Author: Joseph William Lang

1Lilac Fairy Book

By Andrew Lang

Andrew Lang's Fairy Books or Andrew Lang's "Coloured" Fairy Books are a twelve-book series of fairy tale collections. Although Andrew Lang did not collect the stories himself from the oral tradition, the extent of his sources (who had collected them originally), made them an immensely influential collection, especially as he used foreign-language sources, giving many of these tales their first appearance in English. As acknowledged in the prefaces, although Lang himself made most of the selections, his wife and other translators did a large portion of the translating and telling of the actual stories. Many of them were illustrated by Henry J. Ford. Lancelot Speed also did some illustrations. (Summary from Wikipedia)

2Blue Fairy Book

By Andrew Lang

Andrew Lang's Blue Fairy Book (1889) was a beautifully produced and illustrated edition of fairy tales that has become a classic. This was followed by many other collections of fairy tales, collectively known as Andrew Lang's Fairy Books. (Wikipedia)

3Yellow Fairy Book

By Andrew Lang

"Andrew Lang's Fairy Books or Andrew Lang's "Coloured" Fairy Books are a twelve-book series of fairy tale collections. Although Andrew Lang did not collect the stories himself from the oral tradition, the extent of his sources (who had collected them originally), made them an immensely influential collection, especially as he used foreign-language sources, giving many of these tales their first appearance in English. As acknowledged in the prefaces, although Lang himself made most of the selections, his wife and other translators did a large portion of the translating and telling of the actual stories." (summary from Wikipedia)

4Red Fairy Book

By Andrew Lang

<i>The Red Fairy Book</i> is the second in a series of twelve books known as <i>Andrew Lang's Fairy Books</i> or <i>Andrew Lang's "Coloured" Books</i>. The series was immensely popular and proved of great influence in children's literature, increasing the popularity of fairy tales over tales of real life. (Summary adapted from Wikipedia)

5Green Fairy Book

By Andrew Lang

Andrew Lang's Fairy Books or Andrew Lang's "Coloured" Fairy Books constitute a twelve-book series of fairy tale collections. Although Andrew Lang did not collect the stories himself from the oral tradition, the extent of his sources, who had collected them originally (with the notable exception of Madame d'Aulnoy), made them an immensely influential collection, especially as he used foreign-language sources, giving many of these tales their first appearance in English. As acknowledged in the prefaces, although Lang himself made most of the selections, his wife and other translators did a large portion of the translating and telling of the actual stories.<br><br>"The irony of Lang's life and work is that although he wrote for a profession—literary criticism; fiction; poems; books and articles on anthropology, mythology, history, and travel ... he is best recognized for the works he did not write."<br /><br /> Many of the books were illustrated by Henry J. Ford, Lancelot Speed, and G. P. Jacomb-Hood also contributed some illustrations.

6Crimson Fairy Book

By Andrew Lang

The Crimson Fairy Book contains thirty-six stories collected from around the world and edited by Andrew Lang. Many tales in this book are translated, or adapted, from those told by mothers and nurses in Hungary; others are familiar to Russian nurseries; the Servians are responsible for some; a rather peculiarly fanciful set of stories are adapted from the Roumanians; others are from the Baltic shores; others from sunny Sicily; a few are from Finland, and Iceland, and Japan, and Tunis, and Portugal. No doubt many children will like to look out these places on the map, and study their mountains, rivers, soil, products, and fiscal policies, in the geography books. The peoples who tell the stories differ in colour; language, religion, and almost everything else; but they all love a nursery tale. The stories have mainly been adapted or translated by Mrs. Lang, a few by Miss Lang and Miss Blackley. (Summary from the preface)

7Short History of Scotland

By Andrew Lang

A Short History of Scotland is a concise introduction to the history of Scotland from Roman times to the last Jacobite rebellion, written by the author of a much longer Scottish history. (Summary by Sibella Denton.)

