I have always loved Cinderella, esp when I was a girl, but my go-to Cinderella wasn't the Disney version. I like the one where her sister cuts off her toe.

Other favorite fairy tales: Little Mermaid, The Dancing Princesses, and The Wild Swans. And Anne Sexton's One Eye, Two Eyes, Three Eyes.

I like the one where her sister cuts off her toe.

Turn back! Turn back! There's blood on the track!

I got some of Ben Stein's Money for knowing they make the wicked step mother dance in red-hot iron shoes at the wedding. How festive!

I like the one where her sister cuts off her toe.

And the other one cuts of her heel.

I really like The Snow Queen. I think about it whenever someone becomes someone I don't feel like I know anymore.

Don't forget that the birds from Cinderella's mother's grave came to her wedding, perched on her shoulders, and poked out her stepsisters' eyes as they walked beside her up the aisle and back down afterward.

Never really wanted to be a princess. Although I would have taken years off my life to do at least one Jedi Mind Trick.

Does anyone here have a strong opinion, one way or the other, on Ruby Payne's books on poverty?

For me, the allure of fairy tales wasn't being a princess. It was the heady combo of danger, abandonment, sexuality, and magic.

Cash, not a strong opinion, but I think they're useful as entry-level books for people who need to examine their social assumptions. There's a lot of generalizations, but for people so rooted in Middle Class thinking that they have no conception of life without Little League (or soccer league, or ballet class, etc), they're effective.

Thanks, Abi. I think they might be a good start for me for my mentoring gig. I don't need a lot of scholarly psychology for this kind of work, but some hands-on, practical theory. I know she's not exactly beloved by all but I think she is working on backing up her works with more research.

I got some of Ben Stein's Money

No shit? That makes 2 Buffistas who have won (some of) Ben Stein's money!