{"product_id":"the-golden-ass-9781631497797","title":"The Golden Ass","description":"\u003cp\u003eThink of Anna Sewells Black Beauty  throw in generous helpings of humor  sex  and magic  and you might get a rough idea of what The Golden Ass is like. Peter Singer Peter Singer and Ellen Finkelpearl breathe new life into Apuleiuss The Golden Assa hilarious  bawdy tale and one of the earliest novelsaccentuating its remarkable empathy for animals. Conceived at the zenith of the Roman Empire  Apuleiuss The Golden Assa bawdy  comic romp centered on a man-turned-animalis the only ancient work of fiction in Latin that survives in its entirety. In playful  evocative prose  the novel recounts the travails of Lucius  a young man whose insatiable fascination with the occult results in his accidental transformation into an ass. So entrapped  Lucius embarks on a hair-raising and at times outrageous adventure  encountering sadistic thieves who beat him mercilessly and plot to throw him over a cliff; a miller who works his human and animal slaves to death (until his wife  caught in an act of adultery  resorts to magic to bring him down); a noblewoman who fancies him; poverty-stricken merchants and a Roman soldier; and finally  the Egyptian goddess Isis. Peter Singer  the world-renowned philosopher and author of Animal Liberation  was initially drawn to The Golden Ass by virtue of its historically significant early portrayal of the life of an abused animal. He was soon stunned to discover that what is arguably the first surviving novel is now little known and even less read. Realizing that Apuleiuss tale in its original form is far too complex  Singer decided to streamline it. Assisted by Apuleius scholar Ellen Finkelpearlwho provides a fresh  modern translation  expertly mirroring the florid style of the originalSinger deftly prunes away the many digressions from the main narrative  and in so doing  uncovers the still-beating heart of the text: the highs and lows in the life of an ass  as seen and experienced by the irrepressible Lucius. Featuring delightful new illustrations drawn by the prize-winning artists Anna and Varvara Kendel  this newly-rendered edition brilliantly reintroduces a forgotten classic. Whether interested in tales of animals  magic  or life in Roman times  readers will be charmed by the hilarious and risqu misadventures of Luciusbefore  during  and after becoming a donkey. 20 illustrations\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":67904680689717,"sku":"ByrdShop_1631497790","price":31.11,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9781631497797.jpg?v=1793850197","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-golden-ass-9781631497797","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}