The Arabian Nights

by Anonymous, E. Powys Mathers (Translator), Joseph-Charles Mardrus (Original Translator)

Bound in full cloth.
12 colour plates and numerous black and white illustrations by Edward J. Detmold.
250 pages.

'The man who seemed to he the captain presently pushed forward, load on shoulder, through thorns and thickets, till he came up to a certain spot, where he uttered these strange words: "Open, Sesame!"'
- From Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

In the tantalising, exuberant and endlessly inventive tales that make up The Arabian Nights, the magical art of storytelling has never been more powerfully demonstrated. Here are some of fiction's most famous characters – Ala al-Din (Aladdin), Ali Baba and Sindbad – in a marvellous world of all-powerful sultans and seductive princesses, incredible jewels and fabulous beasts. Fairy tales, fables, erotica, riddles, bawdy comedy, mystical encounters; The Arabian Nights draws the reader into a labyrinth of stories, which, like Russian dolls, contain ever more stories.

This is a world where anything is possible – young women are changed into dogs, young men turned half to stone, the earth opens and swallows the unwary, spells and potions make dreams come true or bring disaster, and demons and fairies appear from nowhere to determine an individual's destiny by capricious whim.

Genres: Classics, Short Stories, Fiction, Fantasy

250 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Books can be attributed to "Anonymous" for several reasons:

* They are officially published under that name
* They are traditional stories not attributed to a specific author
* They are religious texts not generally attributed to a specific author

Books whose authorship is merely uncertain should be attributed to Unknown.

See also: Anonymous

Reviews

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can understand why stories like these are considered classics. They are written in such a way that the stories are each easy to remember, without sacrificing any of their complexity in the process. The Folio edition of this classic is far superior, being beautifully bound and of the finest print quality. The reproductions of the original illustrations by E.J. Detmold are a lovely counterpoint to the written text. A book i will treasure for the next generation.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

My feelings towards this book varied greatly. I found some of the stories in the first half of the book very hard going and laborious, perhaps because it included some of my favourite childhood tales such as Ali Baba and Aladdin but they did not match with my memory of them at all, which was disappointing. But then the stories in the last third, none of which I had encountered before, redeemed the book for me. I found them captivating and often hard to put down.

[Sal · Rating 1 out of 5]

i read about 3 stories and realised there was no moral or point to any of them

e.g., what was the point of ali baba and the forty thieves?? why is ali baba any different from the thieves themselves that he gets to live a happily ever after whilst the thieves are condemned? i do not understand it

[Thiago · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stories are somewhat amusing. Writing quality is not so great. What made this the most interesting is the historical aspect and finally getting to know some of these famous stories.