About this Event
Join us for an evening with Jane Harrington for a discussion about her book, WOMEN OF THE FAIRY TALE RESISTANCE.
Jane will share details about her book, fairy tales of all kinds and her writing process before taking audience questions. The event will conclude with a meet-and-greet signing line.
Ticket is required for entry.
About Jane
Jane Harrington teaches wordcraft and fairy tales at W&L University and in the graduate program at Hollins University. Her research and writing passions include the 17th-century salon women of this book, Irish folklore and history (with a focus on the Wilde family), and the ecology and culture of the Appalachian region that she calls home. Jane’s short fiction and creative nonfiction have been published in journals and anthologies, and her indie novel In Circling Flight was the winner of the Brighthorse Prize and longlisted for the Crook’s Corner Book Prize. Jane lives in Rockbridge County, Virginia, with her inspiring partner and a pair of charming mini-donkeys.
About the book
Long before The Brothers Grimm, there was a sisterhood of writers who defied the patriarchy and launched a literary craze with their feminist fairy tales—these are their stories.
In 17th century Paris, a group of women who called themselves conteuses (female storytellers) came together to weave the very first fairy tales. One of them, Marie-Catherine d’Aulnoy, coined the term ‘fairy tale,’ and some of these stories contain many familiar elements that appear in tales like Rapunzel and Beauty and the Beast. Unfortunately, these women and their tales have mostly been forgotten to history.
Women of the Fairytale Resistance uncovers seven of these writer’s biographies—which are just as compelling as their fairy tales—and retells 12 of their original stories. The women were mostly young noblewomen who were forced into undesirable marriages and did not have the freedom to give their opinions, travel, or choose who they wanted to love. They used their stories as a way of subtly complaining about their husbands and critiquing the oppressive reign of King Louis XIV. The female-empowering, gender-bending tales combine themes like romance, fantasy, escapism, and their protagonists control of their own destiny—something the writers deeply desired in their own lives.
Enchantingly designed with stunning full color illustrations throughout, this unique and entertaining book will have you rethink everything you know about traditional fairy tales.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Old Town Books, 130 South Royal Street, Alexandria, United States
USD 11.49 to USD 37.74
