Tales from the One Thousand and One Nights

by Anonymous, Malcolm C. Lyons (Translator), Salvador Dalí (Illustrator)

"This is not a book to be read in a week. It is an ocean of stories to be dipped into over a lifetime. And this new Penguin edition is the one to have." -The Sunday Times (London)

Every night for three years, the vengeful King Shahriyar sleeps with a different virgin and executes her the next morning. To save her own life, the vizier's daughter, Shahrazad, begins to tell the king tales of adventure, love, riches, and wonder-of mystical lands peopled with princes and hunchbacks, the Angel of Death and magical spirits, tales of the voyages of Sindbad, of Ali Baba's outwitting a band of forty thieves and of genies trapped in lamps. A sequence of stories to last 1,001 nights. With a new cover designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith, Tales from 1,001 Nights is a magnificent collection of some of the world's best-loved tales.

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Fantasy, Short Stories, Mythology, Fairy Tales, Middle East

512 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

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

[emma]

i will not rest until i have read every fairytale

[P.E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A literary asteroid!

What am I to write about this unprecedented collection of so many tales of manifold ilks, oddly reminiscent of modern classics of weird fiction, more than it is of other such collections, such as The Canterbury Tales, The Manuscript Found in Saragossa?

Possibly, one way would be to account for its authority and primacy over many texts yet to come in Western literature from the eighth century onwards, but that would be forgetting its introduction to the general reading public in Europe as Antoine Galland's 'translation' initiated a series of translations of often-debated, loosely connected materials titled as 'The One Thousand and One Nights' were published at the onset of the eighteenth century.

Then, the best homage I could pay to the texts - be they of antique origin or of more recent transposition - would be to extol how influential they have been since on genre literature as well as 'general literature', and how very reminiscent the are of the process of literary creation and the passing of literary legacy down the ages.

So that, in the end, while I was reading these wonderful tales, I was driven to mentally cross-reading a lot of more recent works I love, retracing back to more ancient influences their often mysterious and never fully analyzable happenings. Also, I felt compelled not only by the quest of the first inspiration behind some of its stories, such as the adventures of Sindbad the Sailor being inspired by the Odyssey, but also and mostly by the strangeness of it, the unlikeliness of such a book existing and being available to the readers of our age. Almost a literary aerolith :)

See also:
The Odyssey - Homer
The Complete Stories and Poems - Edgar Allan Poe
Faërie et autres textes - Tolkien
The Chronicles of Narnia - C.S. Lewis
Zothique, The Dark Eidolon and Other Fantasies - Clarke Ashton Smith
The Complete Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft - H.P. Lovecraft
Conan 1 - Le Cimmérien - Robert E. Howard
The King in Yellow and Other Horror Stories - Chambers
La Montagne morte de la vie - Michel Bernanos
The Canterbury Tales - G. Chaucer
The Decameron - Boccaccio
Manuscrit trouvé à Saragosse - J. Potocki
The Kalevala - Elias Lonnröt
L’Homme qui savait la langue des serpents
Gulliver's Travels: Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. - Jonathan Swift
The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman
Pantagruel et Gargantua - Rabelais
La vida es sueño - Calderon
Сон смешного человека - F.M. Dostoevsky
100 años de soledad - García Marquez
Citadelle - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Aesop's Fables
Fables
Thus Spoke Zarathustra - F. Nietzsche

[Anisha Inkspill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d heard of Aladdin, Sinbad and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves long before I heard of Arabian Nights or Thousand and One Nights. I always took for granted I knew these stories well but it’s taken this journey of reading old stories and myths to realise that I never really knew them.

It’s wanting to read this that I would discover these 3 volumes by Penguin bbut I chose this for including a variety of tales from the original 1001 tales and the ones added to later; one of these is Sinbad. I also liked how this edition includes 7 maps, glossary and footnotes.

This is translated by Malcolm Lyons and Ursual Lyons. The introduction, by Robert Irwin, explains how these tales were discovered in the 1600s and describes its journey in being translated. It also briefly goes into how they have influenced western culture, and names writers from Europe and America such as the Bronte sisters, Washington Irving, James Joyce and Goethe.

