«This is the book that, in my childhood, I wanted and did not have; the book that I would have liked to give to my children and keep for myself, the book that I will give to my grandchildren. "

A. S. Byatt, in the Introduction

The Bicentennial Edition of the Brothers Grimm Tales commemorates the richness and dramatic power of these legendary tales - so well known - in the most spectacular volume published to date. Of all the innumerable collections of fairy tales that exist throughout the world, few are better known than those that gathered, two centuries ago, two German brothers -Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm- in their Tales for Children and Children. home, first published in 1812. Now, in this bicentennial edition, Maria Tatar presents a selection of the stories in a luxurious format and with great visual power, with the aim of reconfiguring our understanding of these timeless tales.

Coming from the final authorized version of the mid-nineteenth century, Maria Tatar, internationally renowned specialist in the field of folklore and children's literature, has translated and commented on more than 50 short stories compiled by the Brothers Grimm, carefully selecting those that are in line with current audiences and that reveal the broad thematic spectrum of the Grimm canon. Young and old readers alike will re-encounter popular classics, including "Little Red Riding Hood," "Cinderella," "Snow White," and "Rapunzel," while discovering lesser-known, but no less captivating, tales like "The Four skillful brothers "," The water of life "and" The white snake ", specially selected for this edition. Perhaps most noteworthy is the decision to include a few "grown-up" stories, which were cut from previous editions when the Grimms realized that parents were reading them to children.

The pages edited by Tatar are accompanied by detailed annotations that delve into the origins, uncover the cultural complexities of the tales, and explore their psychological effects. Nearly 200 images of exquisite beauty - made by artists such as George Cruikshank, Gustave Doré, Kay Nielsen or Arthur Rackham - are reproduced alongside the stories. Featuring a brilliant introductory essay by AS Byatt, along with the Grimms' original prefaces to their editions, as well as a collection of memorabilia on 'The Magic of Fairy Tales' and essays on the lives of the brothers and the cultural impact of his stories, Brothers Grimm. Annotated Edition captures the magical allure of these stories while unraveling their powerful mysteries.

In the tradition of Bruno Bettelheim's The Uses of Enchantment, this volume shows how the Grimms' fairy tales enliven our imagination and remain with us long after we have written them. This edition of the bicentennial offers a treasure trove of tradition and popular cultural wisdom that has been passed down from generation to generation.