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The 13 Clocks

4.11 of 5 stars 4.11 · rating details · 2,102 ratings · 395 reviews

Once upon a time, in a gloomy castle on a lonely hill, where there were thirteen clocks that wouldn’t go, there lived a cold, aggressive Duke, and his niece, the Princess Saralinda. She was warm in every wind and weather, but he was always cold. His hands were as cold as his smile, and almost as cold as his heart. He wore gloves when he was asleep, and he wore gloves when

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Paperback, 124 pages

Published October 15th 1977 by Simon & Schuster (first published 1950)

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Dec 15, 2012 K.D. Oliveros rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to K.D. by: 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die (2006-2012)

Shelves: 1001-core, childrens

I picked up this book thinking that this could be classified as just another children's book. It does have many fairy tale ingredients yet it uses metaphors similar to those of Antoine de Saint-Exupery in his unforgettable classic, The Little Prince (3 stars). Some of the metaphors used by St-Ex easily escaped me but most of them I was able to relate to my personal experiences. Same is true here with James Thurber's 1950 fantasy tale, The 13 Clocks.

The story is about an evil Duke who has been c...more I picked up this book thinking that this could be classified as just another children's book. It does have many fairy tale ingredients yet it uses metaphors similar to those of Antoine de Saint-Exupery in his unforgettable classic, The Little Prince (3 stars). Some of the metaphors used by St-Ex easily escaped me but most of them I was able to relate to my personal experiences. Same is true here with James Thurber's 1950 fantasy tale, The 13 Clocks.

The story is about an evil Duke who has been cursed together with his kingdom. It is too cold everywhere. This cold has frozen the hands of the 13 clocks in the palace. The only warm hands belong to his nice Saralinda who is so beautiful that she is adored by many princes around the world. However, his "uncle" the evil Duke would make all impossible demands to these princes. Upon failing the demands, the Duke would knife the princes and feed their bodies to the geese. Then came Prince Zorn of Zorna whole alias is Xingu whose is able to trick the Duke with the help of Golux. Golux brings Prince Zorn of Zorna to a woman called Hangga whose tears turn magically to precious gems.

The plot seems like an outright fairy tale, right? Yes and no. Yes, because the events are all make-believe. No, because the story is not told in a fashion that ordinary children would easily grasp. For example, the way Golux speaks is kind of riddle-like similar to how Gollum in LOTR would deliver his lines. This can be confusing even to a grownup like me. There are also some scenes that can be disturbing to children like the feeding of the human flesh to the geese, the kidnapping of Saralinda and the disappearance of the Duke at the end of the story can give a child a nightmare if there is no comforting adult to tell or explain the story to a small child.

As a grown up, though, I really enjoyed reading this book. It is also accompanied by colorful illustrations that made my reading quite memorable. I like the hat that is indescribable. It is really. Check this book out and see for yourself.

I am looking forward to reading more James Thurber now.(less)

11 likes · like · see review

Sep 21, 2008 RandomAnthony rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh my god, "The 13 Clocks" is genius. How did this book stay off my radar for so long? Who can I blame? I only heard of the book because Neil Gaiman wrote an introduction (I think) to a new edition in which he highly praises "13 Clocks". I ordered a copy from the library (an older copy, without the Gaiman introduction...our library system doesn't have the new edition yet) and I read the entire text in about an hour, maybe a little less. "13 Clocks" reads like a lovely meld of "The Phantom Tollbo...more Oh my god, "The 13 Clocks" is genius. How did this book stay off my radar for so long? Who can I blame? I only heard of the book because Neil Gaiman wrote an introduction (I think) to a new edition in which he highly praises "13 Clocks". I ordered a copy from the library (an older copy, without the Gaiman introduction...our library system doesn't have the new edition yet) and I read the entire text in about an hour, maybe a little less. "13 Clocks" reads like a lovely meld of "The Phantom Tollbooth" and Gaiman's novels; in fact, Thurber's influence on Gaiman is startling. The book is dark, like much of Gaiman's work, and Thurber clearly thinks younger readers can handle a little blood and guts. But the book is packed with funny and inventive passages and Thurber's flawless storytelling shines through on every page.

