I can well recall the first time I saw this book. I was in my first year at Brighton Polytechnic as it was then struggling with typography and wondering when the illustration tutelage would kick in. It was supposed to be a three year illustration course after all and we were still on the illustration equivalent of square bashing. Being Brighton, at least you could check out the ample supply of book shops on your lunch break.
Anyway this was precisely what my colleague Peter had done and he returned in a somewhat breathless state, and with a deft flourish and a, "what do you think of THIS then?", produced from his Hatchard's shopping bag a book the like of which I had never seen before. And yet in a way I had, but there was something indefineable about this book with it's evident homage to the golden age of fantasy illustration mixed so adroitly with the here and now which immediately put it into the premier division of illustrated books from 1972.Or any other year for that matter.
"The Book of Giant Stories" by David L. Harrison is a charming reworking of folk tale themes but the illustrator Philippe Fix very artfully makes the little boy around whom the action revolves a contemporary (for 1972) schoolboy. In fact he takes considerable historical liberties with historical accuracy in the way he throws together costumes and furniture, but the result is totally captivating in a way that a more slavish attempt to be more time specific would not have achieved. In doing so Fix has created illustrations which fully realize the charm of the stories and added an extra level of enjoyment to the text.
Thank you for posting these pictures. My father bought this book for me in 1975 and I have regarded it as the absolute bench-mark in illustration ever since.
ReplyDeletethanks for posting these illustrations. I loved this book as a child and spent 20 something years trying to remember the title as well as the illustrations. I simply loved the the book. It still influences to some degree the residential architecture I do today
ReplyDeletemy brother still has his copy from when he was a child, without the cover of course
ReplyDeleteYou ever heard "Never judge a book by it's cover!" so I alleviated that problem.
ReplyDeleteIt is an amazing piece of work the story and the genius of Philippe Fix's illustrations!!
ReplyDeleteThe images have stayed with me since the '70s and I just finally tracked it down and bought another copy as a 40 year old because it was just that special to me.
You really can't say that for much of what is put out today...or maybe I'm just a grumpy old man.
But NOT today!!
Thank you for posting the pictures!
I just pulled this book out for my 3 year old daughter so I could read these at bedtime. I grew up with the copy I have that we got as kids in 1976. I have watched my daughter open the book and look at the pictures by herself, this is a fabulous book.
ReplyDeleteGlad you have all enjoyed these beautiful illustrations - they certainly inspired me all those years ago.
ReplyDeletegrazie!questo era un libro di mio fratello da piccolo.favoloso.lo cerco disperatamente.cm
ReplyDeleteThis book has haunted me all my life because of the exceptional illustrations that mysteriously continued to keep me in awe. What a treasure. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI still have the book from the seventies as well, also without a cover. my kids love this book as do I. Beautiful!
ReplyDelete