antique. There are many excellent anthologies of the Greek myths on the market but rarely will you find one that utilizes such substantial talents as those employed by Hawthorne and Crane or that so thoroughly draw the reader in to the romantic and turbulent world of heroes, maidens and the capricious deities who stir their fates. I highly recommend this book. It is a classic that will enrich the mind and heart of a young reader and open the way for further discovery.

A Beautiful Book!
This is a remarkable book, with rich detail in both illustration and prose. Particularly wonderful for reading aloud together, my sons enjoyed this book through several years, and asked for the stories often. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

An excellent alternate look at Colonial America (Chair)
(Grandfather's Chair) Hawthorne takes an interesting look at Colonial America by following the history of a chair beginning with the first settlers of America. Used as an elementary grade reader in the mid 1800's, this book is interesting to children as well as adults. Written in the 1800's, the historical stories seem to be less tainted by the passage of time and traditional history. Grandfather tells stories to the children about the owners of the chair as it is passed through the ages from those who first left English pursecusion up to the time of American independance. Some of the stories include John Smith, John Eliot (translator of the Indian Bilble), Pine Tree Shillings (American coinage), French & Indian War, Liberty Tree, Stamp Act, Hutchinson Mob, Boston Tea Part, and Declaration of Independance. Not your traditional approach to Colonial History. I have used this book in a 3rd & 4th grade Social Studies class with great interest from the students as well as the parents. This is a "must read" book. ... Read more