The Genie Who Had Wishes of His Own

Margaret Harmon has a new collection of original fables, "The Genie Who Had Wishes of his Own: 21st-Century Fables." Twenty-two brand new heroes, villains, and earnest strivers go after health, love, and fulfillment. These are fables we read when the children are asleep.

* Idealistic architect Zoe, in "One Piece of Perfection," creates a building that might heal the Earth . . . if she can protect it from the people living in it.

* Health-food expert Myrna decides to rescue her husband from a nutritional wasteland in "The Woman Who Loved Her Husband." But Stanley's a big man who likes ice cream.

* Roger ("The Philanthropist") makes himself a multibillionaire by exploiting workers, squeezing expenses and stretching loopholes-until he accidentally explodes his world.

* Nina, who knows exactly what she wants, finds a genuine genie, who discovers what he wants, in "Freeing the Genie."

Quirky and determined, these trapeze artists, juggler, caterpillar, song sparrow, ballerina, and the rest are exactly who we want them to be: us. Our favorites walk beside us as private guardians and powerful allies.

"Fantastic!"
-Ray Bradbury, author of "Fahrenheit 451"

"There is something hedonistic and luxurious inherent in these fables . . . Look around for this book. You'll find it useful in countless social and literary ways." -Carolyn See, author of "There Will Never Be Another You"

"Growing up with Aesop, Phaedrus, and La Fontaine at easy reach, I was critical of modern attempts-that is, until James Thurber, the toughest act of all to follow. Well, comes now before us Margaret Harmon with her collection, and the prospects are bright for some fabulous reading once again." -Shelly Lowenkopf, author of "The Fiction Writer's Handbook"

"Very clever."-Barnaby Conrad, author of "Matador"

"Wonderful, unexpected resolutions gently prod us to consider our own relationships." -Pam Dixon, author of "Online Privacy"