NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE (1804-1864)

Hawthorne's Greek Myths

Authors: Nathaniel Hawthorne
Publisher: Rand McNalley
Dates: 1851–1853

Nathanial Hawthorne is best known for his adult novels but he published two classic volumes of stories from the Greek Myths that were extremely popular with Children for over 100 years. His Wonder Book and Tanglewood Tales retell many of the most famous tales of Mythology in beautiful prose. These books have been reprinted many times since their original publication in 1852 and several of the most famous illustrators of the day, including Milo Winter and Maxfield Parrish did beautiful artwork for them.

Wonder Book for Girls and Boys   by N. Hawthorne
The Wonder Book was written in the mid 1800, and is one of Hawthorne's most popular classics for children. It re-tells the stories of six classic Greek legends in considerable detail and with delightful literary flourish. The subjects are the legends of Perseus, Midas, Pandora's Box, Philemon and Baucus, Bellerophon and Pegasus, and the Garden of Hesperides.96 credits

Tanglewood Tales   by N. Hawthorne
Following the enormous success of the Wonder Book Hawthorne produced another volume of Greek legends rewritten for children. This time his subjects are Theseus and the Minotaur, Antaeus and the Pygmies, Cadmus and the Dragons' teeth, Circe, Prosperina and Pluto, and Jason and the Golden Fleece. Each story is beautifully told in much detail. Tanglewood Tales was equally popular and both books have been American children's classics for over one hundred and fifty years. 73 credits