'This is a book about childhood, but it is not a mere literary essay, it is a work of the widest learning, exploring the whole field of the subject ... a book rich in ideas, rich in information, rich in wisdom ...indeed, a kind of Anatomy of Childhood.' The Listener 'An enchanting book, and one that is certain of deepening affection in every house into which it finds its way.' Observer 'Only Walter de la Mare could have devised these ceremonies and been the master of them. In this conjuration of childhood he has amassed its evidence as displayed in many autobiographies, and has set against this the letters, diaries, stories and verses of these children ... His company ranges from mill hands and chimney sweeps to two queens of England; it embraces the whole gamut of the English poets; mathematicians and philosophers, though not so plentiful, are discovered to have been children once.' New Statesman

Desert Islands opens with a captivating essay on the romance of islands and castaways in literature and life, and the associations that have arisen in the imagination of readers in every generation. The essay leads on to over 200 pages of what de la Mare himself calls 'a rambling commentary', in the form of an anthology or commonplace book on every conceivable aspect of this teeming subject. There are notes, reflections and quotations from a lifetime's reading on wrecks, maroons, pirates, utopias, goats, hallucinations, exotic foods, misers, punishments, solitude , Darwin, parrots, idols, saints, hermits, maps, spices, drugs . . . and of course Daniel Defoe. Desert Islands is the perfect bedside or holiday book. It also playfully boasts a subtitle of rococo inventiveness and one of the longest you will ever read! 'A vast treasure chest, a bewildering collection . . . to dazzle and fascinate everyone who lifts the lid.' Geoffrey Grigson

Walter de la Mare was among the leading proponents of the so-called 'Georgian' poets, a loose assembly of influential literary friends who gathered in London in the years leading up to the First World War. Concerned with a refinement of sensibility - in feeling, in expression and in particular in regard to the natural world - the Georgians tapped a popular vein that de la Mare first embraced then later distanced himself from. This engaging assembly of verse and prose, first published in 1943, is de la Mare's vivid survey on love and sensibility, and contains, in his words, 'many of the supreme lyrics in the language'.

Walter de la Mare's anthologies are in a category of their own, indeed, they are of such excellence as to make the description belittling. Walter de la Mare compiled five of them, with commentaries, using poems and passages of prose. All are being reissued in Faber Finds, and to each he brought such a range of reading, wisdom and intelligence as to make them cornucopias of delight and entertainment. Behold, This Dreamer was first published in 1939 and Faber Finds is proud to reissue it seventy years on. Walter de la Mare provides a long introduction which leads to, in his own words, '. . . a Survey - a panorama - of a wide theme, endlessly inviting, in much obscure, viewed from many different angles, by many diverse minds.' To quote from the original blurb, 'Mr de la Mare is concerned not merely with dreaming, whether by night or day, with fantasies, hallucinations, explanations and interpretations of dreams, and the whole business (so to speak) of getting into (as well as out of) the dreamstate. His net is thrown over death as well as sleep, Nature as well as Man: and he takes his soundings in those unconscious and unreasoning depths out of which human personality and art so mysteriously spring.'

'The most compelling of anthologies, the most leisurely, and the most complete.' Observer First published in 1923, the conception of de la Mare's collection of poetry and prose 'for the young of all ages' had been in the poet's mind for some time. He wanted it to transcend the ordinary anthology, to have real unity and to be a true introduction to poetry. The result was, in its time, a completely original book, personal and creative - pervaded by his own company throughout. Come Hither takes its unity from de la Mare's introduction, an allegorical prose fable, the subtle and playful references of which are echoed throughout the proceeding collection. The anthology's ecstatic variety, where 'unofficial poetry', such as counting-out rhymes, appear on equal terms alongside Keats's Odes, suggests a relation between childhood and poetry that is at once serious and radiantly spontaneous. Together with the children's literature aspect, it also provides a selection of the leading Georgian poets and is arguably the best account of their 'hinterland', documenting their prevailing thematic concerns alongside a selection of their predecessors.

The perfect gift for children aged 8+, this stunning classic collection of poetry will delight a new generation of readers of the Faber Children's Classics list. Peacock Pie contains the finest of Walter de la Mare's poems for children, accompanied by exquisite original illustrations from Edward Ardizzone. This beautiful new edition of a classic anthology is an essential part of any child's bookshelf.

