The Wood Beyond The World

Originally published in 1894, Morris' mixture of medieval romance, the supernatural, and the exploration of basic social questions like gender and class, became the precursor of the modern fantasy novel.

William Morris ( 1834 - 1896) was an English textile designer, poet, novelist, translator and socialist activist. Associated with the British Arts and Crafts Movement, he was a major contributor to the revival of traditional British textile arts and methods of production. His literary contributions helped to establish the modern fantasy genre, while he played a significant role in propagating the early socialist movement in Britain.