Product Description

The original stories behind everyone’s favorite Christmas ballet

It wasn’t until the 1950s that seeing The Nutcracker at Christmastime became an American tradition. But the story itself is much older and its original intent more complex. This eye-opening new volume presents two of the tale’s earliest versions, both in new translations: E.T.A. Hoffmann’s Nutcracker and Mouse King (1816), in which a young girl is whisked away to the Land of Toys to help her animated nutcracker defeat the Mouse King, and Alexandre Dumas’s 1845 adaptation, The Tale of the Nutcracker, based on Hoffmann’s popular work. Irresistible tales of magic, mystery, and childhood adventure, these timeless delights and fresh interpretations about the importance of imagination will captivate readers of all ages.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #95171 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-30
• Original language: German
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

About the Author
E.T.A. Hoffmann (1776–1822) worked in the Prussian civil service before becoming one of the most popular fiction writers of his time.
Alexandre Dumas père (1802–1870), one of nineteenth-century France’s most prolific novelists, is best known for his historical novels that began with The Three Musketeers.
Joachim Neugroschel has won three PEN translation awards and the French-American translation prize.
Jack Zipes is a professor of German at the University of Minnesota.

Customer Reviews

Holiday Classic
For weeks, I debated whether or not I should buy this particular version when there are others much cheaper. In the end, this was a fantastic find!

This version of "Nutcracker and the Mouse King" is the original work written by E.T.A. Hoffman. The beginning comes with a brief introduction examining both the story and the ballet. Mr. Dumas, who wrote the alternate version, is also briefly described in the introduction. The differences among the stories are quickly apparent, though, also described for you in the introduction.

As a much loved holiday classic, I was astounded at the differences between the original work and the ballet. Both are structured to be absolutely beautiful works that speak for themselves and each contains meanings beyond words. If you are looking for a lovely holiday book for yourself, a friend, or young one, this is the perfect gift.

Explanations for the" versions" of the Ballet
This book seems rather scholarly, maybe a thesis? It gives you the original story , plus the Dumas version used in many ballets. I own several different "Nutcracker Ballet DVDs, I watch them all each Christmas. They all vary and now I know where the differences come from! I didnt realize the Godfather Drosselmeyer really had a nephew--I thought it was just added as a job for Macaulay Culkin! The Mouse King varies tremedously, too . If you the love this ballet---you have to have this book!

My Nutcracker Prince
Like many Americans, I have grown up watching the Nutcracker ballet. It was really nice to read the story that inspired the ballet. Both versions of this story are really great reads.