Now having read this I can understand it, these are beautiful enchanting tales. Some I enjoyed more than others but I found them all an interesting and surprising read, the biggest surprise was how different the stories of Aladdin, Sinbad and Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves are. These like the rest of the tales give a nod to religion and god and come with a moral, the frequent morals are to be respectful, to appreciate what you have, and to treat others kindly. The character Aladdin is wayward and not the squeaky-clean Disney character and the story of Sinbad is told in flashbacks, as Sinbad the Sailor shows his namesake, Sinbad the Porter, how fortunate he is. This edition is not suitable for children as most of the stories come with adult themes and some have violence that is graphic.

I also discovered and had to review my understanding of genie / jinn (as it is spelt in this book) and I liked how the prose was broken with poetry, which sometimes seemed to be singing off the page. The downside of reading this edition is it’s more like a preview of the complete works, although it has the beginning and ending with Sharazad, the tales themselves are told as a complete unit without being broken up by nights. Let me explain, in this edition:

“She got up and ran joyfully to the pool, from which she took a little water and spoke some intelligible words over it.”

This moment differs in where it says:

”She got up and ran joyfully to the pool, from which she took a little water ….”

Then an image reads :
Night 9

And it continues with: “Morning now dawned and Shahrazad broke off from what she had been allowed to say. Then when it was ninth night, she continued:

I have heard, O auspicious King, that after the sorceress had taken water from the pool and spoken some intelligible words over it, the fish danced, lifted their heads immediately and rose up, as the magic spell was removed from the city.”

So, in this edition at the end of each block of story it notes what nights it has covered. The one quoted here is from Fisherman and Ifrit is part of a set of tales told between Nights 3 – 9. I also noticed the tales are not arranged in order. There was a moment where I questioned if I was having the same reading experience as those who would read the complete works. Some stories did give me a taster of reading a nested story as they involved a character in a tricky space, where like Sharazad, had to tell their own story to survive. I knew it still wasn’t the same as I was missing one layer of that story told in a story told in a story. However, smitten by the beauty, magic and romance of these tales I did not wrestle for too long if I was having an authentic reading experience. For me it was easy to not mind, if I had not read this edition, I would have never discovered these tales and known there is more to these them than I had realised.

[Chadi Raheb · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Before-finishing thoughts]

I enjoy how it tells stories within stories, but isn’t it getting monotonous after a while? I can see a pattern in most of the stories. And 950 nights still remain, and I’m even listening at a 2x speed! My guess is, I’ll be finished, and this book won’t 🫠

Also, a few questions my mind can’t get rid of:
If Shahrzad is telling one story every night up until the next morning, then when do they sleep? Do they sleep at all? I mean, who on earth can NOT sleep for 1001 nights straight and keep telling stories? Does the king sleep during the day? What sort of king he could be, then?






P.S.
To someone who knows whom:
This is not fair. You read the short version and trapped me in this book forever. I’m now the genie of 1001 Nights 🧞‍♀️

[Julicke · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read a review of this that described the book as an incredibly violent and sexual motley of tales mainly dealing in male wish-fulfillment scenario's and honestly I couldn't have put it better myself.

From people being boiled alive in oil to people getting their d*ck chopped off, there was a lot of gruesome violence even for fairly tale standards that was applied very rashly and disproportionately. Also don't go into this expecting stories with love at first sight. Lust at first sight is more accurate. At one point an old lady was unsubtly rubbing herself in a busy marketplace way after seeing a handsome boy. Seriously. And I can only take so many repetitive descriptions of people 'with a face like the moon, perfectly proportioned with eyebrows like bent bows etc. etc.' Basically, if you're pretty, you're a good person and if you're not, you're trash. Bonus points if you're rich and minus points if you're a woman.

Okay let's have a few positives too. Some of the stories were very imaginative and fantastical with interesting creatures, strange magic and mysterious islands. The jinns and ifrits were often interesting characters, because you never really knew if they were benevolent or not, except in the Aladdin story where they were reduced to literal wish-fulfullment mcguffins. The Sindbad stories gave me Odyssee vibes, except with a much much stupider protagonist. The same goes for Aladdin funnily enough, who instead of being a "diamond in the rough" like in the Disney version, was a guy whom the African magician specifically chose to include in his plan because of his laziness and stupidity. There were some cool smart characters though like Marjana and Ali Baba, who were sort of interesting to follow I guess.

Though it's very easy to dislike a written work that originates from and entirely different time and culture than your own, I don't think I'm unjustified in claiming this is rather overrated. I'm glad at least that I read this small collection instead of all of 1001 nights.

