Carter's collection of folklore from different cultures, Old Wives' Fairy Tale Book (1990), examines the common themes of the genre and includes an introduction by the author.

The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales (1976) by Austrian-born psychologist Bruno Bettelheim is a classic nonfiction account of the sociological and psychological need for fairy tales and their effect on children and culture in general.

Germaine Greer, a contemporary of Carter, demystifies female sexuality in The Female Eunuch (1971) and demonstrates how the socially constructed "ideal woman," a person without a discernible sexuality, needs to be undone for the benefit of women.

Published in 1697, Charles Perrault's Fairy Tales is a collection of stories from many cultures, including "Little Red Riding Hood," "Sleeping Beauty," and "Puss in Boots." The versions penned by this French author are the ones with which most readers...