Published to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Walter de la Mare's death, this is the first of a three-volume collection bringing together his short stories. It includes The Riddle and Other Stories (1923) containing 15 stories, Ding, Dong Bell (1924) containing four stories, and The Connoisseur and Other Stories (1926) containing nine stories. Also included are 14 uncollected stories published between 1895 and 1920. De la Mare's earliet published works were stories, the first of them appaering in 1895. There was always a creative counterpoint between the themes and imagery of his prose and poetry, and a full understanding of either is unattainable without knowledge of both. The publication of this volume coincides with the 40th anniversary of Walter de la Mare's death. Kings College London will be holding a one-day conference featuring the stories of Walter de la Mare to coincide with the publication of volume one on November 7, 1996, including speakers such as Professor John Bayley, Julia Briggs, and Russell Hoban.

Originally published in 1930, this book is comprised of a series of papers written for the Royal Society of Literature. The papers concern themselves with various aspects of life and literature during the 1880s, including novels, poetry, theatre, criticism and other areas. Edited by Walter De La Mare, the text contains notable contributions from figures such as T. S. Eliot and G. K. Chesterton. This is a highly readable book that will be of value to anyone with an interest in the 1880s, nineteenth-century literature and early twentieth-century literary criticism.

The Small Years was first published in June 1930 and printed three times in its first six months. In 1937 it was re-issued in a smaller pocket edition, and this went out of print during the war. This second edition, which was originally published in 1950, returned the text to its larger form. This is simply one man's account of what it meant to him to be a child - to be born and brought up at an unusual school in a remote and beautiful rurality; an account which, by all the evidence, clearly has power over its readers of inciting them to recover and live over again their own private memories of a great variety of childhoods. Mr Walter de la Mare's introduction to the first edition is retained, and the author's original map of the village is in its place once more.

'No breath of wind, No gleam of sun Still the white snow Whirls softly down' As the day draws to a close, a family prepares for Christmas - decorating the tree, hanging stockings by the fire, putting out a plate of mince pies... Outside, the world turns to white.

Slowly, silently, now the moon Walks the night in her silver shoon; This way, and that, she peers, and sees Silver fruit upon silver trees; One spring evening, the fairies gather in the woods. Two sleepy children join in the parade to a wonderful, dream-like fairy party. Illustrated by bright new talent, Carolina Rabei, this Walter de la Mare poem is brought to life with shimmery, ethereal illustrations, making it the perfect book for bedtime. One of four seasonal Walter de la Mare picture books that form a set, each with complementing colour palates and illustrations by rising young star Carolina.

"One of the strangest and most enchanting works of fiction ever written."--Alison Lurie

Miss M., a pretty young woman with a passion for shells, fossils, flints, butterflies, and stuffed animals, remains isolated from the rest of society due to her diminutive size. Forced to make her own way in the world after the death of her father, she finds herself treated as little more than an entertaining curiosity.

Walter de la Mare (1873-1956) was one of the leading poets and novelists of the twentieth century. First published in 1921, "Memoirs of a Midget" won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Fiction.

An enchanting retelling of nineteen fairy tales, introduced by popular fantasy writer Philip Pullman Originally published in 1927, Told Again is an enchanting collection of elegant fairy tales, showcasing the formidable talents of Walter de la Mare, one of the most celebrated writers of children's literature during the first half of the twentieth century. His abundant literary gifts can be savored once more in this beautiful new edition. Nineteen adapted classics, including "Rapunzel," "Little Red Riding-Hood," "Rumplestiltskin," and "The Sleeping Beauty," are made new by de la Mare's poetic insights and graceful prose, making these tales appropriate for younger readers. With marvelous black and white illustrations by A. H. Watson, this volume also presents a splendid introduction by Philip Pullman, the contemporary master of fantasy literature.

