Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book: 10 3/4 Anniversary Edition

Book Description

In 1995 Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book was released to an unsuspecting public. Called "an unstoppable phenomenon" by its publisher, it became an immediate international best-seller. Now 2005 can be named the Year of Lady Cottington with the 10th anniversary of the publication that first exposed the world to the science of fairy exploration.

This volume records in authentic facsimile the latest incarnation of this notorious book along with eight additional pages and enhanced artwork throughout, virtually overflowing with freshly flattened fairies. Former Monty Python member Terry Jones and artist Brian Froud provide a new introduction to place the book in its proper perspective, offering insight into the book's often maligned historic relevance. As a bonus, included is an incriminating DVD showing rare film footage of the elderly Lady Cottington in her garden demonstrating her fairy-squashing technique, as well as a photo gallery, desktop wallpaper, and screensavers.

Customer Reviews:

Disgusting and Mildly Pornographic.......2007-09-05

I bought this book for my 10yo daughter who loves everything fairy. It is absolutely NOT for children, with text references to a sex-starved bishop ("shoved his tongue in my mouth") and incredibly ugly drawings of fairies. I ended up throwing it away, I was so disgusted with it. Fairy stuff should be beautiful, not hideous.

Dissapointing Fake.......2007-08-11

I had bought 'Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Letters' and I enjoyed it, although I took it with a pinch of salt. I then heard about the book, so when I saw it I got it with anticipation.

Unfortunately, for a real Faery believer like me, this book is a total farce. I am not at all bothered by the 'nude' drawings, I can honestly say that we have all seen much worse. But I do totally agree that this is not a book for children.

What I mainly object to is the fact that these books are introduced as real tales of a real person, "verified" by Mr Froud, certifying the authenticity of the manuscript, her house, archives, etc, etc. So for someone finding these books for the 1st time, and due to Mr Fraud's notoriety in the world of Faery as a firm believer and someone who respects Faeries, it is very disappointing to realize that this is a complete and vulgar 'creation' and lack of respect towards the Faeries.

It is just another publication for Mr Faud's art -see his FaeryOracle Card No 26, O! That Gnome, on the entry for 17/05/1907- at least he should've bothered to create new images! Furthermore, in general it is a mockery of Faery. Even as fiction it is stupid, just see the sudden change of handwriting, especially the "d" between 1902 and 1903, over the page.

But the worst joke is the DVD. Not only is the young girl's famous photograph on the book a waste of space -who on earth can see the faeries in it?!- but the film on the dvd where she casually turns around and there's a plastic leg sticking out of her book... boy, they could've had more imagination!! Now, the horrendous man dressed as a woman playing Lady Cottington is the nail on the coffin, he didn't even bother to sound like a woman. If they meant it as a joke, it totally failed. Instead, it completed the vulgarity of the whole exercise.

The worst thing is that we are so used to see Mr Fraud's name mentioned as a tool of credibility for countless publications. Well, this one has plummeted his reputation into the abyss of fakes.

Book was so unique and different.......2007-07-05

The book arrived in two days. It was a gift to my niece, who loves fairies.
This book was unique and different than other fairy books, and had beautiful details on the pages.

"Unsuspecting" is right........2007-04-09

I bought this book because I thought the premise was delightful. It sounded fun, wacky, creative, whimsical, and clever. That's why I'm giving it 2 stars.

What the book description fails to tell you is this is NOT a book for children. Nor for anyone who likes to keep their minds out of the gutter.

The drawings illustrate promiscuous nudity and sexual activity, including active body parts better left private. The text covers, at the very least, sexual advances and activities of clergy on victims, as well as obvious psychological problems of the characters in the book. That paragraph was as far as I read before I threw the book in the trash can.

I bought this book for my son's 11th birthday. You can imagine my surprise when my daughter found the pages wrapped in sealed, plain brown paper in the back. I'm just really glad I looked through it before giving it to him.

If there is a place on this page giving information as to the promiscuous content of the book, it is not noticeable enough for parents to see it, and I recommend a change in the advertising of the book and, I can only guess, the entire series.

pleased.......2007-01-19

great book and in excellant condition. love the drawing and explanation of the drawing.

Average customer rating:

Flights of Fancy with Lady Cottington's Fairies
Lady Cottington's presses fairy book, a amazingly talented artiist with a humorous twist
A charming and witty fairy book
A Kind of Gross Fairy Book
Cute and funny!

Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book
Terry Jones
Manufacturer: Pavilion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Parodies | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1857933362

Book Description

This handsome and unusual book is the diary kept by Lady Cottington. Instead of pressing flowers in it, she pressed fairies (with a resulting look remarkably similar to watercolors). Handwritten and handsomely bound, this book is as surprising as it is pleasing. The publisher (at the request of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Fairies) notes that no fairies were injured or killed in the manufacturing process...

Customer Reviews:

Flights of Fancy with Lady Cottington's Fairies.......2007-01-29

Like collectors of pressed flowers, this book presents itself as a collection of "pressed fairies". Very creative, completed in watercolours, this book is wonderful to view and certainly worth owning. The art is fantastic, a must of lovers of art and lovers of fairies, not to mention those prone to flights of fancy.
The book is wonderfully presented, with a large soft padded cover it is both beautiful inside and out. Makes a great gift too!

Lady Cottington's presses fairy book, a amazingly talented artiist with a humorous twist.......2006-12-03

"Pressed Fairy Book? What the...?" This was my initial reaction when I first laid eyes on this crazy book when I worked at B. Dalton a few years back. The title itself is enough to immediately draw your attention, "Pressed Fairy Book." It sparks your curiosity doesn't it?
This book is filled from cover to cover of beautifully drawn illustrations of smashed fairies, sounds a bit morbid but I assure you there were no fairies intentionally harmed, I'd rather say the fairies were all voluntarily smashed. This book starts out like a journal of a little girl written in that sloppy writing we all had at seven years old. The little girl explains how as she was sitting in her garden writing in her journal she has these bugs (which she later found out were fairies) flying all around her head and she used her book to smash one and oops! It was a fairy, but oddly the fairy was making faces as it was smashed in her book, almost like it though it to be fun or a game. Through out the years the little girl collects any fairy she runs across in her book; catch many different varieties of fairies.
This book has throughout the years been my favorite book, and I often give it as a Christmas gift because it is most decorative and amusing for everyone who lays their eyes on it. This book is exceptionally rare and becoming increasingly hard to

Find at many book stores, which is an even better reason to give this as a gift to the art or fairy lover in your family. It serves as a great coffee table book and will entertain even the grumpiest of in-laws visiting your home. I give this book a rating of Five Stars in illustrations, four stars in story line, and Three stars in availability. I recommend this book for all ages, and highly recommend this book as a gift. You can find this book at WWW.AMAZON.COM . This book price ranges from $[...] - $[...], there are also many alternatives to the book its self there is a calendar, pocket book and a new version of this book called "Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Letters" which gives you additional hilarious illustrations of smashed fairies. This author and illustrator really know how to put a smile on anyone's face.

Overall rating: 5 stars
Based on 5 star rating scale

A charming and witty fairy book.......2006-08-18

A "must have" for children and for those young at heart...very creative, thoughtfull, funny and charming...sure to make anyone smile!

A Kind of Gross Fairy Book.......2006-06-12

I don't know, I usually love books about fairies, as a matter of fact I collect them, but this is definatley not my favorite book about fairies. I think the plot is kind of sick, but I must say the illustrations are amazing. I enjoyed when the narrator was young, but once she got older the book turned form cute and gross to just plain gross.

Cute and funny!.......2006-03-10

My mom suprised me with this book a couple of years ago. I guess she knew I'd like it, since I've always had an interest in all things magical.
The book is a journal kept by Lady Cottington throughout her life, starting when she's a little girl. When fairies start to land on her book, she snaps it shut and catches a psychic impression of them (very few fairies were actually harmed from this process, so don't worry...it seems many of them were actually trying to get caught). The pictures are mostly funny, some are slightly perverse.
The journal entries are also quite humorous and realistic. The first entries are in childish handwriting and language. There are even cute spelling errors. The handwriting and grammar progressively improve with Lady Cottington's age.
This book is not for very young children and I recommend previewing it (pictures and text) before giving it to any children. Some of the fairies are completely naked and there a couple of entries in the journal where men make sexual advances on Lady C.

Average customer rating:

Awesome

Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book
Terry Jones
Manufacturer: Raincoast Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0760711070

Customer Reviews:

Awesome.......2007-03-16

The watercolors in this book are beautiful and the story is great as well.

Lady Cottington's Pocket Pressed Fairy Book

Average customer rating:

Shrunken Faries
Just like the original bigger version!

Lady Cottington's Pocket Pressed Fairy Book
Terry Jones
Manufacturer: Pavilion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Essays | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 186205505X

Customer Reviews:

Shrunken Faries.......2004-03-13

This book is a beautiful shrunken version of the "Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book". It is an exact replica only about 1/8th the size of the original, which is something to be aware of if purchasing for yourself. This book makes a great gift book for almost anybody, the story is comical and the art work breathtaking.

