Status
Available
Genres
Collection
Publication
New York: Clarkson Potter, 1962
Description
Marginal notations explain the satire, politics and other subtle allusions which underlie this collection of children's rhymes.
User reviews
LibraryThing member Marse
Well, that's it. I finally gave up on the Annotated Mother Goose that I've been trying to read on and off for the last 5 years after getting to page 200 of a 350 page book. But why? It has an introduction, notes, complete texts and illustrations from the most wonderful Mother Goose artists! The
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subject is interesting, the notes (should have been) just as interesting. It might have been fun to read -- except for the horrible, irritating, just plain ridiculous layout of the text. First of all, the font was teeny tiny--not just the notes, but the main text, the nursery rhymes themselves were very difficult to see even in a strong light. The ink seemed almost grey instead of black! Then the notes themselves were in even smaller font. Ugh! On top of that, the notes were not at the bottom of the page directly under the nursery rhyme it refers to, or at the end of the book so that the page doesn't look cluttered, but on the right and left margins of the page. Since the notes sometimes were longer than the nursery rhyme itself, it often overlapped onto the next margin or even the next page, so that one had to constantly turn over pages to go back and forth between the nursery rhyme and its notes! It became increasingly annoying the farther one read. And then the information in the notes was at times haphazard. It would usually give bibliographic information about when the nursery rhyme first appeared in print, variations, and sometimes an explanation of an image or word, sometimes some historical context. Sometimes nothing at all would be explained. In the end I just couldn't see wasting my energy for so little enjoyment. Show Less
LibraryThing member datrappert
Intersting, certainly, but these annotated versions tend to overdo it. This should not be your introduction to these poems, because all the notes tend to destroy the fun and dull your spontaneous reaction to what you read. Only after having these engrained in you should you study them as in this
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book--if you care that deeply. Show Less
LibraryThing member AlexTheHunn
This book is an invaluable guide towards understanding and interpreting the Mother Goose rhymes. While some of the annotations herein may be subject to revision and newer interpretations, this is an excellent place from which to begin.
LibraryThing member sarahlouise
I bought this book at Townsends. But I remember seeing it at a used bookstore in Charleston while shopping with Tim. I bought M L'E's Small Rain that day. This gives fun history into the rhymes. I also want to someday get the Opie's collections on the same subject.
LibraryThing member auntieknickers
I love these Annotated books and this is no exception. Want to know who the Dish and the Spoon really were? Why did Jack jump over the candlestick? Read this book.
LibraryThing member mcivalleri
I would NOT recommend this book to be in an elementary or middle school library based on the historical forthrightness of some of the rhymes. For example, in chapter one, there is a short rhyme that jokes about burning the Pope (which also calls him a fagot). Also in this chapter, there is a list
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showing how many times murder, violence, etc, is mentioned in the mother goose rhymes in attempt of spurring a nursery rhyme reformation. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cheryl_in_CC_NV
Long, thorough, wonderful resource for scholars and fans. Families could use it, but don't leave it around where young readers can browse through and catch the bawdy backgrounds of some of the rhymes actually aimed at adults. I particularly loved the illustrations. Mostly 'clip art' but
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still, so many cool drawings by some of the original big names. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Original language
English