I found this book recently at a library sale. It's an encyclopedia of "little people" with a European focus, the author is German. The blog linked below has more pics from the interior. It was first published in 1977, same year as Holmes Basic and the Monster Manual. And it's still in print, though with different illustrations.
http://www.amazon.com/Field-Guide-Little-People-Not-So-Mythical/dp/0738715492
http://dreamshappythings.blogspot.com/2011/03/field-guide-to-little-people.html
This was the same year as the Wil Nuygen and Rien Poortvliet book "Gnomes", which kicked off a huge craze for illustrated fairy, legendary, or little people books, especially those written as if they were field guides or nature studies. I guess the fact that these are all still in print explains why the Pressed Fairy book (a parody of these books) was published in 1998, twenty years after the start of the craze; there was still enough popularity that the parody didn't seem dated.
ReplyDeleteAh yes, I remember 'Gnomes' and even thought of it when I found this. I didn't realize that it came out the same year.
ReplyDeleteI recall the book of gnomes. I also enjoyed the book of goblins, with artwork by Brian Froud. Before his work on Labyrinth and Dark Crystal, he also produced a book (or two) faeries. Lately he released a book on trolls. Froud has a long history of creating inspirational faerie art: www.worldoffroud.com
ReplyDeleteOh. Wendy too. Their son Toby was born to the world of faerie. Talented family!
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