Just like the original bigger version!.......2003-06-27

This is a great book. I got is as a gift, although I already had the bigger, original version. It's cute, the cover and all the pages are exactly the same, just shrunk down. A great gift for a fairy lover

Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Album Bound Blank Journal

Average customer rating:

Great gift for any fairy fan!

Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Album Bound Blank Journal
Brian Froud
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0810985438

Book Description

Elegantly bound, this lined blank journal features pressed fairies throughout. Includes ribbon marker, 128 lined faux parchment pages.

Customer Reviews:

Great gift for any fairy fan!.......2006-11-10

I gave this journal, along with another Lady Cottington book, to a dear friend for her birthday. She's a big fairy fan and LOVED both. It's an excellent journal at a great price!

Average customer rating:

A journal? Far too nice to write in!
From the Birth of Moonhopper to Fairy Eve's Year News....
lady cottington's pressed fairy journal
lady cottington's pressed fairy journal
Whimsical and so much Fun!!

Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Journal
Terry Jones
Manufacturer: Stewart Tabori & Chang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Journals | Accessories | Formats | Books
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ASIN: 1556709048

Customer Reviews:

A journal? Far too nice to write in!.......2004-03-13

Classed by many as an 'any year diary/jouranl' personally I find this book far too beautiful to actually write in.

If you are a Froud fan this book is a must, but it is a companion piece so do not expect a whole new range of the fairy art. Based on the original 'Pressed Fairy Book' this book contains many of the same 'pressings' and quotes from the story. As well as witty comments for select days of the year.

May 3rd, "Bent wand straightening day"

May 9th, "Royal society for the prevention of cruelty to fairies founded"

From the Birth of Moonhopper to Fairy Eve's Year News...........2003-03-01

If you're a fan of the Cottington fairy lore (the Pressed Fairy Book, Strange Stains and Mysterious Smells, and you might as well include the Goblin Companion since it too is made by the wonderful team of Froud and Jones), you'll never run out of holidays, or, as I call them, Excuses to Play Kazoo, Blow Bubbles, And Generally Make A Fool Of Myself. Some olidays are for elves or pixies or goblins only, but, if you consider the malleable nature of the celebrants as mentioned in other Froud books, this isn't really much of a hindrance. Consider this book as having four stars on it's own, but five when coupled with anything else by Terry Jones and Brian Froud.

lady cottington's pressed fairy journal.......2003-02-12

it is a datebook, i thought it would be more like another book to the set, it is very pretty though.

lady cottington's pressed fairy journal.......2003-02-12

it is a datebook, i thought it would be more like another book to the set, it is very pretty though.

Whimsical and so much Fun!!.......2002-09-23

You won't want to put it down! It makes a great coffee table book or gift, i haven't met one person who hasn't liked it. I have family members who don't like to read, but even they can't stop themselves once they start this book. They have all read it cover to cover. I personally re-read it regularly. I adore the illustrations, they are so much fun! You will love it! I guarantee it.

Average customer rating:

Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book
Terry Jones
Manufacturer: Barnes & Noble
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0760726884

Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Letters Large-format Bound Blank Journal

Average customer rating:

So cute!
This is an actual journal to write in

Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Letters Large-format Bound Blank Journal
Brian Froud
Manufacturer: Abrams Gift
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Humor | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Blank Books | Journals | Accessories | Formats | Books
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ASIN: 0810988194

Book Description

The perfect place to keep lists and record ideas. Features pressed fairies throughout plus a ribbon bookmark. 128 lined pages.

Customer Reviews:

So cute!.......2007-01-05

This journal is well-constructed with high quality paper and binding. Each page has some kind of fairy on it, which takes up some of the writing space but not an obtrusive amount. It has a ribbon to mark your page.

This is an actual journal to write in.......2006-02-22

This is not another installment in the Lady Cottington's series, nor should it be confused with "Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Journal (Hardcover)". This is an actual honest-to-god journal. You know, one you write in. With blank pages. Well, the pages aren't actually blank - they are lined. And have some of the squashed fairy art/stickers from other books. Plus, out of 128 pages (according to the product info), there are only 13 pages that repeat over and over and over.

Average customer rating:

Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book

Manufacturer: Barnes and Noble Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HKC6AK

Average customer rating:

Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book
Terry and Froud, Brian Jones
Manufacturer: Pavilion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000WA3ME4

Book Description

What the well-dressed woman was wearing at the turn of the century, depicted in scores of dazzling illustrations: elegant morning, tea, and bridal gowns; negligees, blouse waists, girls’ dresses, housecoats, evening apparel and more. Descriptive captions provide elaborate details of fabrics and design.

