Reviews for A child's book of Midrash

The average rating for A child's book of Midrash based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2009-06-10 00:00:00 Charles S. Gans Jr. This is a true book of wonder. It's an anthology mingling folklore and mythology, religious scripture, historical references, and poetry. Rather than a random hodgepodge, this combination has been skillfully woven into a cohesive work reflecting a magical worldview. Garner's adaptions of works from other sources are beautifully written and designed, and the writing of others -- mostly well-known poets like Wallace Stevens and Stevie Smith -- takes on new significance and mystery when placed in this context. And mystery is at the heart of this book. I can't say how many times I have read and re-read this book, finding new depth and resonance each time. It is one of those rare gems one fortunately encounters in childhood and which continues to gain in depth as one matures. But there are passages I do not understand, and I doubt I ever will. Many of the stories are the products of world-views that are fundamentally alien to me, and therein lies much of this book's beauty -- it reveals the past as another world, one that can only be perceived from a distance. The wide range of sources for the folkloric and scriptural material could be regarded as a model of multiculturalism. There is an emphasis on the British, Native American, and Japanese traditions, but this was also where I was first exposed to the Ramayana. This book has been around for a while now, but it still reads as fresh, astonishing, and frequently chilling. As a writer, I've been able to spook some pretty tough crowds, but there are passages in this which still chill me, despite their familiarity. This is not a book for everyone, but there are few works as genuinely magical as this one. Very highly recommended.

Review # 2 was written on 2017-10-29 00:00:00 Terri Arthur Mostly not about goblins, just a collection of supernatural tales (folk, fairy, myth, short story) that Garner liked.