Like our dreams, folktales do not engage in character development. Logical connections between events are not linear. However, the stories tell us about the fundamental values of the narrating society, particularly among the non-elites. One needn't be a folklore scholar to appreciate "The Power of a Tale."
~Aaron Howard
The dynamic and multifaceted folk heritage documented here might otherwise have been lost in a rapidly changing modern world. Most of the tales appear in English for the first time, and the editors have taken great care to convey the distinctive voice of the original storyteller. [. . . ] This is a volume for both serious specialists of folklore and those who wish simply to enjoy the magic of a vivid story.
~E. J. Vajda
a charming book . . . provide[s] sometimes surprising insights into those stories, reflecting the various academic perspectives of the scholarly writers.
~Louis Finkelman
Without the commentaries, The Power of a Tale would be
a valuable collection; with the commentaries, it is invaluable.
~Corinne Stavish
This comprehensive collection of folktales will be of interest to the researcher in comparative world folklore, the ethnologist, and the general reader. The book provides an excellent introduction to the wealth of oral folklore in Israel and provides insight into the ongoing work of the IFA.
~James H. Grayson
The book is dedicated to Dov Noy (1920-2013), who, having earned a PhD in folklore under Stith Thompson, singlehandedly founded Israeli folklore studies and, by presenting Jewish folklore in a positive light, caused it to be incorporated into the academic discipline of Jewish Studies. The contributors are mostly his students and grand-students. As a whole, this book is a showcase for their—and by extension, Noy’s—work, a demonstration of the achievements of the Israel Folktale Archives.
~Christine Goldberg
This book is highly recommended for every level of Jewish library, but academic institutions especially
would benefit from integrating it into their collections of folktales, legends, and ethnographic studies
for further study and enjoyment.
~Eli Lieberman,
The Power of a Tale offers a multicultural feast of narration and information. The reader can dip into it again and again, assured each time of finding something to interest, fascinate or amuse. This is a volume to treasure.
~Neville Teller
A unique and inherently fascinating contribution to the growing body of Israeli literature.
~Willis Buhle
The texts in The Power of a Tale are not only traditional and authentic; they are also enjoyable, illuminating, and entertaining. Collectively they cover a vast range of genres, types, and topics, and come from Jewish, Arab, and Druze cultures. Readers will also gain knowledge and pleasure from the folkloristic commentaries that enrich our appreciation for the tales.
~Steve Siporin, Professor Emeritus, Utah State University
The Power of a Tale makes available in English a grand trove of well-traveled stories direct from the lips of expressive tellers. It is a rich collection indeed with narrative treasures derived from all over the world. Ably illuminated and set in context by adroit, sensitive commentators, these stories and the narrators who share them stir the imagination and open unprecedented cultural vistas on the vitality of oral tradition.
~Simon J. Bronner, Author of the Practice of Folklore: Essays Toward a Theory of Tradition