Product Description

Join fellow sufferer Proun Nul on his quest to find meaning in a desolate world saturated with angst and ennui. Foreman on a deconstruction ship that specializes in demolishing belief outbreaks, Nul is prodded out of his complacency by a false murder charge, and sets off on a journey that takes him to the very brink of hope. A 240-page concoction of fiction and intrigue that delves into the bleak and bitter philosophical brew of Nihilist chic.

Customer Reviews:

Astounding.......2007-09-15

I don't have a single negative thing to say about this book. Everything is excellent. The artwork is fantastic and it really grew on me. The test itself is very well written, and if looked at closely, could raise quite a few eyebrows. I can (and have) read this book over and over again, it's that good.

Amazing Gem!!.......2006-05-03

I loved this book! The Art IS UNBELIVABLE. Some Mix between RUssian Constructivism and BAuhaus, All Black and white ,very cinematic panels.The story is very entertaining, centering on ,yea you guessed it!! NIHILISM and the philosophy of the absurd!!..A must buy for anyone interested in very original and artistic comics!!

cool is just cutting edge conformity!.......2005-07-30

Don't get the impression that this is a serious allegory of conflicting ideologies. This is a dark comedy that plays with the silliness of taking almost anything seriously, against a backdrop of rickety victorian dystopia. The artwork alone is worth the price, but the story is quietly very funny.

Great Illustration, Poor Allegory.......2005-07-03

Incredibly illustrated book, apparently inspired by Russian Constructivism and modernist design, but the story is somewhat poor. In the opening pages, Proun and his frightfully indistinguishable co-workers line up to enter massively elegant multitude of factories. The despairing mood is not alleviated even by the Shakespearean humor: "From dreams to drudgery" Proun sighs. But the reigning nihilism is kept in place by a deconstruction ship? Called Derrida? Is James Turner lamenting a past before French philosophy threw doubt on the claims of certainty and, apparently, optimism? Wait, what would that past be - the first or second world war? The fat 50s? The pasting of famous names on machines is not really consistent. The allegory is thin and unconvincing, making me think that Turner must have a grudge against philosophers like Foucault and Derrida. Identifying such thinkers as the machines of tyranical nihilism is unnecessarily distracting and just doesn't make sense for anyone acquainted with what stands behind the proper names. This is what spoils a potentially perfectly enjoyable book. That said, the novel is visually immaculate.

Book Description

Take a crash course in Boston driving.

Have you honked your horn in the last hour? Do you relish finding fire hydrant parking spots? Do you think a left turn from the right lane is perfectly acceptable? Does a red light make you speed up?

If you answered no to any of these questions, be forewarned: You'll never survive Boston's wild streets. But help is on the way. The essential guide to the sometimes harrowing, sometimes hilarious reality of driving in Boston, The Boston Driver's Handbook: The Almost Post Big Dig Edition offers expert advice on how to master this most complicated of contact sports, including:

Where to park (be inventive-curb, what curb?)

The best kind of car to drive (shiny and new screams "hit me")

How to drive in the winter (the "rock-a-bye-baby" technique is a must)

Pedestrian point values (absent-minded MIT professor, 2 points; Harvard jock, 10 points)

With the newest information on the almost-but-never-quite-completed Big Dig, The Boston Driver's Handbook is a must-have for the Boston tourist and native alike. Hey, armed with the handbook's hard-earned advice, a little finesse, a lot of guts, and a tank full of gas, you too can become a certifiable Boston Driver.

Customer Reviews:

Tongue in Cheek? I think not........2005-08-22

This book is written to sound tongue-in-cheek, but having lived and driven in Boston for two years, I can assure you it's not. I've seen every manuever described in this book, some of them by the Boston and Cambridge PD. For anyone moving to Boston, this should be required reading. It will teach you how to make Boston Left Turns, how to park in Back Bay, even how to cross a street as a pedestrian. Yes, it's amusing, but it's also a survival manual. (Oh, also get your car licence changed before you try any of these--out of towners get ticketed for these moves. For in-staters, about the only way to get a moving violation is to hit a pedestrian voter.)

Getting around Boston can be a hairy business.......2004-07-26

Driving in Vancouver can be a dicey affair, as many of the drivers here are very strange and don't appear to know what they're doing. It annoys my wife even more than it does me. When my wife and I were looking over a list of books to review, The Boston Driver's Handbook: The Almost Post Big Dig Edition jumped out at my wife. "That should be funny," she said. So I asked for it. Does it live up to its promise? One thing I do know. After reading this book, driving in Boston sounds even worse than driving here. And that takes some doing!

