Barbara G. Walker

Walker, Barbara G. (1930– ), American author of feminist books such as The Women's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets (1983), The Crone (1985), and The Woman's Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects (1988). In 1996 she published Feminist Fairy Tales, a collection of 28 stories with didactic morals. She retells many of the classical tales such as ‘Little Red Riding Hood’, ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’, and ‘Aladdin’ with new titles. Thus, ‘Cinderella’ becomes ‘Cinder‐Helle’, who is born to a priestess of the Goddess of the Underworld. After the mother‐spirit enables her to witness the death of goddess worship, she revives the temples of the goddess. Most of Walker's tales are contrived and contain overtly didactic messages that smack of New Age ideology.

— Jack Zipes