Giambattista Basile was an Italian writer known primarily for fairy tales. His famous collection Pentamerone inspired tales like Cinderella and influenced later storytellers like the Brothers Grimm.
If you enjoy reading books by Giambattista Basile then you might also like the following authors:
If you liked Giambattista Basile's lively fairy tales with surprising twists, Charles Perrault's stories could be right up your alley. Perrault was a French writer famous for turning traditional stories into polished, elegant fairy tales.
His versions are clear, concise, and often include a subtle moral at the end. In his collection Histoires ou contes du temps passé ("Tales and Stories of the Past with Morals"), you'll find classic tales like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were German brothers who collected and popularized fairy tales drawn from oral traditions. Like Basile, they focused on folk narratives full of magic, wonder, and sometimes darker, cautionary elements.
Their classic Children's and Household Tales contains stories you probably know well—such as Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, and Little Red Riding Hood. Their straightforward style makes their tales timeless and captivating.
Long before Basile, Giovanni Francesco Straparola was writing imaginative and humorous fairy tales centered on human experiences and the supernatural. His approach is playful yet sophisticated, blending everyday life with magical elements.
His collection, The Facetious Nights (Le piacevoli notti), is full of fantastic adventure, witty plots, and colorful characters—ideal if you enjoy Basile’s blend of whimsy, fantasy, and humor.
Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales combine creativity, beauty, and emotional depth. Deeply humane and poetic, Andersen writes about universal feelings—loneliness, love, and searching for belonging—with a compassionate, sensitive voice.
His stories, including The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, and The Snow Queen, are thoughtful reflections of human nature and ideal if you're looking for fairy tales with emotional resonance similar to Basile.
If you enjoyed Basile's imaginative storytelling and richly woven plots, give Italo Calvino's Italian Folktales a try. Calvino compiled, retold, and refined traditional Italian stories, creating fresh, engaging narratives full of wonder, humor, and brilliant imagination.
Though more modern in style, he shares Basile’s talent for bringing fairy tales vividly to life, offering readers an enchanting treasure trove of tales.
Madame d'Aulnoy was a French writer known for her imaginative fairy tales, full of magic, romance, and clever social commentary. Like Basile, she created rich and vivid worlds inspired by folk traditions.
Readers will love her collection The Fairy Tales of Madame d'Aulnoy for its whimsical adventures and subtle satire.
Apuleius was a Roman author whose storytelling combines myth, fantasy, and satire. His work often explores transformations and human folly with a humorous and insightful touch.
Fans of Basile's imaginative tales will appreciate Apuleius' novel The Golden Ass, a funny and whimsical story of a man unexpectedly turned into a donkey.
Giovanni Boccaccio was an Italian author who excelled at capturing human nature in stories blending humor, romance, and sharp observation. Like Basile, he drew from popular storytelling traditions, presenting realistic characters and witty narratives.
Readers may enjoy The Decameron, a lively collection of tales about people coping with a plague by sharing amusing and dramatic stories.
Angela Carter was an English writer known for her imaginative retellings of classic fairy tales. Her writing explores feminist themes and darker undertones within traditional stories.
Fans of Basile's unconventional tales will enjoy The Bloody Chamber, Carter's fascinating reinterpretation of well-known fairy tales filled with vivid imagery and provocative narratives.
Andrew Lang was a Scottish author famous for gathering and editing fairy tales from around the world. He offered readers colorful, accessible versions of traditional folk stories, often exploring mythical and moral themes.
Those who enjoyed Basile's collected tales should pick up The Blue Fairy Book, Lang's engaging collection of beloved stories carefully selected for their charm and imagination.
Joseph Jacobs was an Australian folklorist known for his clear storytelling and skill in retelling classic fairy tales. His works include familiar stories full of humor, adventure, and moral lessons, aiming to capture the essence of cultural traditions.
If you enjoyed Basile's rich imagination, you might like Jacobs' collection, English Fairy Tales, filled with charming and quirky stories reflecting English folklore.
Aleksandr Afanasyev was a prolific Russian folklorist famous for his wide-ranging collections of Slavic tales. His stories blend fantasy with moral insights and vivid imagery, much like Basile's storytelling approach.
In his landmark book, Russian Fairy Tales, Afanasyev presents a captivating array of classic Russian folklore filled with clever heroes, cunning tricksters, and magical adventures.
Oscar Wilde was an imaginative Irish writer who often infused fairy tales with sharp wit, social criticism, and emotional depth. His stories resonate on both an adult and children's level, addressing questions about society, beauty, and morality.
Readers who appreciate Basile's thoughtful and satirical edge might enjoy Wilde's The Happy Prince and Other Tales, which combines elegantly told stories with heartfelt insights.
Carlo Gozzi was an 18th-century Italian dramatist celebrated for his playful fantasy and imaginative fairy-tale dramas. He used magical settings and whimsical characters to explore human flaws and satirize his society.
For those who liked the lively and imaginative worlds of Basile, Gozzi's play The Love for Three Oranges offers humorous dialogue, magical enchantments, and entertainingly absurd plot twists.
Ludovico Ariosto was a major Italian Renaissance poet admired for his extravagant storytelling and vibrant imagination. Ariosto’s epic poem, Orlando Furioso, features knights, sorcerers, adventurous quests, and romantic intrigue—all painted in vibrant detail and epic in scale.
Like Basile, Ariosto blends fantasy, satire, and human drama to capture readers' imagination.