For example...here's a brief, spoiler-free passage:

The Duke limped because his legs were of different lengths. The right one had otugrown the left because, when he was young, he had spent his mornings place-kicking pups and punting kittens. He would say to a suitor, "What is the difference in the length of my legs?" and if the youth replied, "Why, one is shorter than the other," the Duke would run him through with the sword he carried in his swordcane and feed him to the geese. The suitor was supposed to say, "Why, one is longer than the other." Many a prince had been run through for naming the wrong difference. Others had been slain for offenses equally trivial; trampling the Duke's camllias, failing to praise his wines, staring too long at his gloves, gazing too long at his niece. Those who survived his scorn and sword were given incredible labors to perform in order to win his niece's hand, the only warm hand in the castle, where time had frozen to death at ten minutes to five one snowy night. They were told to cut a slice of moon, or change the ocean into wine. They were set to finding things that never were, and building things that could not be. They came and tried and failed and disappeared and never came again. And some, as I have said, were slain, for using names that start X, or dropping spoons, or wearing rings, or speaking disrespectfully of sin."

Brilliant. If you want to remember why some books aimed at younger readers pulse with joy and energy, check out "The 13 Clocks." I'm buying the new edition ASAP.(less)

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Oct 18, 2008 Valerie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

9 likes · like · see review

Mar 24, 2011 Jeanette rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: all-fiction, for-the-munchkins, four-star-fiction, giggles

"Once upon a time, in a gloomy castle on a lonely hill, where there were thirteen clocks that wouldn't go, there lived a cold, aggressive Duke, and his niece, the Princess Saralinda..."

This was a fast and fun romp. One part wicked to two parts whimsy, it's a book to delight all ages. Children will love the story, and adults will enjoy the more sophisticated humor and word play. If you know anything about James Thurber, (or maybe even if you don't), you'll appreciate how much fun he had writing t...more

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Sep 18, 2007 Anne Blocker rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: strong-influence

Carolyn Cantwell introduced me to this book. She was a concert pianist headed for law school, majoring in American literature. I was a pre-med student fascinated with technology, dissecting fetal pigs in the kitchen. I loved poetry, folk and rock and didn't read books. I looked things up and read the funny papers. I challenged her to find a book that could hold my attention to the end. She took on my cutural development as a project and gave me Thirteen Clocks.

I enjoyed the pictures and set it a...more

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Dec 11, 2007 Jenny Schmenny rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, favorites

Damn, Thurber's a genius in this one. Read, my friend, and witness. The deliciously evil Duke who has stopped time in its tracks, who slits people "from guggle to zatch." The sly alliteration and delightful wordplay. The intentional tweaking and inversion of tired fairy-tale standards.

"...They came and tried and failed and disappeared and never came again. And some, as I have said, were slain, for using names that start with X, or dropping spoons, or wearing rings, or speaking disrespectfully o...more

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Feb 16, 2009 Brenton Nichol rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-and-adventure

This is certainly a fantasy book from the 50s. It reminds me very much of all the old 50s children books that were in my grandparents' house in California, old books that had been my mother's when she was a little girl. This is partly so because of the illustrations by Marc Simont, who's style is very much like just about any other children's book from the 40s and 50s that I remember reading. In fact, I'm sure he illustrated at least a handful of those very books I remember from my visits to Gra...more This is certainly a fantasy book from the 50s. It reminds me very much of all the old 50s children books that were in my grandparents' house in California, old books that had been my mother's when she was a little girl. This is partly so because of the illustrations by Marc Simont, who's style is very much like just about any other children's book from the 40s and 50s that I remember reading. In fact, I'm sure he illustrated at least a handful of those very books I remember from my visits to Grandma and Grandad's; the bio in the back of The Thirteen Clocks says he illustrated nearly 100 in his career.