[joy (elend’s version - semi-hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting read that was atmospherically enchanting and fascinating. Some parts don’t translate as well as others, but that didn’t affect the stories too detrimentally. The descriptions and details are very transportive and are steeped in ancient Arabic culture.

Because this is made up of ancient stories and text, I wouldn’t go into it expecting a standard modern piece of fiction. If you do, you will most likely end up disappointed. But if you enjoy getting a glimpse into ancient cultures and their stories, then you might enjoy this one.

Please do be advised that this story does contains adult themes and adult content, and as such is not suitable for children.

[Lucy'sLilLibrary · Rating 3 out of 5]

So before I get into this review I have to admit something, I couldn't stand how they formatted this collection of stories, it felt all over the place and so disjointed. I ended up listening to the Audible dramatized version, which improved my listening experience a lot. If I had stuck to the physical book I might of had yet another two-star read on my hands.

For me Sinbad and The Fisherman and the Ifrit stood out for me, both of these were more like four star reads but the rest of the stories dragged the overall rating down. I was surprised how sexual these stories were, I don't really know what I was expecting but not that. They did paint woman out to be these sexual deviants most the time which was a little frustrating, of course religion was pretty potent too in this stories, which I have to say isn't my favourite. There are as always with Fairy tales some important life lessons to be learnt but I did feel they were clumsily handled.

Now like I said above most woman are seen as subordinate to men but I have to mention Sheherazade probably the smartest woman depicted, now she is slaved to the king and offered up to him for the taking but she is smart and strong and she's trying her best to prove that not all woman are false and traitorous. It's kind of a double edge sword though as the is using her stories to be to save her own skin and not because in my opinion she cares for the kings soul. For me these are the best fairy tales to learn and live your life from. I am glad I read these as they are classic but I wouldn't read them again. I wouldn't recommended them either, but I do own a lovely edition of this book to keep on my shelves.

[Maia L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Care does not last,
And as joy passes, so does care.'

'Time's changes bring down cultured men,
While fortune lifts the undeserving up.
Come, Death, and visit me, for life is vile;
Falcons are brought down low while ducks are raised on high.
Feel no surprise if you should see a man of excellence
In poverty, while an inferior holds sway.
One bird circles the earth from east to west;
Another gets its food but does not have to move.'

'There is a marvellous tale attached to the fish ando to me, which, were it written with needles on the corners of the eyes, would be a lesson for all who can learn.'

'She recited:

If you have found consolation, love has left me no endurance.
My heart loves none but you.
Take my bones and my soul with you wherever you may go,
And where you halt, bury me opposite you.
Call out my name over my grave and my bones will moan in answer,
Hearing the echo of your voice.

Then she went on:

My wishes are fulfilled on the day I am near you,
While my day of doom is when you turn from me.
I may pass the night in fear, threatened with destruction,
But union with you is sweeter to me than safety.

Next she recited:

If every blessing and all this world were mine,
Together with the empire of the Persin kings,
To me this would not be worth a gnat's wing,
If my eyes could not look on you.'

'Grave, you are neither earth nor heaven for me,
So how is it you hold both sun and moon?'

'Wine should be drunk beside a trusted friend,
One of pure birth from the line of old heroes.
For wine is like the wind, sweet if it passes scented flowers,
But stinking if it blows over a corpse.'

'Branches are most beautiful when concealed with leaves
While you are loveliest when we meet you naked.'

'My glance expresses the words that are on my tongue,
And my love reveals what is concealed within.
We met as the tears were falling;
Though I was silent, my eyes spoke of you.
She gestured and I understood the meaning in her eyes;
I signed to her with my fingers and she understood.
Our eyebrow settled the affair between us,
And we kept silence, but love spoke.'

'At the heart of the secret is my heart's secret love for you.
Were mountains to feel my sorrow, they would be crushed;
Fire would be quenched and winds would cease to blow.
Whoever claims that Time holds sweetness
Must sometimes meet a day more bitter than aloes.'

'Beauty was brought to be measured against him,
But bowed its head in shame.
It was asked: 'Have you seen anything like this,
Beauty?' It answered: 'No.''

'And in his beauty all mankind strays lost.'

'The severance of our love is set at your door, not at mine.'

'All that is fair in men derives from him.'

'I might show endurance, but after the beloved's loss
The lifespan of the lover is not long.'

'(...) and this world is a loan to be repaid.'

'You left and this has left the world a wilderness (...)'

