The Arabian Nights (New Deluxe Edition)
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Book Reviews of The Arabian Nights (New Deluxe Edition)
Book Review: imaginitive and rich
Summary: 5 Stars
As a previous reviewer commented, this collection is "imganitive and rich." I could not say it better - so I plagerize. Many of the stories of Sherherazade are familiar to us all - Sinbad, the genie in the bottle ... what I was not expecting, however, was the way in which these stories were woven together. The story begins with a description of the setting: the Sassanid king, after being cuckolded by his wife, decides to marry again - but only for one night, after which she is killed. The vizier's daughter volunteers to become the king's next wife; her father urges her not to, relating a parable - which in turn leads to the daughter's response through another parable. The marriage occurs, and in this manner - one story leading into another and another, the the reader (like the king himself) is helplessly pulled into the stories. A brilliant literary device.
The stories themselves are beautiful and varied - some are fantastic (genies, flying horses, talking donkeys), others poignant. It was difficult to put the book down, and each tale had my rapt attention. How much of this is the result of the translator and how much of this is a function of just good story-telling is hard to determine. That, in addition to being entertaining, the stories provide a glimpse into Arabic (and to a lesser extent, Perisan) culture is an added bonus. Recommened reading.
Book Review: Wonderful
Summary: 5 Stars
This book is an absolute treasure. I was initially uninterested in reading this book, primarily because a small section of it, from the Norton Anthology of World Literature, was assigned reading in one of my college literature classes. I always hate reading stuff that is assigned to me. However, as I started reading the first few pages I was immediately hooked. When class let out that day I RAN to the nearest bookstore and bought a copy of the entire book. It was incredible from the first page to the last. This book is definitely a keeper.Book Review: Justified New Translation
Summary: 5 Stars
Not only do the tales read very, very well -- in good, elegant English -- but also the author does a great job at explaining why a new translation is needed. He makes his case in a detailed, very informative intro, which compares different translations of The Arabian Nights. Delightful.Book Review: Good translation makes a long confusitng book
Summary: 2 Stars
Because I do not speak Arabic and know very little about the culture it was difficult to understand parts of this book. I believe the translator did an excellent job. Reading the history of the story, we find it was often recited for many many years, and wasn't put into print sometime around the fourteenth century. If I was a historian I would definitely want this translation, but as a enjoyment reader I would rather the translator give me more color. That would probably draw criticism from other readers, but leave a more entertaining story. It was entertaining at times and did provide a flavor of what the middle east may of been like, but the stories got drug down in details that tends to drown the book. But stories like these should be read, to expand our social context.