The following books and poems may be of interest to fans of the ballad of Tam Lin who enjoy similar stories or fairy tales with common themes. If I've read or am familiar with the book, I put a few words after it to indicate why I chose to put it on the list, but I think there are one or two that are here on the recommendations of others and I know little to nothing about.
ARS NOVELLA
American Gods by Neil Gaiman- deals with all the gods who have ever existed and their place in modern society. Has true love and self-sacrifice on the part of true love. A bit light on symbolism given its nature, but heavy on the mythology.
Cold Tom by Sally Prue- Tom is a human raised to think that he's one of the elves, being the love-child of a human (Tam Lin) and an elf.
Fire Rose, The by Mercedes Lackey- a Beauty and the Beast adaptation set in San Francisco at the turn of the century
Green Knight, The by Vera Chapman- the story of Gawain and the Green Knight, with a big healthy dose of sacrifice and going to the graveyard tossed in. And a love story. And wicked fairies. It's very Tam Lin-ish in nature.
Ill-Made Mute, The by Cecilia Dart-Thornton
Ill Met by Moonlight by Sarah A. Hoyt- William Shakespeare and fairies and a plot to overthrow the king of the fair folk.
Juniper, Gentian, and Rosemary by Pamela Dean- another story based on a ballad, three sisters and an otherworldly young man with plans for a time machine.
Last Unicorn, The by Peter S. Beagle- a strange fairy tale about a unicorn in search of her own kind. Features incompetent wizards, disillusioned maidens, and princesses who don't want heroes. Has sacrifice and rescue at the end... will probably make you cry, because everyone ends up rooting for Lir and Amalthea.
Riddle-Master Trilogy, The by Patricia McKillip- more fae goodness from the author of Winter Rose.
Riverrun Trilogy, The by S.P. Somtow- shape-changing, rescue, ceasing to exist, death, birth, time-changes, archetypes, imagery... madness.
Rose and the Beast, The by Francesca Lia Block- fairy tales retold. Includes the wonderful "Snow," a retelling of Hans Christian Anderson's "The Snow Queen."
Thomas the Rhymer by Ellen Kushner- I haven't read this one, but it comes highly recommended as an adaptation of the ballad "Thomas the Rhymer" also known as "True Thomas," which bears similarity to "Tam Lin."
ARS POETICA
Beyond This Dark House by Guy Gavriel Kay- a collection of poetry by a fantasy writer. Beautiful.
Feast of St. Agnes, The by John Keats- referred to in Tam Lin by Pamela Dean.
Goblin Market, The by Christina Rossetti- more of rescue and self-sacrifice for a loved one, with some enchanted fruit and goblins thrown in for good measure. Beautiful story, and Winter Rose carries overtones of it.
Faery Reel, The by Neil Gaiman- a poem about faery music.
Gerontion by T.S. Eliot- if dying is like this poem, I can live with it.
La Belle Dame Sans Merci by John Keats- a fairy lover seduces a knight.
Lamia by John Keats- more otherworldly lovers.
Threnody by Ralph Waldo Emerson- a mourning poem about the loss of a young faeish boy.
...AND SHORT STORIES
Figure of Drosselmeyer, The by Robert R. Chase- a science fiction story dealing in archetypes, if you like that kind of thing. Wonderful tale, with plenty of agelessness and "The Nutcracker."
Rose for Emily, A by William Faulkner- for those of you who like the certain air of morbidity in "Tam Lin." And who doesn't love some of that Southern death charm?
Snow Glass Apples by Neil Gaiman- "Snow White" as you probably haven't seen it before.
Snow Queen, The by Hans Christian Anderson- another young girl who saves her true love from a fairy queen who holds him captive.
Witch's Heart, The by Delia Sherman- a witch and her rather feral lover who aims to save her.
The Back Shelves will be added to as seen fit. If you have a poem, story, or book to recommend, send me a note about it.
The Carter Hall Library
Tam Lin on the Screen
The Music of Tam Lin
Other Music or Ballads of Interest
Other Movies of Interest
Art of Interest