8Arabian Nights Entertainments

By Andrew Lang

The Arabian Nights is a collection of Perso-Arabic folk tales and other stories. The collection, or at least certain stories drawn from it (or purporting to be drawn from it), became widely known in the West from the 18th century, after it was translated from the Arabic — first into French and then into English and other European languages. The first English language edition, based on Galland's French rather than the original Arabic, rendered the title as The Arabian Nights' Entertainment - and this, or simply The Arabian Nights, has been the title by which it has been best known to English-speaking people ever since. (Summary from Wikipedia)

9Antiquary

By Andrew Lang and Sir Walter Scott

Illegitimacy, false identity, and bankruptcy are the major elements of Sir Walter Scott's 1816 novel, The Antiquary. Set in the period of the French Revolution, the novel's hero, Lovel, struggles to gain repute and the hand of his beloved despite his uncertain parentage. During these pursuits, he befriends the title's antiquary, Johnathan Oldbuck, who finds Lovel a captive audience to his scholarly studies and a tragic likeness to his own disappointments in love. Readers will discover whether Lovel's acts of bravery and courage ultimately earn him the birth and fortunes of a nobleman. (Summary by S. Kovalchik)

10Orange Fairy Book

By Andrew Lang

Andrew Lang's Fairy Books or Andrew Lang's "Coloured" Fairy Books constitute a twelve-book series of fairy tale collections. Although Andrew Lang did not collect the stories himself from the oral tradition, the extent of his sources, who had collected them originally (with the notable exception of Madame d'Aulnoy), made them an immensely influential collection, especially as he used foreign-language sources, giving many of these tales their first appearance in English. As acknowledged in the prefaces, although Lang himself made most of the selections, his wife and other translators did a large portion of the translating and telling of the actual stories.<br><br>Many of the books were illustrated by Henry J. Ford. Lancelot Speed, and G. P. Jacomb Hood also contributed some illustrations. (Summary by Wikipedia)

11Pink Fairy Book

By Andrew Lang

All people in the world tell nursery tales to their children, and the stories are apt to be like each other everywhere. A child who has read the Blue and Red and Yellow Fairy Books will find some old friends with new faces in the Pink Fairy Book. Courage, youth, beauty, kindness, have many trials, but they always win the battle; while witches, giants, unfriendly cruel people, are on the losing hand. So it ought to be, and so, on the whole, it is and will be; and that is all the moral of fairy tales. We cannot all be young, alas! and pretty, and strong; but nothing prevents us from being kind, and no kind man, woman, or beast or bird, ever comes to anything but good in these oldest fables of the world. (Summary of the Author's Preface by Elliott Miller)

12He

By Andrew Lang and Walter Herries Pollock

This book is a parody of the famous swashbuckling novel, She, by H. Rider Haggard. (summary by Neeru Iyer)<br><br>You will not think, therefore, that the respectful Liberty we have taken with your Wondrous Tale... indicates any lack of Loyalty to our Lady Ayesha.<br><br>Her beauties are beyond the reach of danger from Burlesque, nor does her form flit across our humble pages. (taken from the Dedication)<br /><br /> The characters of Editor and Publisher, who make comments throughout the story were read by: Editor – <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/3588">Neeru Iyer</a> and Publisher – <a href="http://librivox.org/reader/2506">Julie VW</a>

13Grey Fairy Book

By Andrew Lang

The tales in the Grey Fairy Book are derived from many countries — Lithuania, various parts of Africa, Germany, France, Greece, and other regions of the world. They have been translated and adapted by Mrs. Dent, Mrs. Lang, Miss Eleanor Sellar, Miss Blackley, and Miss Hang. 'The Three Sons of Hali' is from the last century 'Cabinet des Fees,' a very large collection. The French author may have had some Oriental original before him in parts; at all events he copied the Eastern method of putting tale within tale, like the Eastern balls of carved ivory. The stories, as usual, illustrate the method of popular fiction. A certain number of incidents are shaken into many varying combinations, like the fragments of coloured glass in the kaleidoscope. Probably the possible combinations, like possible musical combinations, are not unlimited in number, but children may be less sensitive in the matter of fairies than Mr. John Stuart Mill was as regards music. (Summary from the preface)

