Fifty-One Tales

by Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett

Overview

Without doubt Lord Dunsany was one of the most influential writers of fantasy fiction in twentieth century. His fiction is an acknowledged influence on entire generations of writers, ranging from H.P. Lovecraft to James Branch Cabell, from Clark Ashton Smith to Lin Carter. Although many of his most famous stories are longer in length, the miniature portraits of Fifty-One Tales (originally published in 1915 and sometimes reprinted under the title The Food of Death) are an ideal introduction to Dunsany. Nowhere is the jewel-like quality of his prose more evident than in the short tales, seminal works which runs the gamut from whimsy to fantasy to social satire.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783965376618
Publisher:	Otbebookpublishing
Publication date:	11/22/2019
Series:	Classics To Go
Sold by:	Bookwire
Format:	eBook
Pages:	92
File size:	673 KB

About the Author

Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany (1878-1957), was an Irish writer and dramatist whose imaginative works have left an indelible mark on the fantasy genre. Born into an aristocratic family, Dunsany's early life was steeped in the grandeur of Dunsany Castle, which fueled his rich imagination. His literary career began in the early 20th century, and he quickly became known for his unique blend of myth, folklore, and the fantastical.Dunsany's influence on contemporary writers is profound; he was a pioneer in creating entire mythologies, a technique later adopted by J.R.R. Tolkien and H.P. Lovecraft, both of whom cited him as an inspiration. His prose, characterized by its lyrical quality and vivid imagery, broke away from the realist traditions of his time, offering readers an escape into worlds of wonder and mystery.A man of many talents, Dunsany was also an accomplished chess player, a soldier in the British Army during World War I, and an avid hunter. His life was not without controversy; his aristocratic background and conservative views often put him at odds with the rapidly changing political landscape of 20th-century Ireland. Despite this, he remained a beloved figure in literary circles, known for his generosity and wit.Dunsany's revolutionary ideas about the power of the imagination and the importance of storytelling continue to resonate. His works challenge readers to explore the boundaries of reality and dream, making him a timeless figure in the world of literature.
Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, Baron of Dunsany (1878 – 1957) was an Irish writer and dramatist, notable for his work, mostly in fantasy, published under the name Lord Dunsany. More than eighty books of his work were published, and his oeuvre includes many hundreds of published short stories, as well as successful plays, novels and essays. Lord Dunsany is the author of such celebrated works as The Book of Wonder (1912) and The King of Elfland's Daughter (1924). Over the course of a career that spanned more than five decades, Dunsany wrote thousands of stories, plays, novels, essays, poems, and reviews, and his work was translated into more than a dozen languages. Today, Dunsany's work is experiencing a renaissance, as many of his earlier works have been reprinted and much attention has been paid to his place in the history of fantasy and supernatural literature.