The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure: The "Good Parts" Version, Abridged

Goldman, William

ISBN 10: 0151730857 / ISBN 13: 9780151730858

Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt P, 1992

About this Item

308 p.

Seller Inventory # Alibris.0016707

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure: The "Good Parts" Version, Abridged
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt P
• Publication Date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0151730857
• ISBN 13: 9780151730858
• Binding: Hard cover
• Edition: First edition.
• Condition: Good in good dust jacket.

About this title

Synopsis

A writer's view on life and art are revealed during his attempts to edit the children's classic that shaped his literary ambitions

Review

The Princess Bride is a true fantasy classic. William Goldman describes it as a "good parts version" of "S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure." Morgenstern's original was filled with details of Florinese history, court etiquette, and Mrs. Morgenstern's mostly complimentary views of the text. Much admired by academics, the "Classic Tale" nonetheless obscured what Mr. Goldman feels is a story that has everything: "Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest ladies. Snakes. Spiders. Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles."

Goldman frames the fairy tale with an "autobiographical" story: his father, who came from Florin, abridged the book as he read it to his son. Now, Goldman is publishing an abridged version, interspersed with comments on the parts he cut out.

Is The Princess Bride a critique of classics like Ivanhoe and The Three Musketeers, that smother a ripping yarn under elaborate prose? A wry look at the differences between fairy tales and real life? Simply a funny, frenetic adventure? No matter how you read it, you'll put it on your "keeper" shelf. --Nona Vero