The writing of James Thurber also makes me think of other fifty and sixty year old children's books I've read, because the story bounces along from one non sequitur or deus ex machina to another in a completely carefree manner, not concerned so much with rhyme and reason as it is with being fun and adventuresome. It's true fantasy - things are the odd way they are because, well, in the world of The Thirteen Clocks, that's just the way things are!

For example, the story does not concern itself with who the Golux is or where he came from or what his true motives in helping the hero prince are - it is enough that we, the readers, know that the Golux is a funny little man with a strange hat and even stranger things to say and that of course he would know things that are secret and appear and disappear at will, or otherwise he wouldn't deservedly have a title as odd as 'the Golux'! I'm sure that the Golux makes perfect sense to any child who's read the book with half an imagination, and that strikes me as something that Neil Gaiman would write - so it should be no surprise to you that he wrote the introduction to this pretty little hardcover reprinting.

None of this means that The Thirteen Clocks is fluffy and harmless, fit for Puritan ears; there is the expectedly evil Duke who is, indeed, evil, and there are dark nights with lightning and thunder and an unseen creature here and there waiting to gobble up hapless heroes-to-be. What it does mean is that this book is not heavy and involving. There is a time and place for fantasy works with rich, intricate, worlds and myths and histories laced with their own cogent reason and meaning. There is also a time and place for fantasy that is jaunty and dream-like, and when that mood strikes you, read The Thirteen Clocks.(less)

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May 03, 2008 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-school, childrens-books

The copy that I read was a renewal copyright of 1990 which is the copyright of the illustrations, too. Each chapter begins with a large, decorative initial letter. The book is filled with prose, poetry and made up words. There is a definite plot, but it seems secondary to the style and tone of the book which seems to be the primary element. The illustrations are strewn throughout the book. Most are fairly simple done in black and blue ink. Some take up most of one page and have more detail and c...more

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Nov 19, 2007 Matthew rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

James Thurber's The Thirteen Clocks is an allegorical fairy tale for adults that primarily showcases Thurber's wit and mischievous wordplay. Although it's ostensibly about an evil Duke who keeps his niece, the Princess Saralinda locked in his cold dark castle, where time has been stopped by his own sword, and feeds her potential suitors to his geese, I don't recommend it as a bedtime story to your six-year-old unless you want them to turn out like me. Thanks dad! I mean that. The 13 Clocks is si...more

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Apr 09, 2008 Bix rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens-fantasy-chapter

A timeless story of bravery, wizardry, and true love triumphing over evil, written in a delightfully Thurberian style that will appeal to readers of all ages."

Summary (SPL): With the help of his magical protector, the Golux, Prince Zorn performs impossible tasks to win the hand of Princess Saralinda.

Library Journal: "[In] James Thurber's grown-up fairy tale... the cold Duke of Coffin Castle, who was 'even colder than he thought he was,' holds his 'niece' captive and refuses to give her hand in m...more

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Dec 26, 2008 Meridth Gimbel rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, classics, fantasy, fiction, juvinile

This is probably one of my favorite children's books ever. The dialogue is so witty. The characters are so strange... and just so you know, Neil Gaiman and I agree. :)

"It's one of the great kids' books of the last century. It may be the best thing Thurber ever wrote. It's certainly the most fun that anybody can have reading anything aloud." -Neil Gaiman

Read it!!!

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Mar 12, 2013 Gale rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-young-adult, humor-young-adult

THE THIRTEEN CLOCKS
James Thurber

“Courtship Like Clockwork?’