The publication of "Short Stories for Children" celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of Walter de la Mare's death. It is also the culmination of a major literary enterprise. For many people, Walter de la Mare (1873-1956) is as great a writer of fiction as of poetry. But, the majority of his short stories, of which there are a hundred, have long been unavailable. "Short Stories" brings them all together in three volumes in the first comprehensive collection to be published. The third and last volume, "Short Stories for Children", starts with "Broomsticks and Other Tales" of 1925, with its twelve stories, and continues with "The Lord Fish" of 1933 with seven stories. It includes three distinctive stories, 'Pigtails, Ltd', 'The Thief' and 'A Nose', that have never been reprinted since they originally appeared in Broomsticks. Quirky, disparate, unpredictable, acutely observed, sometimes frightening, and often preoccupied with states of mind and personal identity, these stories have much in common with the adult stories. Some of them are peopled with giants, witches, kind elves, evil and spiteful fairies, and imprisoned maidens in castles, but most are not.We find ourselves in railway trains, a mansion in the City of London, another Elizabethan one in a mysterious tract of country, a remote farm house near the sea, a waterlogged forest, a drawing-room being watched by a fly; and, among other things, we encounter a wise monkey, a haunted cat, a fish magician, a baron transmogrified into a donkey, a thief desperate to be burgled, a man who believes he has a wax nose, and a godmother celebrating her 350th birthday. As in de la Mare's poems, everyday reality may at any time become undercut by disturbing uncertainty and dark, though not always malign, forces. A full understanding of the poems and stories is impossible without knowledge of both. Vivid and timeless, Bold's original woodcut designs and Rex Whistler's original engravings have been used to illustrate the two parts of the book.

'No breath of wind,

No gleam of sun

Still the white snow

Whirls softly down'

Outside, the world turns to white and three children and a dog build a snowman, throw snowballs and explore the frozen expanses

Originally published in 1927, "Told Again" is an enchanting collection of elegant fairy tales, showcasing the formidable talents of a writer who used magical realism before the term had even been invented. Walter de la Mare (1873-1956) was one of the most celebrated writers of children's literature during the first half of the twentieth century--so much so that W. H. Auden edited a selection of his poems and British children could recite de la Mare's verses by heart. His abundant literary gifts can be savored once more in this new edition. With marvelous black and white illustrations by A. H. Watson, this volume includes a splendid introduction by Philip Pullman, the contemporary master of fantasy literature.

The significance of the nineteen adapted classics in "Told Again" lies in de la Mare's poetic insights and graceful prose, which--as Pullman indicates in his introduction--soften and sweeten the originals, making these tales appropriate for younger readers. In "The Four Brothers," the siblings allow the princess to choose her own husband rather than argue over her, and in "Rapunzel," de la Mare discreetly leaves out details of the prince's tortured, blind search for his love. Familiar stories, such as "Little Red Riding-Hood," "Rumpelstiltskin," and "The Sleeping Beauty" are also made new through de la Mare's expansive, descriptive, and lyrical prose. Pullman covers important details about de la Mare's life and captures the stylistic intention behind the rewriting of these wonderful favorites.

Reviving the work of a writer who exemplified a romantic vision and imagination, "Told Again" is a remarkable retelling of fairy tales touched by mystery and magic.

With London in the grip of a heat wave, a man takes refuge from the scorching sun in a nearby tea shop, only to share his table with a stranger who seems determined to make conversation. Too polite to ignore him, he becomes his reluctant confidant, as harmless small talk gives way to dark memories. "Missing" is the first of three unsettling stories of guilty secrets, past hurts, and haunted lives from one of the foremost English writers of the 20th century. Remembered chiefly as a poet, and in particular for his visionary poem "The Traveller," Walter de la Mare (1873-1956) was also acclaimed as a writer of short stories.

The sandy cat by the Farmer's chair Mews at his knee for dainty fare; Old Rover in his moss-greened house Mumbles a bone, and barks at a mouse. Carolina Rabei's stunning illustrations beautifully illuminate Walter de la Mare's glorious celebration of a balmy summer's evening. One of four exceptional Walter de la Mare picture books that form a seasonal set, each with complementing colour palates and illustrations by rising young star Carolina Rabei.

Walter de la Mare (1873-1956) was one of the best-loved English poets of the twentieth century, his verse admired by contemporaries including Thomas Hardy, Robert Frost, W. H. Auden and T. S. Eliot. This volume presents a new selection of de la Mare's finest poems, including perennial favourites such as 'Napoleon', 'Fare Well' and 'The Listeners', for a twenty-first-century audience. The poems are accompanied by commentaries by William Wootten, which build up a portrait of de la Mare's life, loves and friendships with the likes of Hardy, Rupert Brooke, Edward Thomas and Katherine Mansfield. They also point out the fascinating references to literature, folklore and the natural world that embroider the verse.