'She came forward in a gown of azure blue, the colour of the sky.
I looked and saw within this gown
A summer moon set in a winter night.'

'Veiled by hair draped over cheeks,
She was temptation strong as a burning fire.
I said: 'You have used night to veil the dawn.'
'No,' she replied, 'but I have veiled the moon in darkness.'

'You see that the sun is borrowed from her cheeks.'

'You who blame the lovers for their love,
Have you the power to sure the sick at heart?'

'The pool was like a page read by the birds,
Written by wind, with clouds as punctuation.'

'(...) sweeter than cold water to the thirsty man and more delightful than the recovery of health to the sick.'

'Every time it rises, I ask the sun for news of you,
And I question the lightning about you when it flashes.
Longing folds and unfolds me in its hands
All night, but I do not complain of pain.
Dear ones, for long, after you went,
Separation from you has left me cut to pieces.
Were you to grant my eyes a sight of you -
It would be better still if we could meet.
Do not think I am busied with another;
My heart has no room for another love.'

'Grave, you are neither a garden nor a sky,
So how do you contain both branch and moon?'

'Were he to be contented with a rag, I would give him
A heart that was torn in pieces when you said goodbye.'

'I wished for my beloved, but when he came in sight,
In my bewilderment I could not control tongue or eyes.'

'You beauty puts to shame the gleaming moon
While your grace is that of the breaking dawn.'

'Am I to melt with heat, when your face is paradise,
And I shall die of thirst when your saliva is Kauthar?'

'I swear that there is nothing in my heart except your love(...)'

'On meeting we complained of the great suffering of which we speak.
It is not good to send complaints by messengers.'

'By God's grace, you are like a great light spreading the rays of your perfection, wherever you may be, on land or sea.'

'On the day of generosity, he is the shining dawn,
While on the day of battle, he is the darkest night.
Our necks are fettered with his generosity(...)'

'I became drunk on the fragrance of scent,
Embracing a moist branch the zephyr nurtured.
The lover was drunk, but not on wine.
Rather it was the beloved's saliva that intoxicated him.
All beauty is held captive by the beloved,
And because of that he holds sway over men's hearts.
By God, I will never think of consolation for his loss
As long as I am held in the bonds of life or afterwards.
If I live, I live loving him, and if I die
Because of my passion of my love, death will be welcome.'

'When will the tortured heart find a cure for your love?
Union with you is farther than the Pleiades.
Distance, abandonment, longing and lovesickness,
Delay, postponement - this is how life passes.
Union does not bring life nor does abandonment kill me.
Distance does not bring me near, nor are you at hand.
It is neither fairness nor mercy that you show.
You do not help me, but I cannot flee from you.
All my roads are blocked by love for you;
I cannot make out where I am to go.'

'I realized there was no stratagem for me
To reach you, and I tucked my head beneath my wing,
Making my home within the nest of love,
Where endlessly I must pass all my days.'

[Arpad Okay · Rating 5 out of 5]

The narrative style of Tales from 1,001 Nights is an endlessly turning wheel of metaphorically related tangents, often imitated but never duplicated. Being able to behold the many facets of a jewel is one of my favorite adages for describing the power of the written story. But this jewel moves on its own, each facet getting a moment of focus whether you are ready to inspect it or not, until the circle is completed and the primary story returns.

Actually, it kind of beggars belief to tell stories the way it does. The world of the Nights is one where story is the richest commodity, greater than gold or jewels or rukh’s egg. You can gain other riches by listening to a story. A sultan may pardon your life if your story is good enough. Telling a tall tale is an instant way to end physical conflict with demons: when you are in mortal peril, the smartest move is to ask you assailant if they’ve heard a particular related story about so-and-so and such-and-such and they invariably haven’t and will keep the peace to hear you out. The enduring mystery to me is that, not only does this work, but in a society built on telling each other stories, nobody has ever interrupted to say that as a matter of fact they have heard to the one about Alexander the Great and the Poor King and then get back to the smiting. No matter how many stories are out there, there’s always a new one to hear.