I was introduced to this marvelous fantasy in junior high school; despite the passing of decades and having read hundreds of Young Adult books and a hundred Children’s and Adult classics, I still recall this little book with real fondness. Recognized for his droll and irreverent Midwestern sense of humor (“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”) Thurber is generally known for his outrageous delicition of family and married life. The Ohio j...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Tara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fairy-tales, fantasy, children-s-fiction, high-fantasy

My sister texted me a few days ago and said she had found a book I should check out. I read the first chapter on Amazon, read up on Thurber (whose name seemed awfully familiar), and ordered the book immediately. I am surprised that I've never heard of this book before, but the sad truth is that I would still be ignorant if not for an outdated classroom library in the school where my sister works. James Thurber wrote five such books for children, which was not his main genre, before his death in...more My sister texted me a few days ago and said she had found a book I should check out. I read the first chapter on Amazon, read up on Thurber (whose name seemed awfully familiar), and ordered the book immediately. I am surprised that I've never heard of this book before, but the sad truth is that I would still be ignorant if not for an outdated classroom library in the school where my sister works. James Thurber wrote five such books for children, which was not his main genre, before his death in 1961. Apparently, these wonderful fairy tales somehow got buried under the avalanche of contemporary, edgy, politically-motivated, economy-boosting, controversial fiction spit out over the next few decades. Which is really a shame, but, at the same time, I felt like I had discovered a lovely set of dragon bones, fully intact, with wings and powder burns near the nostrils, thus proving he once actually breathed fire. The story is funny and dark--in other words, perfect for today. If Tim Burton decided to make a stop-action film out of the book, I'm sure that Johnny Depp would be the Duke with the monocle and the eye patch. While there is blood, running through with swords (actually, just one sword--the Duke's), and headless things, which educators at the time probably thought were too grisly for the modern child (whom they were feeding saturated fats, exposing to carcinogens, and terrorizing with "civil obedience" classes that warned of the horrors of nuclear war), the story has a wonderful flavor that is reminiscent of the original Grimm's fairy tales, which were dark and grisly and grim. I think, in recent years, writers have made the journey back to the way of the fairy tale, which offers truth with a buffer of imagination. Lovers of language will find this one a pleasure to read. Without being superfluous, the prose consists of similar-sounding words strung together, cadence, and the occasional rhyme, which, together with its twisted logic, somewhat reminds me of The Princess Bride. There are made-up words, as well--kind of a throwback to Lewis Carroll. As chapter books go, this one is brief, but a fun and satisfying read. (less)

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Feb 08, 2012 Cheryl in CC NV rated it 4 of 5 stars

As Thurber admits in his foreword, he revised and re-revised this many times. And he wrote it late in life. Compared to earlier, fresher pieces, it is over-worked and overly-ambitious. But it's still Thurber and it's still wonderful. The basic plot of a Prince sent on a quest to win the right to marry the Princess, pretty good. The details, though - ah... The language - oh...

Consider that the quest is to find 1,000 jewels in nine and ninety hours on a rocky island which has already been combed...more

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Feb 01, 2012 Bridgette Redman rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I was in high school, I had a speech teacher who was—how shall I put this gently?—eccentric. At least, that was how we students viewed him. Looking back through adult eyes, I would be more harsh and call him screwed up. But I have not walked in his shoes and so will not spend this review lambasting him.

Rather, I bring up the oddities of his character because it explains so perfectly the fascination he had with an author by the name of James Thurber, his idol and model. We spent may class pe...more

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Dec 27, 2011 D.M. Dutcher rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: overrated, bad-novels, fantasy

I don't get the hype.

Look, this was released by Dell Yearling, so theoretically it is a children's novel. Children do not know who James Thurber is, do not usually care about whether or not a story is philosophical or Thurberian, and while they do enjoy wordplay and fun, aren't placing as high a value on it as the sheer delight a story involves. Seeing this on the back cover was my first warning, and the book confirms my right to be.

