William Goldman's modern fantasy classic is a simple, exceptional story about quests--for riches, revenge, power, and, of course, true love--that's thrilling and timeless. Anyone who lived through the 1980s may find it impossible--inconceivable, even--to equate The Princess Bride with anything other than the sweet, celluloid romance of Westley and Buttercup, but the film is only a fraction of the ingenious storytelling you'll find in these pages. Rich in character and satire, the novel is set in 1941 and framed cleverly as ...
Read More
William Goldman's modern fantasy classic is a simple, exceptional story about quests--for riches, revenge, power, and, of course, true love--that's thrilling and timeless. Anyone who lived through the 1980s may find it impossible--inconceivable, even--to equate The Princess Bride with anything other than the sweet, celluloid romance of Westley and Buttercup, but the film is only a fraction of the ingenious storytelling you'll find in these pages. Rich in character and satire, the novel is set in 1941 and framed cleverly as an "abridged" retelling of a centuries-old tale set in the fabled country of Florin that's home to "Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passions."
Read Less
Add this copy of The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of to cart. $2.72, fair condition, Sold by Goodwill BookWorks rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Austin, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Harper Perennial.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fair. Get fast and secure shipping knowing your purchase helps empower our community to transform thier lives through work. Gently used. There might be writing in the margins, possibly underlining and highlighting of text, but no missing pages or anything that would compromise the legibility or understanding of the text.
Add this copy of The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of to cart. $3.18, fair condition, Sold by Seattle Goodwill rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Seattle, WA, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Harper Perennial.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fair. May have some shelf-wear due to normal use. Your purchase funds free job training and education in the greater Seattle area. Thank you for supporting Goodwill's nonprofit mission!
Add this copy of The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of to cart. $6.79, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Emerald rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Mariner Books.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of to cart. $6.79, very good condition, Sold by HPB Inc. rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Mariner Books.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of to cart. $7.19, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Emerald rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Mariner Books.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of to cart. $7.99, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Diamond rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Mariner Books.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of to cart. $8.49, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Emerald rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Mariner Books.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of to cart. $8.49, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Diamond rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Mariner Books.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of to cart. $8.49, very good condition, Sold by HPB Inc. rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Mariner Books.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of to cart. $8.99, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Diamond rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2007 by Mariner Books.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
There are not enough exclamation points to express how great this book is!!!!! The tongue-in-check introductions from the anniversary editions are just as much fun to read as the book itself!!! Absolutely great read!!!!!
CharlesJ
Jan 25, 2010
An interesting satire
This was definitely a unique kind of story with hilarious satiric wit (if you like that kind of humor). Goldman peppers his narrative with mix-ups of Biblical stories and theological non sequitors, notes on why he "abridged this part of the original Morgenstern novel", and complaints about how his editor wouldn't let him change this-and-such. Reading through these last got tedious after the first two page-long notes, though his italicized remarks on what his reactions were when "his father read the book to him" when he was little were amusing.
Though for the most part the movie version of "The Princess Bride" follows the book, there are significant differences - instead of having his Pit of Despair, Prince Humperdinck has a Zoo of Death; Princess Buttercup's feelings toward Westley actually develop through the story; and the back stories of Inigo, the revenge-obsessed Spaniard, and Fezzik, the slow-witted giant, are told in detail.
The book raises more moral problems than does the movie version, and this was specifically what brought the rating down, as well as the occasional swearing and its irreverence toward God. It is not a book meant to be original: it is a book making fun of a completely cliche storyline...and it does a good job at that.