Grex Books Conference Item 19

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The Black Cauldron

Jul 2 05:22 UTC 1994

I have a question here...  When I was about 8, I read a book called "the
Black Cauldron" .  Now I'm trying to get a 12-year-old interested in reading,
and this book came to mind.  Can anyone tell me A) who write it, B) what the
other books in the series are, and C)  If they're as good now as they were
then.

Does anyone remember this series,a nd if so, can anyone give me some info on
them?

12 responses total.

kentn

response 1 of 12:

Jul 2 05:35 UTC 1994

I've never read this book, but a quick check of UM's Mirlyn database
turns up: Lloyd Alexander, 1st ed., New York: Holt, Reinhart, Wilson,
1965.  Is that about the era you're referring to?

brenda

response 2 of 12:

Jul 2 06:09 UTC 1994

that's the right book- I didn't know it was already that old when I read 
it... while I'm at it, can anyone reccommend books for nonreading 12-year
olds (to et them more interested in reading...)  ?

also- "the Black Cauldron" was part of a set- is there any way to find out
the rest of the books in the set?

kentn

response 3 of 12:

Jul 2 20:32 UTC 1994

Here's more from Mirlyn (not guaranteed to be a complete list of
Alexander's works, since it's a library catalog.  I've left out the
works that Alexander translated--not his own, in other words.  Looks
like there are a couple series; maybe you can fit the titles and
descriptions to the series you're interested in...):
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        The beggar queen / Lloyd Alexander.
Edition:      1st ed.
 
Published:    New York : Dutton, c1984.
Description:  237 p. : map ; 22 cm.
 
Notes:        Sequel to: The kestrel.
 
Summary:      Chaos reigns in Marienstat as Duke Conrad of Regia, the king's
                uncle, plots to overthrow the new government of Westmark and
                bring an end to the reforms instituted by Mickle, now Queen
                Augusta, Theo, and their companions.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        The black cauldron.
Edition:      <1st ed.>.
 
Published:    New York : Holt, Rinehart and Winston, <1965>
Description:  224 p. : illus. ; 24 cm.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        The book of three.
Edition:      <1st ed.>.
 
Published:    New York : Holt, Rinehart and Winston, <1964>
Description:  217 p. : front. ; 24 cm.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        The castle of Llyr.
Edition:      <1st ed.>.
 
Published:    New York : Holt, Rinehart and Winston, <1966>
Description:  201 p. : illus. ; 24 cm.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        The cat who wished to be a man.
Edition:      <1st ed.>
 
Published:    New York, Dutton <1973>
Description:  viii, 107 p. 24 cm.
 
Summary:      When he begins dealing with humanity, Lionel the cat begins to
                understand why his wizard master was reluctant to change him
                into a man.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        The fortune-tellers / by Lloyd Alexander ; illustrated by
                Trina Schart Hyman.
Edition:      1st ed.
 
Published:    New York : Dutton Children's Books, c1992.
Description:  1 v. (unpaged) : col. ill. ; 23 x 29 cm.
 
Related:      Hyman, Trina Schart, ill.
 
Summary:      A carpenter in the West African country of Cameroon goes to a
                fortune teller and finds the predictions about his future
                coming true in an unusual way.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        The four donkeys. Illustrated by Lester Abrams.
Edition:      <1st ed.>
 
Published:    New York, Holt, Rinehart and Winston <1972>
Description:  <40> p. col. illus. 25 cm.
 
Related:      Abrams, Lester. illus.
 
Summary:      When they have to take on the donkey's load to get to the
                fair, the tailor, baker, and shoemaker all learn to be
                tolerant of the other fellow's point of view.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        The high king.
Edition:      <1st ed.>
 
Published:    New York, Holt, Rinehart and Winston <1968>
Description:  285 p. illus. 24 cm.
 
Summary:      In this fifth and final chronicle of Prydain the forces of
                good and evil meet in ultimate confrontation.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        The Illyrian adventure / Lloyd Alexander.
Edition:      1st ed.
 
Published:    New York : E.P. Dutton, c1986.
Description:  132 p. : 1 map ; 22 cm.
 
Summary:      On a visit to a remote European kingdom in 1872, a fearless
                sixteen-year-old orphan and her guardian research an ancient
                legend and become enmeshed in a dangerous rebellion.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        The Kestrel / Lloyd Alexander.
 
Published:    New York : Dutton, c1982.
Description:  244 p. : map ; 22 cm.
 
Notes:        Sequel to: Westmark.
 
Summary:      With war in Westmark and the assumption of the throne by
                Mickle, all Theo's talents are needed, as well as those of
                his former companions.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        The king's fountain. Illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats.
Edition:      1st ed.
 
Published:    New York, Dutton, 1971.
Description:  <34> p. col. illus. 26x27 cm.
 
SUBJECT HEADIN (Library of Congress; use s=):
              Fairy tales
 
Contributors: Keats, Ezra Jack. Illus.
 
Notes:        A poor man tries to find someone wiser, stronger, and more
                clever than himself to persuade the king not to build a
                fountain that will cut off the city's water supply.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        The marvelous misadventures of Sebastian; grand extravaganza,
                including a performance by the entire cast of the
                Gallimaufry-Theatricus.
Edition:      <1st ed.>
 
Published:    New York, Dutton <1970>
Description:  x, 204 p. 24 cm.
 
Notes:        When he loses his place as fourth fiddler in a noble
                household, Sebastian sets out into the world to seek his
                fortune.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        My five tigers. Illustrated y Peggy Bacon.
 