The writing is like a sword that is so encrusted with brilliant...more

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Nov 04, 2011 Tyler Jones rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: juvenile, the-fun-stuff

Written nearly sixty years ago, James Thurber's children's book The 13 Clocks seems remarkably modern even by today's standards. It has a dark edge (Hence the Niel Gaiman introduction to the NYRB edition) that reminds one of both Roald Dahl and Lemony Snicket - and like both these authors Thurber does not dumb down his prose. There is a kind of sophisticated sub-text running below the tale making it the kind of book even more likely to appeal to adults than kids.

Every great fairy-tale needs a vi...more Written nearly sixty years ago, James Thurber's children's book The 13 Clocks seems remarkably modern even by today's standards. It has a dark edge (Hence the Niel Gaiman introduction to the NYRB edition) that reminds one of both Roald Dahl and Lemony Snicket - and like both these authors Thurber does not dumb down his prose. There is a kind of sophisticated sub-text running below the tale making it the kind of book even more likely to appeal to adults than kids.

Every great fairy-tale needs a villain and The Thirteen Clocks boasts one of the most dastardly- the evil Cold Duke. As a youngster he spent so much time place-kicking pups and punting kittens that his legs grew to different lengths. His heart is so cold that he himself has grown icy and he has taken to permanently wearing jewel-encrusted gloves. "His nights were spent in evil dreams, and his days were given to wicked schemes", and the wicked schemes the Duke most favours are those that foil any attempts a foolish suitor might make to marry his niece, the beautiful Saralinda. The Duke delights in setting impossible tasks for such suitors and when the suitor inevitably fails...well, let's just say the Duke's geese have a protein rich diet. As the story progresses we find that the Duke has an even darker past that at first revealed and yet their is a certain charm to his unrepentantly self-aware brand of evil.

That a strange, handsome young man should show up to try to win the hand of Saralinda is not uncommon- but there seems to be something...princely?...about the poor minstrel who has the gall to sing songs insulting to the Duke. Could this be the suitor who will finally succeed where so many have failed?

It is a tale populated with fantastic characters and creatures. Stories within stories, parables, tales both tall and somehow true. The brilliantly whimsical word-play used in this short tale rivals that found in The Phantom Tollbooth or Haroun and the Sea of Stories. In short it is a book that appeals not only to children but to adults who seek the fantastically original in style and story.

(less)

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Aug 15, 2011 Morgan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is rife with lyrical prose, and clever wordplay. The text is frilly and fun. But honestly, the contents stink. This is an overly contrived post-modern examination of a fairy tale, that interchangeably winks and pats itself on the back. As I was reading it, I kept wishing that it would accept what it was and embrace itself, rather it just feels like some hipster kid that is wearing an ironic metal t-shirt because he secretly loves metal but can't fully allow it to define genuinely defin...more

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Dec 30, 2010 Karissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wasn't sure what to expect when I got this book. It is definitely a children's chapter book; it took me maybe 20 minutes to read. Overall though it was a very good read.

This book tells the somewhat classic tale of a princess locked up by her evil father. Any price who comes to woo the princess is given an impossible task to perform, in order to win her hand in marriage. That is until a minstrel comes along and with the help of an elven/dwarfish prankster, tricks the old king in his own game.

Th...more

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Oct 25, 2010 Kathleen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: juvenile

Well, I don't know if I'd agree with Neil Gaiman's introduction that this is "the best book in the world", but it IS really fun, really creepy, and wonderfully crafted. A grim fairytale, yet with humor and clever wordplay - covering all the bases that makes a juvenile book readable and memorable. Some quotations, for flavor:

"The castle clocks were murdered," said the Duke. "I killed time here myself one snowy morning. You still can see the old brown stains, where seconds bled to death, here on m

...more

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Sep 23, 2009 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-books, fantasy

The 13 Clocks by James Thurber is, to borrow from his own words "something very much like nothing anyone had ever seen before". No wonder Neil Gaiman selected that bit of text as an epigram prior to the Introduction he wrote for the new publication of the book by The New York Review Children's Collection. Here, the epigram in full:

