Once Upon a More Enlightened Time: More Politically Correct Bedtime Stories

by James Finn Garner

Hardcover, 1995

Status

Available

Call number

813.54

Genres

Collection

Publication

John Wiley & Sons Inc (1995), 96 pages

Description

The hilarious sequel to the #1 phenomenon Politically Correct Bedtime Stories. "If we can cleanse these stories and put an end to the lies our children are spoon-fed while being spoon-fed...the world may finally become a decent place for persunkind and other, equally important species." -- James Finn Garner Spurred by the overwhelming success of the million-copy bestseller, Politically Correct Bedtime Stories, James Finn Garner continues his quest to liberate "classic" fairy tales from their archaic, sexist, ageist, classist, lookist and environmentally unsound prejudices. In Once Upon A More Enlightened Time, Garner tackles many demeaning, culturally biased viewpoints through his retelling of such well-known tales as "The Princess and the Pea" and "The Tortoise and the Hare." He has striven to fashion these bedtime stories into literature that is totally free from bias and purged from the influences of a flawed cultural past in hopes of freeing our social consciousness from these blights. If he succeeds, no longer will tortoises, hares, talking frogs and other citizens of nature bear the burden of our insecurities. No longer will mer-people suffer because of their unique evolutionary niche. And no longer will capable young womyn sleep their lives away waiting for princes to come rescue them.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member tloeffler
A collection of not-particularly-funny fairy tales (oh, I'm sorry. Is "fairy" politically correct?). Anyway, I was not amused. Kind of dull
LibraryThing member vicarofdibley
a very wry retelling of some stories for the PC lot

deep in a forested bioregion ...
LibraryThing member TadAD
I was given this and Politically Correct Bedtime Stories together. By the second volume, the novelty had worn off.
LibraryThing member cyderry
How many of us as children heard the fairy tales Hansel & Gretel, Puss in Boots, and the Tortoise & the Hare? How many of us wanted to be the Princess & the Pea?(me), The Little Mermaid, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, or Goldilocks? Did we know at that time we were being exposed to sexist,
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discriminatory, culturally biased material by our parents and loved ones? Did we have any idea of how these "fairy tales" would affect our futures?

These alternate versions of the beloved "fairy tales" by Aesop, the Brothers Grimm, and Hans Christian Andersen, to name a few take a decidedly different turn when written from a politically correct angle. Who would believe that Snow White and her wicked stepmother would end up friends, or that the Tortoise would be disqualified after the race? These are but a few of unusual twists and turns that political correctness takes in these stories.

I heard about this books from Whisper1 and ran right out and got them from the library. Some of the tales are so funny I laughed till I cried, others not so much, but definitely worth the read. Thanks Whisper!
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LibraryThing member dbhutch
Beth's review: A friend brought this for me to borrow and i sat and read it in three hours. This is a very good way to look at the way things has changed from the times the fairy tales were written.
I love the way all of the fairy tales are written. There were times i was laughing out load at the
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was Garner had written to make them all politically correct. If you have a sense of humor and hate the way things seem to be corrected to not offend anyone then this is a must read.

From Dan:
fairy tales and folk tales alike chnage each time a tale is repeated and passed down from generation to genertion. Much like the large differences on the "traditional" fairy tales, and those originally penned by the Brothers Grimm, so has Garner put the fairy tale in a new light, and with a twist. From "PC" spellings of words, to the descriptions of things written so as not to dare offend anyone's PC attitudes, Garner has a blast retelling tales of old and breathing new life and fun into them. Comprised of 8 PC fairy tales, Garner's humor is sure to bring a laugh, grin, or chuckle from almost anyone who reads these tales. Anyone of course, excepting those who have had thier entire sense of humor, sarcasm and wit removed by a skilled proctologist during a pyschiatric combination examination.
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LibraryThing member 2wonderY
I love re-tellings of old tales. And Garner did a classy job in Politically Correct Bedtime Stories. He tries to continue the rich vein here, but it shrivels to mediocrity.
The PC language is still funny, but the inspired twists are missing.
The book is on my ‘to get rid of’ pile.
The best of the
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stories is “Sleeping Persun of Better-Than-Average Attractiveness.”

PS: the jacket blurb boasts that the London daily Telegraph has called Garner a “smart-alec, mealy-mouthed creep.” So much for good karma.
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LibraryThing member Moriquen
It was an ok book overall. It made me laugh every nog and again and the short tales where amusing if not altogether really funny. I especially enjoyed some jokes involving poultry (in the hare and trotoise tale).
LibraryThing member cougargirl1967
What a hoot! Now I want to read Politically Correct Bedtime Stories.
LibraryThing member AliceAnna
I don't know whether I liked the New Age Hansel and Gretel or the Type-A Personality Ant of the Ant and the Grasshopper Fame better. Good stuff.
LibraryThing member Nadishka
Although this was written over 20 years ago, it fit in well with current perceptions. I liked the twist and turn of language, and the humour. But I don't think I can read a lot of this kind of re-hashing - 9 short stories was just the right length. A very refreshing change to the usual fairy tales.
LibraryThing member ChrisWeir
A politically correct look at fairy tales we all grew up with. Puss N Boots who turns out to actually be the brains behind a politician, ,until the politician comes clean. A really weird take on the Little Mermaid which has the Price coming to live under the sea. The Tortoise and the Hare in which
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the Hare takes on too many endorsements, as well as a few other issues Fun tongue and cheek look at fairy tales.
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Original language

English

Original publication date

1995-05

Physical description

96 p.; 7.25 inches

ISBN

0028604199 / 9780028604190
Page: 0.1709 seconds