The Book Of Wonder, Lord Dunsany
The Book Of Wonder, Lord Dunsany
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The Book Of Wonder
A Chronicle Of Little Adventures At The Edge Of The World

Author: Lord Dunsany

Narrator: Matthew Schmitz

Unabridged: 2 hr 14 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 06/09/2023

Synopsis

Brought to you by Altrusian Grace Media"The Book of Wonder" is a collection of short stories by Lord Dunsany, published in 1912. It is a remarkable work that showcases Dunsany's imaginative storytelling and his mastery of creating vivid and fantastical worlds.The book consists of numerous individual tales, each offering a glimpse into a unique realm filled with magic, mythology, and mystery. Dunsany's prose is rich and lyrical, transporting readers to extraordinary landscapes and introducing them to a variety of enchanting characters.Throughout the collection, Dunsany explores themes of adventure, heroism, and the power of the human imagination. He weaves together narratives featuring gods, mythical creatures, and ordinary people who find themselves thrust into extraordinary circumstances. From encounters with ancient deities to quests for lost treasures, each story presents a captivating and immersive experience."The Book of Wonder" is known for its blend of whimsy and profundity. Dunsany's writing style is often dreamlike, imbuing the tales with a sense of wonder and magic. The stories can be enjoyed both as light entertainment and as reflections on the nature of existence, mortality, and the boundaries of human perception.Dunsany's influence on the fantasy genre cannot be overstated. His work paved the way for later authors, including J.R.R. Tolkien and H.P. Lovecraft. Through "The Book of Wonder," Lord Dunsany created a timeless collection of stories that continues to inspire and delight readers with its imaginative brilliance and its exploration of the fantastic realms of the human imagination.

About Lord Dunsany

Lord Dunsany was born in London in 1878, the scion of an Anglo-Irish family that could trace its ancestry to the twelfth century. In 1905 he self-published The Gods of Pegana, and its critical and popular success impelled the publication of numerous other collections of short stories, including A Dreamer's Tales, The Book of Wonder, and The Last Book of Wonder. Dunsany also distinguished himself as a dramatist, and his early plays-collected in Five Plays and Plays of Gods and Men-were successful in Ireland, England, and the United States. Dunsany was seriously injured during the Dublin riots of 1916, and he also saw action in World War I as a member of the Coldstream Guards.

In the 1920s Dunsany began writing novels, among them The King of Elfland's Daughter and The Blessing of Pan. He also wrote many tales of the loquacious clubman Joseph Jorkens, eventually collected in five volumes. His later plays include If, Plays of Near and Far, Seven Modern Comedies, and Plays for Earth and Air. By the 1930s, encouraged by W. B. Yeats and others to write about his native Ireland, he produced The Curse of the Wise Woman, The Story of Mona Sheehy, and other novels. His later tales were gathered in The Man Who Ate the Phoenix and The Little Tales of Smethers, but many works remain uncollected. Lord Dunsany died at Dunsany Castle in County Meath, Ireland, in 1957. He is recognized as a leading figure in the development of modern fantasy literature, influencing such writers as J. R. R. Tolkien, H. P. Lovecraft, and Ursula K. Le Guin.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Terry on November 03, 2011

Geek that I am I actually read this to prepare for the Tolkien Professor’s Faerie & Fantasy podcast seminar that covers the book. I am rather conflicted about Dunsany in general and this book in particular. After finishing the first half I found that _The Book of Wonder_ more or less confirmed for......more

Goodreads review by Wreade1872 on May 01, 2019

Take the worst kind of second rate fantasy and the worst kind of Alice in Wonderland nonsense, and it turns out two wrongs do make a right :) . This isn't amazing but it does work. The best part is that so many of the tales feel allegorical.. except your never quite sure what they're allegories of :......more

Goodreads review by Joseph on July 29, 2019

Dunsany possibly at his peak -- this is a short collection of short stories (mostly in the 3-4 page range) and vignettes, but what stories they are, all told in Dunsany's poetic, King James-inflected prose. Highlights include Distressing Tale of Thanogbrind the Jeweller, Probable Adventures of the Th......more

Goodreads review by Jesse on September 22, 2009

This is the thrid book I've read by Lord Dunsany, and he has quickly moved into my top five best authors list. This book is similar to "Time and the Gods", in that it's more of a collection of shorts than a novel. Everyone of them was awesome, I particularly liked the stories that involved men who g......more

Goodreads review by Alberto on April 16, 2015

Dunsany's magic is palpable in all elements in his stories. These short stories, in some cases, left me wanting for more, in others, I was rather bored and just wanting it to end. I believe that were Dunsany truly shines is when he creates a vast world where his characters can evolve and more than t......more

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