Published:    New York, Crowell <c1956>
Description:  118 p. illus. 21 cm.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        The remarkable journey of Prince Jen / Lloyd Alexander.
Edition:      1st ed.
 
Published:    New York : Dutton Children's Books, c1991.
Description:  273 p. : 1 ill. ; 22 cm.
 
Summary:      Bearing six unusual gifts, young Prince Jen embarks on a
                perilous quest and emerges triumphantly into manhood.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        Taran Wanderer.
Edition:      <1st ed.>
 
Published:    New York, Holt, Rinehart and Winston <1967>
Description:  256 p. fold. map. 24 cm.
 
Summary:      The fourth book of the Prydain cycle tells of the adventures
                that befell Taran when he went in search of his birthright
                and the truth about himself.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        The town cats and other tales / Lloyd Alexander ; illustrated
                by Laszlo Kubinyi.
Edition:      1st ed.
 
Published:    New York : Dutton, c1977.
Description:  126 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        The truthful harp. Illustrated by Evaline Ness.
Edition:      <1st ed.>
 
Published:    New York, Holt, Rinehart and Winston <1967>
Description:  <32> p. col. illus. 21 x 22 cm.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        Westmark / Lloyd Alexander.
Edition:      1st ed.
 
Published:    New York : Dutton, c1981.
Description:  184 p. ; 22 cm.
 
Summary:      A boy fleeing from criminal charges falls in with a charlatan,
                 his dwarf attendant, and an urchin girl, travels with them
                about the kingdom of Westmark, and ultimately arrives at the
                palace where the king is grieving over the loss of his
                daughter.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author:       Alexander, Lloyd.
 
Title:        The wizard in the tree / by Lloyd Alexander ; illustrated by
                Laszlo Kubinyi.
Edition:      1st ed.
 
Published:    New York : Dutton, <1975>
Description:  137 p. : ill. ; 24 cm.
 
Summary:      Mallory's encounter with the wizard in the tree begins a chain
                of events that change the lives of the villagers dominated
                by a suspicious squire.

davel

response 4 of 12:

Jul 2 20:56 UTC 1994

If you like Alexander, stay away from what Disney did to the Prydain stories
(cartoon & book called _The Black Cauldron_, I think).  Bleah.

The series in question comprises:
_The Book of Three_, _The Black Cauldron_, _The Castle of Llyr_, _Taran
Wanderer_, and _The High King_.  All good but definitely juveniles.
IMNAAHO, _Taran Wanderer_ is a large notch better than the others.

(I *think* I've got the order right, but I haven't gone out to the shelves
to check.)

kentn

response 5 of 12:

Jul 3 00:37 UTC 1994

Looks like Alexander is rather a rather prolific writer, and somewhat
eclectic in topics...  For those that read his works, what do you
like about them?

sun

response 6 of 12:

Jul 3 00:48 UTC 1994

I personally liked the Illyrian ( I KNOW I am misspelling it) Adventure
about a headstong girl....there are others about her too...They were good
for a girl who wanted to see a strong female charachter from a MAJOR author.

morandir

response 7 of 12:

Jul 4 17:53 UTC 1994

I read all of those "Taran Wanderer" books in Jr High.  I thought they
were great!

kami

response 8 of 12:

Jul 27 17:57 UTC 1994

the Prydain books were my first introduction to the Mabinogion- the Welsh
mythology.  Still at it.  Kent, I'd like to know about those translations:
from what languages?  Modern authors or ancient texts?

kentn

response 9 of 12:

Jul 27 18:50 UTC 1994

Um, I'll run that search again and let you know for sure.  If I
remember they more along the line of "classics" but I could be wrong.

kentn

response 10 of 12:

Oct 5 00:18 UTC 1994

Here's what I found in terms of translations from an author search
for Lloyd Alexander.  I don't know if this guy is multi-talented,
or if it's a different Lloyd Alexander.  Anyway, looks to be all
based on the same book...

 Author:         Sartre, Jean Paul, 1905-
 
 Title:          The diary of Antoine Roquentin, translated from the French "La
                   Nausee," by Lloyd Alexander.
 
 Published:      London, J. Lehman <1949>
 Description:    238 p. 19 cm.
 
 Contributors:   Alexander, Lloyd. tr.
 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Author:         Sartre, Jean Paul, 1905-
 Uniform title:  Nausee. English
 
 Title:          Nausea / Jean-Paul Sartre ; translated from the French by
                   Lloyd Alexander ; introd. by Hayden Carruth.
 
 Published:      Cambridge, Mass. : R. Bentley, 1979, c1964.
 Description:    xiv, 178 p. ; 22 cm.
 
 Contributors:   Alexander, Lloyd.
 
 Notes:          Translation of La nausee.
                 Reprint of the ed. published by New Directions, New York.
 
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Author:         Eluard, Paul, 1895-1952.
 
 Title:          Selected writings / Paul Eluard ; with English translations by
                   Lloyd Alexander, and introductory notes by Aragon, Louis
                   Parrot and Claude Roy.
 
 Published:      Norfolk, Conn. : New Directions, <1951>.
 Description:    xxxvi, 218 p. ; 22 cm.
 
 Related:        Alexander, Lloyd. tr.

davel

response 11 of 12:

Oct 5 01:58 UTC 1994

Doesn't *sound* like the same one.

response 12 of 12:

Jan 15 11:22 UTC 1996

I alway thought the books were mentioned as the Taran Wanderer series the
Prydain series sounds stuffy, I loved them, in fact time to reread them.

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