A brilliant exploration of women's lives and what fairy tales and myths reveal about us -- where we've been and where we're headed. What's your favorite fairy tale? Whether it's "Cinderella," "Beauty and the Beast," "Hansel and Gretel," or another story, your answer reveals something significant about you, your experiences, and your soul. In this penetrating book, Joan Gould brings to the surface the hidden meanings in fairy tales and myths, and illuminates what they can tell you about the stages in your own life. As Gould explores the transformations that women go through from youth to old age-leaving home and mother, the first experience of sexuality, the surprising ambivalence of marriage, the spiritual work required by menopause and aging-her keen observations will enrich your awareness of your inner life. Full of archetypal figures known to us all, Spinning Straw into Gold also includes stories from the lives of ordinary women that clarify the insights to be gained from the beloved tales that have been handed down from one generation to the next.