Which speaks to my experience, I suppose. 1,001 Nights is the collection of and inspiration for thousands of stories, but the only ones I knew diving in were those of Ali Baba and Aladdin- which, as it turns out, are both French apocrypha and not truly stories of Sheherezade. Her tales are randy, insightful bouts of high fantasy shot through with romantic verse and long passages of self-summary. The poetics found in the Nights is the saucy stuff I imagine inspired the naughty, great poets of the turn of the century (if not before). I get the same kick from it I got from reading Raspe’s Baron Munchausen knowing my heroes had read it long before I was born. I like to ape my idols. Plus, c’mon, look at this:

The door opened and, as its leaves parted, the porter looked at the person who had opened it. He saw a lady of medium height, with jutting breasts, beautiful, comely, resplendent, with a perfect and well-proportioned figure, a radiant brow, red cheeks and eyes rivaling those of a wild cow or a gazelle. Her eyebrows were like the crescent moon of the month of Sha`ban; she had cheeks like red anemones. A mouth like the seal of Solomon, coral red lips, teeth like camomile blossoms or pearls on a string, and a gazelle-like neck. Her bosom was like an ornate fountain, with breasts like twin pomegranates; she had an elegant belly and a navel that could contain an ounce of unguent, She was as the poet described:

Look at the sun and moon of the palaces,
At the jewel in her nose and at her flowery splendour.
Your eye has not seen white on black
United in beauty as in her face and in her hair.
She is rosy-cheeked; beauty proclaims her name,
Even if you are not fortunate enough to know of her.
She swayed and I laughed in wonder at her haunches,
But her waist prompted my tears.

Baron Munchausen is a fair comparison, as is Don Quixote and echoes heard in both directions, reflecting the Analects of Confucius and reflected in the Ocarina of Time. However, the old stories are where you really feel it. The body humor. Sex without stigma. The primary gift given by the powerful are snappy outfits, because being poor more often than not meant not even being able to afford clothes. The fact that a good quarter of the people in this book are walking around naked is one of those things you just don’t think about without a little prompting, like how in the age when the horse was king, there was shit everywhere.

Sheherezade is telling poor folks’ stories to the mad king. I enjoy teasing the folkloric, pagan roots out of Arthurian Romance as much as the next guy (possibly more), but to read the stories in the raw is a true delight. I don’t like the snobs who read the Classics exclusively and look down their noses at modern lit but every time I close one of these hard read books that are a couple hundred years old, I understand them.

[Aaron · Rating 2 out of 5]

I first read this motley collection of tales as a university student on a syllabus set by the writer Marina Warner, who is a big fan of fairy tales. At the time, I struggled to finish the book, and I reached a similar brick wall this time. Without going too much into the history of these stories, their numerous translations, and the tedious speculation surrounding who the original writer(s) may have been, I would like to point out that these tales are decidedly not suitable for children. They were eventually infantilised and made into children's versions, such being the fate of any fiction featuring magical and fantastical elements, but this involved distorting and watering down a lot of the original content. To put it rather bluntly, 1,001 Nights is made up of highly sexual and violent material, dealing predominantly in male wish fulfillment scenarios revolving around desire and greed.

This particular collection, translated by Malcolm C. Lyons, is a handpicked selection of the more well known tales such as 'Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves', 'Sinbad the Sailor', and 'Aladdin.' The first half of the stories follow a repetitive format of a male protagonist raping or being seduced by a beautiful woman, coming into possession of an immense fortune, and usually having his genitals threatened. The writers take great pains to boast of female beauty, the extravagances of sultans, the splendour of palaces, and the pricelessness of jewels, which all gets a bit too much. I enjoyed the Sinbad stories for the imaginative variety of his adventures, yet 'Aladdin' is bleak and problematic by modern standards. There are no wholesome morals to these stories, their main incentives being to celebrate characters who, through no personal effort, or else with supernatural aid, manage to achieve extreme amounts of wealth and social elevation.

[Anna Sobczak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much like the Canterbury Tales, the tales of 1,001 Nights vary in quality, some are bawdy and underdeveloped while some stand out as absolute masterpieces of storytelling. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Sinbad, and Alladin are the clear examples of masterful storytelling while others like The porter and the three ladies are lesser known for a reason. Overall, a good read though.

[Kat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historically interesting but I found very few of the stories truly enjoyable reading. Very glad I didn't try and read an unabridged version if these were the highlights!

[Jay(neel) · Rating 3 out of 5]

i’m so back baby. not a bad book but i found myself struggling to pick it back up. still i’m happy i read it, it’s extremely influential and has historic value.

[Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most influential collections of stories of all time and this is an excellent selection from the complete three volume translation from Malcolm and Ursula Lyons. They include tales not from the original collection that have come to be associated with with 1,001 Nights, such as Ali Baba, Sindbad that Sailor and Aladdin. I could see some stylistic differences with those stories and could also see why they are some of the most popular tales, generating countless film and other literary adaptations. Rich and wonderful.

[Cossake · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid collection of stories, interesting to read if you want to get an idea about the originals of the numerous western adaptations. Has some moral and social quirks I cannot really get behind, which can be expected some 500 to 1000 years later and growing up in a different culture. Some charm may have been lost in translation, I cannot really tell, but the lyric interludes in esp. the first half just felt off.

Would recommend, though not as the primary read, rather once in a while a few more pages. And I think I prefer the Disney interpretation of Aladdin :)

[Cep Subhan KM · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collectible edition, a new translation, and a scholarly version from Penguin. I like Lyons' translation for its accuracy and its readability even for non-native English. A long introduction by Robert Irwin (well, i always like Robert Irwin's writing), a glossary, and even maps made this version to be a replacement for the famous Burton's edition.

[Bud Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bounced around the Penguin Classics version of 1001 Nights this year. Here and there. Bobbing and weaving. Some evenings I’d read a tale or two … but I feel like it’ll be a lifetime of bobbing and weaving through these famous tales

[Nathan Beaumont · Rating 3 out of 5]

Historically interesting but the only good story is Ali Baba TBH.

[Maham · Rating 5 out of 5]

↠ 4.5 stars, review to follow

[Roz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sure, it's another compilation of the 1,001 Nights published by Penguin Classics, but this is the one to get.

For starters, it has a better selection than NJ Dawood's older Tales from the Thousand and One Nights: it includes a couple of the same stories - Aladdin, Sinbad, The Porter and the Three Ladies - but mostly, it's other material. Some are brief: there's a collection of animal stories, essentially a string of Aesopic fables, and a selection of stories about kings. Some aren't: it includes the story of Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, which Dawood criminally omits.

But the longer stories are really what sets this apart. Two of them stand out to me: The Story of Taj Al-Muluk and Princess Dunya and The Adventures of Ali Al-Zaibaq. The first is a story about a prince who hears stories about a princess and falls in love, going to pretty incredible lengths to woo her and win her father's support. The second is a fun story about a thief who falls in love. They're great selections from the larger work, giving it a larger scope than the stories usually associated with it.

The translation by Malcolm C. Lyons and Ursula Lyons modernizes the stories above and beyond Dawood, too. One example: they say jinn, not Jinee. More importantly, they include the verses strung throughout the text, an important part of the framework of these stories.

If you're only interesting in a selection of these stories and find Burton's older The Arabian Nights: Tales from a Thousand and One Nights hard to swallow, this is the one to get.

[Tristan Sherwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished #reading Tales from 1,001 Nights... but it didn’t take me that long ;)
.
I can understand the enchantment that these stories have held for such a long time and the influence they’ve held in modern literature (such as certain scenes within Duma’s Count of Monte Christo). They’re mysterious, exotic and just plain bizarre in places; constantly stretching to reader’s mind to the wonderful whilst never seeking to fully explain the nature of the wonderful.
.
However, for the new reader of these stories, be prepared for the misogynistic nature that consistently recurs. I know that they’re a product of their time, but I did find this very jarring. At one point, sexual intercourse is described, ‘He then set the charge, fired the canon and demolished the fortress’ (The Story of Nur Al-Din and Shams Al-Din, p.131)! Also be prepared for the antisemitism that’s here; although, this mainly features within the story of Aladdin, which, as the Robert Irwin points out the introduction, isn’t a story from the original Arabic 1,001 nights, and thus this more likely highlights the antisemitism of 17th century Europe and not the original 7th-9th century texts.
.
Again, I’m just pointing this out for those who may not be prepared for it. Although, if there’s someone studying how these issues can play out into literature, than there’s much resource here.
.
Overall, definitely worth the read for those who love literature, and it’s sure to inspire those who are looking for the fantastic.
.
—Tristan Sherwin, author of Living the Dream? :The Problem with Escapist, Exhibitionist, Empire-Building Christianity

[Marta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun read, in spite of some stories here and there that dragged on. Overall, however, I was surprised by how violent and raunchy this book is, I wasn't expecting that. It was also very interesting to read Aladdin's story, which is the longest one featured in this book. It varies tremendously from the Disney version, in fact the only similarity is that they both feature a main character named Aladdin. Overall a fun, interesting, and fairly lighthearted read.