This is a children's version of Jonathan Swift's novel <i>Gulliver's Travels</i>, from the <i>Told to the Children Series</i> (published in 1910). The children's adventure story covers Gulliver's visits to the lands of Lilliput and Brobdingnag. (Summary by Laurie Anne Walden)

15Olive Fairy Book

By Andrew Lang

Andrew Lang’s Olive Fairy Book (1907) was a beautifully produced and illustrated edition of fairy tales that has become a classic. This was followed by many other collections of fairy tales, collectively known as Andrew Lang’s Fairy Books. (Summary by Wikipedia)

16Brown Fairy Book

By Andrew Lang

Andrew Lang’s Brown Fairy Book (1904) was a beautifully produced and illustrated edition of fairy tales that has become a classic. This was one of many other collections of fairy tales, collectively known as Andrew Lang’s Fairy Books. (Summary by Wikipedia)

17Violet Fairy Book

By Andrew Lang

Andrew Lang’s Violet Fairy Book (1901) was a beautifully produced and illustrated edition of fairy tales that has become a classic. This was one of many other collections of fairy tales, collectively known as Andrew Lang’s Fairy Books. (Summary by Wikipedia)

Joan of Arc is a folk heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. Claiming divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the coronation of Charles VII of France. Captured by her enemies, she was sold to the English and put on trial for charges of "insubordination and heterodoxy". She was burned at the stake for heresy when she was 19 years old. Twenty-five years after her execution, an inquisitorial court examined the trial, pronounced her innocent, and declared her a martyr. Joan of Arc was beatified in 1909 and canonized in 1920. She is one of the patron saints of France. Most of what is known today of her story comes from the detailed court records of her trials. (Summary by timothyFR)

19Letters to Dead Authors

By Andrew Lang

With twenty two letters, addressed to various already deceased authors, Andrew Lang discusses literary subjects with his usual humour and acidity. The impulse for the writing of the letters came, almost as a joke, from the editor of the 'St. James's Gazette,' and sixteen of the letters collected in the volume appeared first in that journal. According to the author, "some of the Letters are written rather to suit the Correspondent than to express the writer's own taste or opinions"; in all of them, though, the reader will find the charming wit of their author. (Summary by Leni)

LibriVox volunteers bring you 16 readings of <em>Romance</em> by Andrew Lang, probably best known as Edward Elgar's song <em>My Love Dwelt in a Northern Land</em>. Interestingly, Lang initially refused permission for his words to be used as lyrics, and Elgar's wife Alice wrote alternative words <em>Afar, amidst the Sunny Isles</em> for the song. However, Lang later relented and gave permission for his poem to be used. <br/><br />The poem was initially published in The Century Magazine, May 1882, and this is the version recorded here. Later collections of Lang's poetry omit the third verse. (Summary by Ruth Golding)

21Stories from the Faerie Queen

By Jean Lang and Edmund Spenser

A major work by Spenser, The Faerie Queen, was published between 1590 and 1596. As an allegorical work, it can be read on many levels. According to Jeanie Lang, Spenser always looked for the beautiful and the good when he wrote. Lang said, "There are many stories in The Faerie Queen, and out of these all I have told you only eight." The eight are "Una and the Lion," "St. Gergoe and the Dragon," "Britomart and the Magic Mirror," "The Quest of Sir Gregory," "Pastorella," "Cambell and Triamond," "Marinell the Sea-Nymph's Son," and "Flormell and the Witch." - Summary by Bill Boerst

22Old Friends, Essays in Epistolary Parody

By Andrew Lang

"Every fancy which dwells much with the unborn and immortal characters of Fiction must ask itself, Did the persons in contemporary novels never meet? In so little a world their paths must often have crossed, their orbits must have intersected, though we hear nothing about the adventure from the accredited narrators. In historical fiction authors make their people meet real men and women of history—Louis XI., Lazarus, Mary Queen of Scots, General Webbe, Moses, the Man in the Iron Mask, Marie Antoinette; the list is endless. But novelists, in spite of Mr. Thackeray’s advice to Alexandre Dumas, and of his own example in “Rebecca and Rowena,” have not introduced each other’s characters" (from the Introduction). In this volume, Andrew Lang shows, what a letter from one fictional character to another might look like.

