New Releases by Diane Wolkstein

Questo libro raccoglie i miti della divinità sumera Inanna, Regina del Cielo e della Terra. I canti, ritrovati su tavolette d’argilla risalenti a circa 4000 anni fa, sono stati tradotti dal cuneiforme, la prima scrittura codificata di cui abbiamo conoscenza. Prima di Gilgameš, Ulisse, Enea e Dante, la più antica discesa negli inferi di cui abbiamo registrazione è stata compiuta da una donna, Inanna. È lei che per prima affronta la catabasi iniziatica, guidandoci alle sette porte del mondo infero. Nella cultura sumera la conoscenza è contenuta nei me, concrezioni delle qualità della sapienza stessa; questi codici sono custoditi da Enki, il Dio della Saggezza. Inanna li sottrae con l’astuzia a Enki, portando in dono la conoscenza al popolo di Uruk. I canti di Inanna sono la testimonianza del passaggio culturale e politico da culti agresti a culti pastorali, da religioni legate alle divinità femminili al nuovo patriarcato che si andava affermando spiritualmente e politicamente. In questi miti la potente forza cosmica, intellettiva e sessuale delle grandi dee del passato non è stata ancora del tutto asservita alle istituzioni religiose pastorali, si tratta perciò di una testimonianza unica e preziosissima. In quanto mito vivo I canti di Inanna ci ispirano e ci mettono in guardia, fornendoci una genealogia mitografica che può diventare una straordinaria forma di impoteramento femminista.

At the beginning of the world, it was dark and silent and nothing stirred anywhere, until a voice roused the sleeping Sun Mother in the sky, telling her it was time to wake up all the creatures of the earth. The indigenous people of Australia believe that their first ancestors created the world and its laws. They also believe that the world is still being created in a continual process they call The Dreamtime. Renowned storyteller Diane Wolkstein has crafted a powerful retelling of an Australian creation story, illuminated by illustrator Bronwyn Bancroft''s authentic, beautifully realized paintings.

On the Jewish holidays, portions of stories are told. An exquisite teller of tales, Wolkstein has gifted readers with the full story for each holiday. Each of the 27 stories in "Treasures" is introduced in both historical and symbolic time.

Summary: When Little Mouse''s friends look at the painting she has created, they do not all see the same thing.

After hearing Ocean''s stories, Sun invites Ocean to the house he shares with his wife, Moon, but his visitor proves to be more than his house can hold.

A king builds a glass mountain which any man who wants to marry his daughter must climb--but when Princess Raina tries to help one special suitor succeed, she falls through a deep crack and is trapped in an underground world. Full color.

After much coaching, Bouki wins the prize for dancing the king''s secret dance but is then outwitted by his sneaky friend.

"Just in time for Purim comes this lovely retelling of the story of Esther, the young Jewish girl who became a Persian queen and saved her fellow Jews from annihilation. Wolkstein casts this inspiring biblical tale in the form of a diary....Wijngaard''s lavish illustrations and Wolkstein''s rendering of Esther''s first-person narration breathe new humanity into this grand and glorious story." --Publishers Weekly.

The world is a very big when you are very small. But that doesn''t stop a little ant from leaving home to visit her friend. Step by step she goes: over a stone, across a leaf, under a branch... until she arrives. Tiny children, who also travel through a very big world, will share the wonder of this little ant''s big adventure, as well as the feeling of accomplishment at journey''s end. Diane Wolkstein''s engaging story of a delight-filled visit and Jos. A. Smith''s richly textured pictures from an ant''s point of view create a world that will amaze you -- all young adventurers.

A strange event occurs across the land when a little Chinese goose girl sprinkles her shoulders with water and begins to wave her arms, believing that she will sprout wings, fly, and enjoy all the beautiful flowers of spring.

Mythic and archetypal romances--Misha Schutt.

A superstitious schoolmaster, in love with a wealthy farmer''s daughter, has a terrifying encounter with a headless horseman.

A fresh retelling of the ancient texts about Ishtar, the world''s first goddess. Illustrated with visual artifacts of the period. "A great masterpiece of universal literature."--Mircea Eliade Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

Can a banza, or little banjo, save one small goat from a band of hungry tigers?

Kuo Ming''s discovery of a moon goddess inside a snail shell changes his lonely life.

Follows a little ant''s journey, step-by-step, as she goes to visit her friend.

Chipmunk''s song about Squirrel only "catches" part of him and so the song grows.

The monkey gets even with the buzzard for deceiving and devouring two of his friends.