I have been trying to find an edition of The Grimm Fairy Tales that would make me happy for years. I was pleased to discover the Jack Zipes translation in a used bookstore. He is a well known expert in his field. Not only has he translated the fairy tales, but he has written extensively about them. In this edition, Zipes translated all two hundred and fifty tales collected by the Brothers Grimm. He has also included twenty-nine tales that are rarely included in most editions, and narratives from the Brothers Grimm's papers and letters.
The tales included are direct translations, and are not expanded on. They are simple and short. I like the simplicity that is presented here. There are also some beautiful illustrations included that add to the pleasure of reading these tales. It should be noted that the Brothers Grimm did not intend these tales for children. Although, I loved these stories as a child. It is still one of my favorite collection of fairy tales, and has a firm spot on My Favorite Books list. One of my favorite things about the Grimm version of the tales is that there is no effort to sensor the brutal details that were an original part of the tales.
Some of my favorite tales are: The Queen Bee, Snow White and Rose Red, The Lazy One and The Industrial One, and The Three Sisters. I like that the tales are not sanitized for readers. I find them much more interesting to read. While not all aspects of the tale are real-animals do not speak etc. I do think it is more realistic than versions that have everything magically turning out perfect in the end. I also like comparing different versions of fairy tales, so it is always fun to read these more original tales.
If you do not mind your stories a little dark and violent, I would recommend reading The Grimm Brother's version of these fairy tales.
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