Something very much like nothing anyone had ever seen before came trotting down the stairs and crossed the room.
"What is that?" the Duke asked, palely.
"I don't kno...more The 13 Clocks by James Thurber is, to borrow from his own words "something very much like nothing anyone had ever seen before". No wonder Neil Gaiman selected that bit of text as an epigram prior to the Introduction he wrote for the new publication of the book by The New York Review Children's Collection. Here, the epigram in full:

Something very much like nothing anyone had ever seen before came trotting down the stairs and crossed the room.
"What is that?" the Duke asked, palely.
"I don't know what it is," said Hark, "but it's the only one there ever was."

The 13 Clocks is the story of a very cold Duke and his warm-handed niece, the Princess Saralinda. The Duke and Princess Sarafina live in a gloomy castle on the hill that houses 13 clocks, all of which stopped seven years earlier at ten minutes to five. The Duke's hands are so cold that he wears gloves at all times, even when he sleeps. His hands are, we are told, almost as cold as his heart. If ever there were a blackguard, the Duke is it. He really wants to keep Sarafina around because hers are the only warm hands in the castle (and it turns out he has other reasons as well). He sets impossible tasks for her possible suitors, then runs them through when they fail to perform and has their corpses fed to his geese. (I told you he was bad.)

When a wandering minstrel named Xingu (who turned out not to be a wandering minstrel named Xingu at all, but was instead a prince in disguise) came to town, he engineered a way to pursue the princess, with the help of a magical being called the Golux. "He wore an indescribable hat, his eyes were wide and astonished, as if everything were happening for the first time, and he had a dark, describable beard." Man, do I love that description. The book also contains a Todal.

"What's the Todal?"

A lock of the guard's hair turned white and his teeth began to chatter. "The Todal looks like a blob of glup," he said. "It makes a sound like rabbits screaming, and smells of old, unopened rooms. It's waiting for the Duke to fail in some endeavor, such s setting you a task that you can do."

"And if he sets me one, and I succeed?" the Prince inquired.

"The Blob will glup him," said the guard. "It's an agent of the devil, sent to punish evildoers for having done less evil than they should."

The story involves an almost-impossible quest and curses and magic and, perhaps best of all, magical writing. The sort of writing that makes me want to write a story like this. Not that there can be another story like this, really. But having read this, I fancy that I can see a bit of its influence over the writing of Neil Gaiman, who says in the introduction, "I watch Thurber wrap his story tightly in words, while at the same time juggling fabulous words that glitter and gleam, tossing them out like a happy madman, all the time explaining and revealing and baffling with words. It is a miracle. I think you could learn everything you need to know about telling stories from this book." He may well be right.

I'm so glad I found my copy at Children's Book World. I encourage you to find your own copy, whether at a local independent or through The New York Review of Children's Books website.(less)

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Sep 11, 2009 Alison Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I can't believe I never read this as a child. Neil Gaiman calls it the best book ever written in his introduction and it's definitely up there.

It's like this combination of Dr. Seuss and Scary Stories to Read in the Dark and a fairy tale, and I loved it for all those things - the made up words and the woman who cried jewels (but never cried), and the agent of the devil that moved like monkeys and sounded like rabbits screaming, and punished evildoers who had not done enough evil.

Normally when st...more

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Jul 20, 2007 Slither rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: smart people

It is books like this that make me wish for a sixth star, reserved for only the top 0.5% of one's books. It hardly seems fair to reduce the ratings of all my other books because of the excellence of this one.

The Thirteen Clocks is a fairy tale, for both young and old. I t is especially nice to read out loud. The book is full of wordplay, and creatures like the Todal: "An agent of the devil, sent to punish evil-doers for having done less evil than they should."

Read it! Now!

