"Black Heart, Ivory Bones" Edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling (published 2000)

In this hilarious, enchanting, and moving collection of twenty fairy-tales, readers will traverse through backwater America, the Italian countryside, the moors of England, and still more places that may - or may not - really exist. Featuring storytellers such as Susanna Clarke, who was still just working on her popular novel Johnathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, well-known fantasy writers such as Neil Gaiman, and unlikely fairy-tale authors such as Joyce Carol Oates, this book will delight all those interested in the less explainable aspects of humanity with a renewed appreciation for contemporary creative writing, particularly in the realm of the supernatural and, strikingly, traditional genre that we have come to name fairy-tales. 

While now a more ubiquitous pattern in storytelling, Black Heart, Ivory Bones gives a sense of freshness to the idea of old and new worlds combined; one running rampant with magic and the historical past, and the other filled with the anxiety and urgency of the present moment. Modern-day Rapunzels exist, as do modern day old crones. Women are jealous of other women's beauty: and are saved by the most unlikely creatures of all. Furthermore, it *is* possible to imagine the kings of the past using post-modern philosophies, or that maybe real, objective scientists would look into the cause of Sleeping Beauty's condition and the metaphysical and ontological underpinning of her ensorcellment. Still further, what happens when a young women gets into a terrible car accident in a snow storm and begins to get frostbite and die? What better life does she imagine for herself as she lies dying in the thick ice and snow? 

With a beautiful introduction to this collection of literary magic by Terri Windling of England and Ellen Datlow from the U.S.A., each will be prepared to delve into the heart-swelling words of a carefully selected group of writers who tell a carefully selected lineup of stories that are sure to linger within the psyche for an indefinite amount of time, rendering the subconscious stronger and sharpened with the tune of reality that knows no bounds. To read this aloud to willing listeners would be a pleasure for both the reader and the listener.