23Tales of King Arthur and the Round Table (version 2)

By Andrew Lang

The tales of King Arthur and his Knights are of Celtic origin. The Celts were the people who occupied Britain at the time when the history of the country opens, and a few words are necessary to explain why the characters in the stories act and speak as though they belonged to a later age. These stories are adapted from the Book of Romance by ANDREW LANG.<br /><br /> It is believed that King Arthur lived in the sixth century, just after the Romans withdrew from Britain, and when the Britons, left to defend themselves against the attacks of the marauding Saxons, rose and defeated them at Mount Badon, securing to themselves peace for many years. It was probably about this time that King Arthur and his company of Knights performed the deeds which were to become the themes of stories and lays for generations afterwards.<br /><br /> In olden times, it was the custom of minstrels and story-tellers to travel through the land from court to court, telling of tales of chivalry and heroism, and for many centuries the tales of King Arthur formed the stock from which the story-teller drew.<br /><br /> In this way the stories came to be handed down from father to son, in Brittany (whose people are of the same family as the Welsh) as well as in Wales and England, and by this means alone were they prevented from being lost. But in the reigns of Henry II. and Richard I., they were set down on paper, and so became literature. Before this, however, a British writer had written out some of the tales, and from him as well as from the lips of the bards and story-tellers of their own generation, the writers in the time of Henry II. were able to collect their information. One of the most famous of the books compiled by old English writers was the “Historia Britonum,” which was written (in Latin) by Geoffrey, Bishop of Asaph. It contained an account of a war which King Arthur waged in Western Europe, but made no mention of the Holy Grail.<br /><br /> From this and other books of romances compiled in England, and very largely, too, from books of French romances, Sir Thomas Malory obtained the material for his “Morte d’Arthur,” which was written in 1470. This is the most famous of the early books of Arthurian legend, and it is from the “Morte d’Arthur” that most of the stories in this book are taken. Some, however, are taken from the “High History of the Holy Graal,” translated from the French by Dr. Sebastian Evans. The language throughout has been modified with a view to making the legends more easy of study. - Summary by The introduction and BC

24Tales Of King Arthur And The Round Table

By Andrew Lang

The tales of King Arthur and his Knights are of Celtic origin. The Celts were the people who occupied Britain at the time when the history of the country opens… It is believed that King Arthur lived in the sixth century, just after the Romans withdrew from Britain… the stories came to be handed down from father to son, in Brittany (whose people are of the same family as the Welsh) as well as in Wales and England… [story-tellers altered the stories to suit their times down through the centuries] …and so in their altered and historically inaccurate form they have reached us at the present day. …Sir Thomas Malory obtained the material for his “Morte d’Arthur,” which was written in 1470. This is the most famous of the early books of Arthurian legend, and it is from the “Morte d’Arthur” that most of the stories in this book are taken…. The language throughout has been modified with a view to making the legends more easy of study. - Summary by Book Introduction and david wales

25Tales of Troy: Ulysses the Sacker of Cities

By Andrew Lang

These are short stories about the life of Ulysses, the stealing of Helen, Paris, battles, Trojan horses, and more! - Summary by Maggie Travers

26Strange Story Book

By Leonora Blanche Lang

A collection of stories compiled by the widow of the renowned children's short-story collector, Andrew Lang. She describes this as the final installment of his series of fairy stories and includes some of those stories he had not included in other collections. In the preface, she pays tribute to her husband, saying he liked old things more than new, he loved all beasts' because they were beasts', fairies, cricket and dancing. He longed to visit far away places, but hated to travel. But most of all he befriended children wherever he went and they shared stories with him. Only his own children mocked him. - Summary by Lynne Thompson

27Strange Story Book (version 2)

By Leonora Blanche Lang

This is the last book in the The Andrew Lang "Color" Fairy Books series published after his death by his wife. She wrote the stories and he had edited them before his demise. It is a collection of stories that are a bit different than the Fairy Books: still colorful and well written but telling tales about decidedly odd topics. A word of <font color="red">Caution: </font> please read the stories before your children do, some of them contain some violent imagery. - Summary by Linda Andrus