[John Yelverton · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the greatest collection of fairy tales that has ever been compiled. These wonderful stories will stir your imagination, and they have a much less gruesome ending than do the Grimm's Fairy Tales.

[Dominika · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up 50 shades of Grey by accident. Even though I said I would never read such trash, I take it back. It was beautiful and enjoyable. Over 18s only. Also, it is not for the easily offended, who find victimhood on every page. Masterpiece.

[Sushan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely an interesting read but a lot of the stories are pretty repetitive and not everything translates that well (especially the verses).

[Scott West · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fables from exotic mystical lands filled with passion, love, duplicity and drama. One Thousand and One Nights has a lot to offer readers who love literature, history and poetry. Many of the stories are classic intertwining mysticism, adventure and romance. Nevertheless some of the stories are better represented than others.

The fisherman and the irfit was an exuberant read for me. Though the story was mystical with an irfit being a main character it was nonetheless humane in its themes. Tackling head on the lesson holding onto past wrongs can cause bitterness and resentment towards others even those who haven’t wronged you which can ruin the present day. As the fisherman retrieves the irfit the action was well compounded from a simple fish to a matter of life and death through escalating tension and drama. One of the fables that has innocuously influenced many modern fantasies.

In contrast, Nur al din and shams al din along with the porter and the three ladies, animal stories and ali the cairns merchant were difficult. The fables were hard to follow and lacked a well articulated central theme. Instead meandering around between Levantine cities and plot points without a potent narrative. Ali the Cairene merchant in particular suffered from too many things happening in a short space of time rendering the fable hard to grasp. Such stories also became convoluted with various characters and time periods. Animal stories seemed out of place and irrelevant. Perhaps a second read would be worthwhile so they make more sense.

Being a sentimentalist I loved the amorous stories. Taj al Maluk and the princess Dunya was a mystical and romantic fable. A central theme of love being the most potent force which had the power to resolve all disputes permeates through the poetic verse. Likewise, the fable showcases the destructive power of spurned love, deep hurt and resentment it can breed. However the palpable sense of two people linked by destiny finding each other was romantic.

Aladdin was a classic tale of superficiality. An introduction as classic and intrepid as possible occurs at the start with the malevolent magician finding a diamond in the rough. Misfortune breading new opportunities, the lamp offers Aladdin new love, prosperity and wealth. While creepy, such fortune leads to the love with the princess. As the lamp is stolen away and Aladdin must fight for everything he has the tale explores the limits of money and timeless value of good intentions.

One aspect of the Nights I unbecomingly enjoyed was the economic lessons imparted by many stories. In particular, Ali baba and the forty thieves was great. I enjoyed the lesson that when inheriting fortune it should only be spent in moderation, prudence and kindness. Despite the power of money it should never overwhelm you with rapacity like his brother. A timeless and universal lesson around money that is often ignored and glossed over.

Another economic lesson was the idea espoused of using money simply as a tool to do good. An example of this is treating your subordinates well. As Marjana shows they can be a diamond in the rough; someone who is enticingly greater and far stronger than they seem. Aladdin’s character further encompasses this theme in spending his money in pursuit of love rather than revenge. Encompassing economic lessons with entertaining romantic fairy tales is a surprisingly poignant mix in the nights as the financial aspects make the mystical stories more grounded and human.

After dwelling into poetic love and economic management the nights has a welcome turn back to the excitement with the fables of the Kings and Sinbad. Sinbad is an exuberant, swashbuckling adventure through the seas complete with monsters, and high stakes games. Fables of the Kings are also curt welcome entertainment. I felt like I was reading a Pirates of the Caribbean or Star Wars novel.

In summary, my favourite fables were Sinbad, Ali Baba, Taj al Maluk and Aladdin. Each of these encompassed mysticism, adventure, poetry and humane elements to render great fables. Other fables told never quite hit the same heights though they are still worth a read. I recommend the nights to anyone interested in fantasy and history as they offer an enticing and sentimental glimpse into the Islamic Golden Age.

[Olivier Beys · Rating 2 out of 5]

We all know the famous stories of Aladdin, the Ali Baba and Sindbad in their infantilized Disney-esque translations. The real deal contains much more cruelty, racism and machismo, as is so often the case with folk tales (also see the Grimm Tales, Greek myths and similar stories). But while other traditions often contain edifying moral commentary, the tales from 1,001 nights go in the other direction.

