The Annotated Wind in the Willows
Kenneth Grahame, Annie Gauger
The Annotated Wind in the Willows
An instant bestseller on its initial publication in 1908, "The Wind in the Willows" is one of the greatest books in children's literature. Hundreds of illustrations illuminate the adventures of Mole, Mr Toad, Badger, Otter, Ratty and all the other favourite characters. In addition to notes on automobiles, picnics, gypsies, caravans, English mansions and peculiar dukes, scholar Annie Gauger has uncovered extraordinary new material on Grahame, his troubled family life and the origins of the story. Her preface puts Grahame's work in historical and literary context and she provides biographies of all the illustrators. With an introduction by author Brian Jacques.
4.1 out of 5 based on 4 reviews
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Omniscore:
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| Classification |
Fiction |
| Genre |
Classic Fiction, Children's & Teenage |
| Format |
Hardback |
| Pages |
480 |
| RRP |
£28.00 |
| Date of Publication |
May 2009 |
| ISBN |
978-0393057744 |
| Publisher |
W. W. Norton & Co. |
| |
An instant bestseller on its initial publication in 1908, "The Wind in the Willows" is one of the greatest books in children's literature. Hundreds of illustrations illuminate the adventures of Mole, Mr Toad, Badger, Otter, Ratty and all the other favourite characters. In addition to notes on automobiles, picnics, gypsies, caravans, English mansions and peculiar dukes, scholar Annie Gauger has uncovered extraordinary new material on Grahame, his troubled family life and the origins of the story. Her preface puts Grahame's work in historical and literary context and she provides biographies of all the illustrators. With an introduction by author Brian Jacques.
Reviews
The Guardian
Rosemary Hill
"In the episode where Toad's caravan is overturned by a speeding motor car, the new Norton edition tells us that Grahame's original version had Ratty shouting after it: "Stockbrokers!" Grahame changed it later to "road hogs". As a recently retired secretary of the Bank of England he may have felt he was on thin ice."
13/06/2009
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The Times
Erica Wagner
"It’s always a pleasure to reread Kenneth Grahame’s early classic of eco-lit; one can only feel sorry for Toad as he pays the price for his passion. Norton’s fine new edition is covetable and informative (did you know that Toad drove an Armstrong Hardcastle Special Eight?); the scholar Annie Gauger has uncovered extraordinary new material on Kenneth Grahame, his troubled life and the story’s origins."
08/06/2009
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The Literary Review
Philip Womack
"a sumptuously illustrated new edition with a well-researched, academic commentary"
01/06/2009
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The Washington Post
Michael Sims
"The introduction to Gauger's volume, by Brian Jacques, author of the popular children's fantasy series, Redwall, wastes eight pages on nostalgic twaddle recalling his youth and nominating various pieces of music as soundtrack for scenes in "Willows."... But when it comes to the main text -- unpacking the allusive, lushly textured story of poetical Rat and proletarian Mole, of manic Toad and Mr. Badger, that solemn lord of the manor whose burrow twines among Roman ruins -- Gauger has unpacked more, dug further, worked longer and harder."
14/06/2009
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