The Sword in the Stone

by T. H. White

Overview

"Learn. That is the only thing that never fails."—Merlyn the Wizard

Before there was a famous king named Arthur, there was a curious boy named Wart and a kind old wizard named Merlyn. Transformed by Merlyn into the forms of his fantasy, Wart learns the value of history from a snake, of education from a badger, and of courage from a hawk—the lessons that help turn a boy into a man. Together, Wart and Merlyn take the reader through this timeless story of childhood and adventure—The Sword in the Stone. 

T.H. White's classic tale of the young Arthur's questioning and discovery of his life is unparalleled for its wit and wisdom, and for its colorful characters, from the wise Merlyn to the heroic Robin Wood to the warmhearted King Pellinore.

Golden Kite Honor artist Dennis Nolan has loved The Sword in the Stone since childhood, and he imbues White's tale with magic and mystery in his glowing illustrations. Readers who know Arthur or are meeting him for the first time will delight in this beautiful rendering of one of the greatest stories of all time.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399225024
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	09/15/1993
Edition description:	Illustrated
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	137,630
Product dimensions:	6.88(w) x 9.31(h) x 1.13(d)
Lexile:	1120L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 17 Years

About the Author

T. H. White is the author of the classic Arthurian fantasy The Once and Future King, among other works.

Editorial Reviews

Neville Jason's approach, he says, is to be "humble to the material" he is working with and to let the "powers of absorption work." It is apt that in this classic retelling of the King Arthur legend, the wizard Merlin often teaches the boy Arthur (aka Wart) by changing him into other creatures-a fish, a bird-to learn by absorption, by being, with empathy being the least of the lessons taught. It is a perfect fit of sensibilities. Jason, who was awarded the Diction Prize by Sir John Gielgud at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, delivers fully developed characters with such warmth and spark that listeners are instantly transported to Sir Ector's castle. Originally written in 1938, this audiobook is perfect for any J.K. Rowling fan, as its humor, intellect and playfulness feels as contemporary as a Harry Potter novel. In fact, Rowling has described White's Wart as "Harry's spiritual ancestor." Combined with the brilliant performance by Jason, what more could a fantasy fan want? (Mar.)

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Publishers Weekly

The Sword in the Stone was first published in 1938 and later incorporated into White’s four-part Arthurian opus, THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING. (This recording includes the original text and some additional scenes that were deleted from the more familiar 1950s edition.) The story follows Arthur’s childhood up to the momentous day when he pulls the sword from the stone and discovers his true identity. Jason’s narration reveals that he understands White’s sense of humor. He plays up the comedy particularly well in the dialogue: he is remarkably adept at giving individual voices to each character, from the naïve Arthur to the world-weary Merlyn and the buffoonish King Pellinore, and switching convincingly between regional accents. D.B. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

JUN/JUL 08 - AudioFile