Melody Murray's Books

This book blew me away. It's a collection of essays about fantasy and humanity and storytelling. It's also exquisitely written, and it reinforces prejudices I didn't even realize I had. Any number of times in this book, Yolen explicated something which immediately resonated with me as something I believe at some unexamined level, the deep heart's core, if you will. She also draws some lines which are blindingly obvious once they've been drawn- for instance any of you who know me know that I revere Kipling's The Jungle Books as well as Ursula K. Le Guin's writing. Here's what Yolen says, "This story-as-societal-metaphor would come to fruition later in the worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin where, like Kipling, the language is elevated alternately sonorous and somber, and filled with light."One other thing Yolen pointed out that helps me to understand my ability to not be terribly offended by older stories rife with stereotypes is that the best writers make us them, we see with their eyes and think with their brains while immersed in the story.Highly recommended for readers, especially readers of kid lit or sci fi. Abigail, I am seriously in your debt for the recommendation.