28Summer's Ending

By Andrew Lang

Andrew Lang was a Scottish poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to the field of anthropology. He is best known as a collector of folk and fairy tales. The Andrew Lang lectures at the University of St Andrews are named after him. - Summary by Wikipedia

29World's Desire

By H. Rider Haggard and Andrew Lang

H. Rider Haggard (author of King Solomon's Mines the Allan Quatermain Series, and many more) and Andrew Lang (author of, among others, the rainbow coloured fairytale books) collaborate to lend their talent to one of the most fascinating and well known stories of all times. Odysseus returns home from the war, but does not find the peace and quiet which he craves. His home is ravaged, and his wife Penelope is dead. He comunicates with an old flame, the beautiful Helen of Troy, who sends him to his ultimate and defining last journey. Read about his adventures, and what might have been, in this beautiful novel by two of Britian's best Vctorian novelists. - Summary by Stav Nisser and Wikipedia.

30Book of Myths

By Jean Lang

This is a collection of myths--mostly Greek with a smattering of others from the east--written in a clear and easy-to-read style. Lang complemented each myth with poetry by other authors who, like her, were inspired by these ancient stories of the gods. Lang chose these stories because they portrayed heroic gods, faithfully and blindly worshipped by man. Ultimately, however, these gods demonstrated the same frailties as humans, and were found to be just as corrupt. Still, as Lang said, in spite of this these myths portrayed "a wonderful humanity that strikes a vibrant cord . . . ." This is significant to a deeper understanding of the collection as it was published in 1914 against the backdrop of the first world war, the war to end all wars--a war that doomed millions of common men to suffer "Promethean agonies," and die on battlefields in a most un-heroic way. As you listen to the narration, compare the gods of myth--with all their human frailties--to the 20th century, god-like European leaders who traded the wonderful innocence of humanity for the notion of "a noble cause." - Summary by James K. White

31Gold of Fairnilee

By Andrew Lang

A fairy story set in Scotland about Jean and Randal and what happens when Randal disappears into fairyland. This is Lang's second fairy tale after Princess Nobody - an enchanting story with occasional Scottish dialect. Randal Ker, son of a Scottish knight, has the rashness to wish at a wishing well that 'he might see the Fairy Queen' and is then is carried off by her to her own dominions and is kept there until a grown man. A true fairy tale. . - Summary by Phil Chenevert

32Collection of Ballads

By Andrew Lang

This is a collection of ballads, edited, with an introduction and notes by Andrew Lang. The ballads range widely in style, from the historic to the romantic, from the short to the epic, from Scotland to France. Some of the material is the fabric of well-known fairy-tales, others have a historical core, and again others are myths. In any case, every reader and listener should be able to find a poem in this collection that matches their particular style or mood. - Summary by Carolin

33Historical Mysteries

By Andrew Lang

Edited by Andrew Lang, Historical Mysteries is a collection of infamous unsolved mysteries from various points in history.

34Book of Dreams and Ghosts

By Andrew Lang

The Book of Dreams and Ghosts by Andrew Lang is a book mainly focused on the stories of ghosts and other mystical phenomenon. With frequent editorializing and discussion by the author, the work is less a series of supernatural tales and more of an anthropological book centred around bewitching stories of the otherworldly -given the name Psychical Research when Lang was alive. Over the course of fourteen chapters, 79 stories, and two prefaces, Lang manages to keep the reader enchanted with his thoughtful retellings, literary charisma, and exemplary choice in narratives. - Summary by Aiden Javurek Humig

35Blue Poetry Book

By Andrew Lang

This anthology poetry, gathered by Andrew Lang and originally published in 1891, is read by four voices, Larry Wilson, Ciufi Galeazzi, Lynette Caulkins and J. Thurgood.

36Lost Leaders

By Andrew Lang

Andrew Lang, best beloved for his series of fairy books, has collected here essays on wide ranging topics from golf and shaving to Thackeray’s Drawings and American Humour. These essays provide a glimpse into the world of this Scottish author and his world - Summary by Larry Wilson