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Feb 22, 2012 Alexis Neal rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi-fantasy, audio, young-adult

This book is utterly delightful--short, sweet, and chock full of delicious details. There is a brave prince. There is a beautiful princess. There is an evil Duke who wears both a monocle and an eye patch. There is a woman who weeps jewels, a flock of man-eating geese, and a spine-chilling something that "punish[es] evildoers for having done less evil than they should." There are spies. There are quests. And there is a one-of-a-kind Golux, about whom it is impossible to say more without depriving...more This book is utterly delightful--short, sweet, and chock full of delicious details. There is a brave prince. There is a beautiful princess. There is an evil Duke who wears both a monocle and an eye patch. There is a woman who weeps jewels, a flock of man-eating geese, and a spine-chilling something that "punish[es] evildoers for having done less evil than they should." There are spies. There are quests. And there is a one-of-a-kind Golux, about whom it is impossible to say more without depriving readers of the joy of the discovering him for themselves.

As if all this wondrous detail weren't enough, the story is told in delightful, lyrical prose that positively tingles on the tongue. While I'm sure the print version is thoroughly enjoyable, the ably-narrated audiobook version allows the reader to savor the sounds of the words. In fact, I suspect that if I'd read the print version, I would constantly have to fight the urge to read passages aloud, simply to taste the words--to feel them on my tongue and hear them tinkle like whimsical bells in my ears. Thurber is clearly an extremely skilled writer with a deft touch, an appreciation for the ridiculous, and a flair for wordplay. I very much look forward to reading his other works.

I will leave you with the words of the inimitable Neil Gaimain, who described the book far better than I ever could in his introduction to the 2008 hardcover edition:

I read [this book] when I was about eight. I was fairly certain it was the best book I had ever read. It was funny in strange ways. It was filled with words. And while all books are filled with words, this one was different: it was filled with magical, wonderful, tasty words. [...]

It is short--not too short, just perfectly short. [...] I watch Thurber wrap his story tightly in words, while at the same time juggling fabulous words that glitter and gleam, tossing them out like a happy madman, all the time explaining and revealing and baffling with words. It is a miracle.

Works for me.(less)

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Jul 27, 2009 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Hey, this book was great. It's perfect for young readers, but definitely deep enough for a grown-up to read, preferably on a Sunday afternoon, perhaps in bed or in a coffeeshop. The illustrations by Marc Simont are certainly retro, but have a fresh, lively feel. Thurber's wordplay is inventive, but not so much so that it steals the focus from the plot. The story itself is a combination of predictable (which is only right in a fairy tale) and surprising, naive and self-aware. His hero is not terr...more

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Jul 16, 2012 Doug Tattershall rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jack-to-read, kids-books, read-by-me

Children's books by notable adult authors catch my attention because they're a chance to give my sons a glimpse at great writing. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, so with "The 13 Clocks" I decided to pick it up and read it myself. I can usually read a few pages and sense whether or not my children will like it, and then I put it down. In this case, I knew pretty soon that my children wouldn't like it, but I couldn't put it down. The writing is simple and compelling, and Thurber gives...more

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Aug 18, 2009 Adam rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: in-my-daughters-future, nyrb-kids, recent-enthusiasms, great-short-reads

So richly imaginative, and positively brimming with wit and humorous surprises--if I had to pick one book from American children's literature that was clearly on a level with Alice in Wonderland for the sheer pleasure it gives, this would likely be that book. One notable difference, though, is that The 13 Clocks can be read in one long sitting. Still, that only means that I'm likely to re-read it more frequently than many children's books.

Some favorite dialogue from the book:

"We all have flaws,"...more

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Apr 07, 2007 monica rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: i probably wouldn't

the begining gave me hope, and the end left me bitter. the 13 clocks started off well, then meandered every which way. there was no real character development. it was supposed to be philosophical, but i found it convoluted. the author imployed too many tortuous windings and improbable circumstances to get everything to work out. the end was rather obvious but still a bit vague. and the occasional rhyming annoyed me.