The main protagonists are either crooks or imbeciles, and usually end up rich and famous out of sheer luck. The backbone of the tales is composed of a well-known story that offers an appropriate illustration of this: a king (Shahriyar) abducts, rapes and kills a virgin each night for years, but repents after the daughter of the vizier (Sheherazade) sacrifices herself to this monster by telling him tales for 3 years and bearing 3 children. The story ends with them living happily ever after, enjoying riches and prosperity in the kingdom.

The endless droning on about magnificent jewels and palaces and the lack of any moral integrity in most of the characters make this a difficult read for contemporary readers of a progressive persuasion. Many stories are carried on for way too long and contain reptition ad nauseam. For instance, while the story of Sindbad's travels contain interesting and creative twists, the main elements of these episodes are almost identical (he enjoys prosperity - he gets restless and leaves - he gets shipwrecked on a fantastical island - he gets lucky and lands himself in the grace of a foreign empire - he returns back home laden with riches).

This edition only contains a small selection of the 1,001 tales and quality varies: some of the stories have a better narrative arc than others. Some contain better poetry than others. The translators have done a good job in refraining from censoring the text as was done in many previous translations, and in rendering the text accessible for contemporary readers. The rhetoric is definitely Arab and from another era, but the text flows nicely and doesn't feel dated or rigid.

On a personal note, the main benefit of reading these tales lies in gaining an insight in the culture, priorities, hierarchies and morals of the age. Throughout the book, there are more (black) slaves, although anonymized and without any agency, than ordinary citizens. Women hardly go out in the streets, and if they do they wear face-covering veils. Wine is consumed in abundance, despite the muslim context. Virtue does not lead to wealth, rather the possession of wealth is a virtue in itself.
Sure, it was written in different times. But other literary traditions have aged better.

[Shajila · Rating 4 out of 5]

This just wasn't ending! It's so long. So so long. Supposedly 3 years of story telling fit into 1 book though so the length makes sense.
For all my complaints this is actually really good.
It contained too much poetry (and poetry translated from 1language to another just does not keep any of its charm) and really bizarre erotic scenes (really not kid friendly) in the beginning.
The tales became less sexualised and less about beautiful handsome men and deceitful women and become more adventure and character building - which makes sense for 1001 nights if you keep in mind that the whole theme is of a woman with a out of control tyrant king husband so first she needs to get him hooked with the stories and afterwards work in some lessons and examples of good men to inspire him...
This is said to be a really good translation but it absolutely doesn't explain a lot of the meaning of some of the phrases used - and without the context it would just be very confusing again and again. Fortunately I'm accustomed to classic tales and Eastern/Islamic culture so i managed but it really needed more...
Annoyingly this doesn't contain all the same tales i remember from my childhood so i will keep hold of my other kiddy version of 1001 nights and reread that one soon.

[Magnus McIntyre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, so first things first: if you are offended by dated material, this book won't be for you. There is racism, antisemitism, incest and even a bit of sexism, pedophilia, and debatably even ableism or body-shaming.
However, if you can put old stories in their proper historical context... then it's just passable. A bit of a mixed bag-some stories are actually quite interesting-especially the more fantastical ones-but others are actually quite boring-especially the more grounded ones. In particular, if, like me, you are a writer who wants to do more research on other folkloric/fairytale traditions, there are a lot of stories to reference and borrow from.
Another word of warning, though: although many call there "fairytales"-even I did so earlier in this review-there are a lot of elements in these stories that are not appropriate for children. If you want to tell your kids the Arabian nights stories, I would recommend this book instead:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
But if you are an adult-or even older teenager, really-then this a adequate collection of stories.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was in my second year of uni when I discovered a set of Scheherazade's tales. Size 8 font, thin pages, can't remember how many volumes. I started the first one but, as with many library books, got distracted with some other book, and I was 'forced' to return it before I'd gotten further than a few nights.

Having the paperback of Lyons' translation, it is significantly shorter at 490 pages and cuts out the repetition of each evening, yet it is this that also holds the stories together. Gone are the small chunks that could be read each night and the allure of continuing just as the king would have felt.

It is done. It has taken me years to finally finish this, and that is probably why I'm so relieved to be done with it. Don't drag books out, my friends. Now to finish that Malazan series...