Angela Carter Knihy

These two collections of little-known stories from Europe, the Arctic, the USA, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, contain tales of alluring women, ailing warriors, enchantresses and seekers of revenge. The heroines are always centre stage, as large as life, or even larger.

Set in 1899. Through the circus flier F̀evvers', the author mocks cliches of Gothic romance, melodrama, farce, fairytale, and utopian vision.

Wise Children follows the fortunes of the Chance twins, Dora and Nora, taking in the story of their show business family -- the Hazards -- over the past century. Born illegitimately, spurned by their father Melchior and brought up by their landlady, Mrs Chance, Dora and Nora learn to dance, and begin to forge a career, “two girls pounding the boards”. After the post-war decline of their careers they are reduced to performing in nude revues, while the latest generation of Hazards rise to fame as stars of television. Angela Carter's witty and bawdy new novel celebrates the magic of over a century of show business.

'This crazy world whirled about her, men and women dwarfed by toys and puppets, where even the birds were mechanical and the few human figures went masked ... She was in the night again, and the doll was herself' One night Melanie walks through the garden in her mother's wedding dress. The next morning her world is shattered. Forced to leave her rural home, she is sent to London to live with relatives she has never met: gentle Aunt Margaret, mute since her wedding day; and her brothers, Francie, whose graceful music belies his clumsy nature, and the volatile Finn. Brooding over all is Uncle Philip, who loves only the puppets he creates in his workshop, which are life-sized - and uncannily life like

A collection of short stories full of extraordinary people, some of them real - Jean Duval, Baudelaire's black mistress; Edgar Allan Poe and Lizzie Borden. Other characters flow from a fantastic imagination. The author also wrote "Nights at the Circus", "The Magic Toyshop" and "Shadow Dance".

Discover Angela Carter's classic feminist retelling of favourite fairy tales interwoven by a master of seductive, luminous storytelling. From familiar fairy tales and legends - Red Riding Hood, Bluebeard, Puss in Boots, Beauty and the Beast, vampires and werewolves - Angela Carter has created an absorbing collection of dark, sensual, fantastic stories. 'Magnificent set pieces of fastidious sensuality' Ian McEwan 'A quirky, original, and baroque stylist' Margaret Atwood Featuring an introduction from award-winning short story writer Helen Simpson

As well as her eight novels, Angela Carter published four wonderful collections of short stories during her lifetime, and contributed stories to several anthologies. The stories were scattered amongst different publishers, and a couple of the volumes are now out of print. In BURNING YOUR BOATS they are gethered together for the first time; this is a key collection and a major event for Angela Carter aficionados. It brings some important work back into print, including THE BLOODY CHAMBER - her seminal collection of fairytales in which she rewrote stories such as Little Red Riding Hood and Beauty and the Beast in her characteristically subversive, earthy way. This publication in 1995 will begin a major Angela Carter promotion; a celebration of the publication of her Collected Works, and a major push for the back list, with an order form for all of the Chatto, Vintage and Virago titles. This enticing, fat volume of Carter's surprising and inventive stories will be one of the most exciting events in the promotion.

WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY RACHEL COOKEReading Shaking a Leg is like spending time with the funniest, wisest friend you've ever had;

YORK NOTES ADVANCED - THE ULTIMATE LITERATURE GUIDES