Humor Grahame, Kenneth: The Headswoman (Illustrated). v1. 16 August 2012

[grannyGrumpy]

Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932) is the author of “The Wind in the Willows,” “The Golden Age,” “Dream Days,” “Pagan Papers,” “The Headswoman” etc.

This 1898 satire depicts a medieval village whose executioner—a beautiful woman—wins the hearts of those she must kill. Upon publication, Literary World deemed the book, "A delightful little tale with a tinge of satire in it. For gracefulness of style and charm in the telling of a story it is in the front rank, and that is saying a great deal.”
—Barnes & Noble overview

The town’s executioner has died, and his eighteen-year-old daughter steps into the hereditary position — the situation is ripe for satire. Color plates and illustrated capitals in the style of medieval woodcuts add to the tone of the piece. A sly look at gender-based rôles and social customs, this short humorous tale is a bit different from most of Grahame’s work, and readers expecting whimsey or nostalgia should perhaps seek elsewhere. When a medieval Seigneur speaks of “bloated capitalists,” you know you are in unusual territory.

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8 color illustrations, illustrated capitals, curly quotes, and it's a really fast fun read. Who could ask for anything more?

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