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May 01, 2012 Sue Donym rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-about-time

Neil Gaiman really hits the nail on the head in the introduction when he says that there really is nothing like this book. That's just the best way to explain it.

The Thirteen Clocks is a fairy tale, with all the hallmarks of a classic and enduring story, but with a generous dose of amusing surrealism and fancy wordplay thrown in. It is subtly beautiful and gratifyingly weird.

This is a children's book, of course, but I honestly don't know if children will be able to appreciate it as much as adult...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Alice rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, fairy-tale, fantasy, horror, humor, library, ya

I picked this book up on io9's recommendation. Had I read it when I was younger, and was looking back and finally getting some of the jokes, I might have a different appreciation. But, reading this as an adult, I was mostly puzzled about why it was so highly regarded.

It may be standing in my way that I'm not a Thurber fan. I just didn't think "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" was funny any of the eight times it was assigned reading in high school and college, and I saw no reason to seek out anyt...more

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About James Thurber

Thurber was born in Columbus, Ohio to Charles L. Thurber and Mary Agnes (Mame) Fisher Thurber. Both of his parents greatly influenced his work. His father, a sporadically employed clerk and minor politician who dreamed of being a lawyer or an actor, is said to have been the inspiration for the small, timid protagonist typical of many of his stories. Thurber described his mother as a "born comedien...more Thurber was born in Columbus, Ohio to Charles L. Thurber and Mary Agnes (Mame) Fisher Thurber. Both of his parents greatly influenced his work. His father, a sporadically employed clerk and minor politician who dreamed of being a lawyer or an actor, is said to have been the inspiration for the small, timid protagonist typical of many of his stories. Thurber described his mother as a "born comedienne" and "one of the finest comic talents I think I have ever known." She was a practical joker, on one occasion pretending to be crippled and attending a faith healer revival, only to jump up and proclaim herself healed.

Thurber had two brothers, William and Robert. Once, while playing a game of William Tell, his brother William shot James in the eye with an arrow. Because of the lack of medical technology, Thurber lost his eye. This injury would later cause him to be almost entirely blind. During his childhood he was unable to participate in sports and activities because of his injury, and instead developed a creative imagination, which he shared in his writings.

From 1913 to 1918, Thurber attended The Ohio State University, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity. He never graduated from the University because his poor eyesight prevented him from taking a mandatory ROTC course. In 1995 he was posthumously awarded a degree.

From 1918 to 1920, at the close of World War I, Thurber worked as a code clerk for the Department of State, first in Washington, D.C. and then at the American Embassy in Paris, France. After this Thurber returned to Columbus, where he began his writing career as a reporter for the Columbus Dispatch from 1921 to 1924. During part of this time, he reviewed current books, films, and plays in a weekly column called "Credos and Curios," a title that later would be given to a posthumous collection of his work. Thurber also returned to Paris in this period, where he wrote for the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers.

In 1925, he moved to Greenwich Village in New York City, getting a job as a reporter for the New York Evening Post. He joined the staff of The New Yorker in 1927 as an editor with the help of his friend and fellow New Yorker contributor, E.B. White. His career as a cartoonist began in 1930 when White found some of Thurber's drawings in a trash can and submitted them for publication. Thurber would contribute both his writings and his drawings to The New Yorker until the 1950s.

Thurber was married twice. In 1922, Thurber married Althea Adams. The marriage was troubled and ended in divorce in May 1935. Adams gave Thurber his only child, his daughter Rosemary. Thurber remarried in June, 1935 to Helen Wismer. His second marriage lasted until he died in 1961, at the age of 66, due to complications from pneumonia, which followed upon a stroke suffered at his home. His last words, aside from the repeated word "God," were "God bless... God damn," according to Helen Thurber.
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Quotes from The 13 Clocks

“Remember laughter. You'll need it even in the blessed isles of Ever After.” — 17 people liked it

“Time is for dragonflies and angels. The former live too little and the latter live too long.” — 13 people liked it

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