First, to explain the title (though readers in Boston will already be familiar with this). "The Big Dig" is a massive construction project that is intended to make the main artery of traffic through Boston go underground. It's been very expensive and it's tied up traffic since 1991. However, it's almost over. It's scheduled to be finished in 2005, which is why this is the "Almost Post Big Dig" edition. The authors, Ira Gershkoff and Richard Trachtman, wrote an earlier edition of this book which didn't include this information, though since it was written in 1994, I'm sure it had some information about the current state of construction at the time.

The book starts with a basic overview of driving in Boston. It tells us about the philosophy ("Commandment Number 1: Thou shalt reach thy destination as quickly as possible. Everyone and everything else be damned."). It talks about what kind of car you should drive. A sparkling new car is just an invitation to be hit, or at least bumped. The best kind of car is an old, beat-up car that already has plenty of bumps and paint scrapes. The authors then go into the street layout of Boston and how confusing it is. They say that there is no way that you can navigate by street signs. The streets twist and turn and confusing one-ways abound. The cool thing about this chapter is that they talk about every section of Boston, detailing the different traffic and parking problems that they present, like how street fairs in the North End can play havoc with basic navigation, sometimes absorbing drivers who are invited to join the fair and then never seen again. This was an extremely interesting section, especially for somebody who's completely unfamiliar with Boston. It may be even more so for the experienced Boston driver, forcing a nod of the head and an "amen, brothers!"

The third chapter is about the Big Dig, with the authors explaining just what is planned, what has happened so far, and what will happen once construction is complete. They tell how the Ted Williams tunnel is currently (or at least at the time of this book's writing) quite beautiful and relatively empty, but as people get wind of it, traffic patterns will adjust and it will become just as dirty and polluted as the other tunnels. One thing that just sounds horrifying is how the new Central Artery will only have three exits, while the old one had 27. I don't even have to live there to find that idea frightening. You don't have to be familiar with Boston to find this chapter interesting as an example of the lofty goals of major construction and how the reality of it usually doesn't quite fit. Again, the authors are quite detailed in telling how the construction has affected things, and they don't avoid giving the positives as well as the negatives here. They're just cynical, not unfair.

The rest of the book is full of the basic and more advanced maneuvers that the expert Boston Driver has to learn. There's the basic cut-off, where you cut in front of the car next to you in order to pass the car in front. There's the sidesqueeze, where you ease into the other lane until the car next to you brakes to avoid hitting you. You then cut them off and go on your way.

The authors also tell about entering the endless traffic circles, really confusing left turns (one of the diagrams in the book is an intersection where you're actually going into the oncoming lanes in order to actually make it through the intersection before the light turns), parking, and many others. Some of the information would be useful here in Vancouver as well as any other cities where traffic is a nightmare. However, a large part of the book is based on Boston Driving culture, such as going the wrong way on a one-way street being the only way to get to some places. Thus, it's funny to read about, but don't try this at home. I especially enjoy the suggestion that parking and driving on sidewalks is sometimes necessary, as long as you look out for pedestrians.

The book is written in an easy style that is entertaining and won't take you too long to read. It's also a short book, which helps as well. I found the information on Boston and its environs to be fascinating, and it almost makes me want to go there, though there's no way I'd want to drive there after reading this book. There's no way I'd survive! The book is marred only by the final chapter (before the final exam), which gives there ideas for how Boston Driving will evolve in the next 100 years. It tries hard to be funny, but usually falls flat.

If you're planning a trip to Boston or planning to move there, this book could prove invaluable. Even if you're not, it's a funny look at driving in the wild streets of a city, and it just may make you appreciate your local traffic a little bit more. Either way, it's a fun read.

David Roy

Am I really this bad a driver?.......2004-04-14

I always thought of myself as a good Step 9 driver: granted, it took me two tries to get my license, but I've had exactly one parking ticket, I've been pulled over exactly once and got off with a warning, and every dent and ding I've put into the car has been below the deductible and couldn't be reported to the insurance company. After reading this book, it seems I am a bigger psychotic behind the wheel than I had known. I never thought that most of the manuevers listed here were borderline vehicular suicide, and I was even taught how to do the Boston Left Turn (you pull halfway out into the road, blocking the traffic on your left until a car coming from the right lets you go) in driver's ed. A lot of the diagrams are hilarious (you'll never make sense of Brighton intersection dynamics), and they also include the obligatory pedestrian scoring scale (you don't want to be Tom Menino or Mitt Romney). The best part is the epilogue describing the future of Boston driving--by the end of this century, it will become an Olympic sport, and the Central Artery Tunnel will become a pedestrian shopping mall.

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