The Nutcracker and the Mouse King

Hoffman's tale of The Nutcracker is one of the most popular Christmas books. Tchaikovsky's ballet transformed it into a magical and sweet New Year's story, celebrating love, youth, and the triumph of good forces. But the tale is much deeper,... touching on philosophical meanings, showing the interplay of reality and dreams, contrasting fate that rules with freedom. Hoffman speaks of the constant presence of infernal forces that can only be defeated by a brave loving heart, even if it's the naïve heart of a little dreamer. This book offers a new interpretation of one of the most enigmatic fairy tales of world classics. The illustrations with a Hoffmann atmosphere were created by the world-famous artist Igor Oleinikov, who was awarded the Gold Medal named after H. C. Andersen for outstanding achievements and contributions to world literature for children and youth. The collectible edition in a designer format, released in a limited print run, is a wonderful Christmas gift. Approved for distribution by the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church IS R21-105-0110