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Arabian Nights: The Marvels and Wonders of The Thousand and One Nights, Volume 1 of 2
Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780451525420
Bawdy and exotic, Arabian Nights, features the wily, seductive Scheherazade, who saves her own life by telling tales of magical transformations, genies and wishes, flying carpets and fantastical journeys, terror and passion to entertain and appease the brutal King Shahryar. First introduced into the West in 1704, the stories of The Thousand and One Nights are most familiar to American readers in sanitized children's versions. This modern edition, based on Richard F. Burton's unexpurgated translation, restores the lushness of the original Arabic. Here are the famous adventures of Sinbad, "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," and "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp." Here too are less familiar stories, such as "Prince Behram and the Princess Al-Datma," a delightful early version of The Taming of the Shrew, and "The Wily Dalilah and her Daughter Zaynab," a hilarious tale about two crafty women who put an entire city of men in their place. Intricate and imaginative, these stories-within-stories told over a thousand and one nights continue to captivate readers as they have for centuries.
"Arabian Nights: The Marvels and Wonders of The Thousand and One Nights, Volume 2 of 2, Adapted By Jack Zipes"
Bawdy and exotic, Arabian Nights, features the wily, seductive Scheherazade, who saves her own life by telling tales of magical transformations, genies and wishes, flying carpets and fantastical journeys, terror and passion to entertain and appease the brutal King Shahryar. First introduced into the West in 1704, the stories of The Thousand and One Nights are most familiar to American readers in sanitized children's versions. This modern edition, based on Richard F. Burton's unexpurgated translation, restores the lushness of the original Arabic. Here are the famous adventures of Sinbad, "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," and "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp." Here too are less familiar stories, such as "Prince Behram and the Princess Al-Datma," a delightful early version of The Taming of the Shrew, and "The Wily Dalilah and her Daughter Zaynab," a hilarious tale about two crafty women who put an entire city of men in their place. Intricate and imaginative, these stories-within-stories told over a thousand and one nights continue to captivate readers as they have for centuries.
"Arabian Nights: The Marvels and Wonders of The Thousand and One Nights, Volume 2 of 2, Adapted By Jack Zipes"
591 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 800
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1158 people want to read
About the author
Jack D. Zipes
152 books243 followersJack David Zipes is a retired Professor of German at the University of Minnesota. He has published and lectured extensively on the subject of fairy tales, their linguistic roots, and argued that they have a "socialization function". According to Zipes, fairy tales "serve a meaningful social function, not just for compensation but for revelation: the worlds projected by the best of our fairy tales reveal the gaps between truth and falsehood in our immediate society." His arguments are avowedly based on the neo-Marxist critical theory of the Frankfurt School.
Zipes enjoys using droll titles for his works like Don't Bet on the Prince and The Trials and Tribulations of Little Red Ridinghood.
He completed a PhD in comparative literature at Columbia University. Zipes taught at various institutions before heading German language studies at the University of Minnesota. He has retranslation of the complete fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm.
Zipes enjoys using droll titles for his works like Don't Bet on the Prince and The Trials and Tribulations of Little Red Ridinghood.
He completed a PhD in comparative literature at Columbia University. Zipes taught at various institutions before heading German language studies at the University of Minnesota. He has retranslation of the complete fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
July 19, 2019
Sir Richard Burton has said "there is no 'Nights' without the nights," and I agree with him. Without the frame story of the "Thousand Nights and a Night," the stories themselves--while still a fascinating collection of Oriental folklore filled with fine examples of the extemporaneous storyteller's art--lack resonance and depth. As told by Scheherazade, however, each individual story is not only a stratagem enabling her literally to keep her head on her shoulders for one more night, but--taken together--they also function as a three-year course in civility and tolerance for her murderous spouse, a man made vicious and half-mad by a former wife's adultery. The corpus of the tales--by exhibiting examples of a variety of women (the virtuous and resourceful as well as the manipulative and adulterous), by showing the consequences of revenge and the beauties of forgiveness--help Scheherazade heal the psychically wounded shah who in time becomes not only a good man but also a good king, one who appreciates not only the mystery of woman, but also the importance of mercy and compassion--praise be to Allah, the source of both!--in the pageant of human existence.
Like all great books--as opposed to the perfect merely good ones--"The Arabian Nights" can often be infuriating. Many of the tales are little more than examples of what Henry James termed the easiest form of fictional invention, the improvisation, and others are too coarse for the modern sensibility, with their humor or horror derived from dwarfs, paralytics and the maimed. At the best, however, the tales are mesmerizing, creating a world of marvels that is nevertheless so gritty and real that you can almost smell the scents of the bazaar and see the variety of people parading down the palace avenues, crowding into the alleys and streets. And then, of course, there are the maidens, each as beautiful as a moon.
The very best tales are the ones you already know--The Fisherman and the Djinn, Aladdin, Ali Baba, Sinbad the Sailor--but there are others here almost as good: "The Tale of Three Apples" tells a story of rift and reconciliation across the generations that-in its bittersweet, twilight wisdom--reminds me of the tragi-comedies of Shakespeare, and "The Tale of Judar and his Brothers"--a darker, more marvelous version of the biblical story of Joseph--unites magic and tragedy in a surprising and memorable way.
November 15, 2022
I would give it five stars if it were longer... One of my favorite tales is not included in Zipe's version here. Nevertheless, these are fascinating stories and not what I was given as a child.
There is always violence in the stories, even among the expurgated versions. The originals are more violent and contain frequent mention of sex and virginity. Husbands take their wives "maidenhead" and so forth. They most often end, after the happily-after with that future ending in death. I might have found that sad, but didn't. The great and powerful, the heroes, all must die at the end. There are mostly merchant characters, at least in this collection. Sons squander their inheritance or build their fortune. Men go on adventures and escape monsters and thank Allah for their deliverance. Women sometimes aid them and there is the story of Delilah who makes fools of them and gains her own position. These are generally prosperous characters with much gifting to the poor and rich garments to loyal retainers. Meals are important in every story. Meats and sweetmeats and wine.
The hedgehog story was completely new to me, but Sinbad and the Ebony Horse and Aladdin were familiar. I missed the story of the snake queen.
Someday, I will read Burton's translation in sixteen-volumes. I would appreciate reading them all. It's available in Kindle... There are also other translations that would be interesting, I think.
There is always violence in the stories, even among the expurgated versions. The originals are more violent and contain frequent mention of sex and virginity. Husbands take their wives "maidenhead" and so forth. They most often end, after the happily-after with that future ending in death. I might have found that sad, but didn't. The great and powerful, the heroes, all must die at the end. There are mostly merchant characters, at least in this collection. Sons squander their inheritance or build their fortune. Men go on adventures and escape monsters and thank Allah for their deliverance. Women sometimes aid them and there is the story of Delilah who makes fools of them and gains her own position. These are generally prosperous characters with much gifting to the poor and rich garments to loyal retainers. Meals are important in every story. Meats and sweetmeats and wine.
The hedgehog story was completely new to me, but Sinbad and the Ebony Horse and Aladdin were familiar. I missed the story of the snake queen.
Someday, I will read Burton's translation in sixteen-volumes. I would appreciate reading them all. It's available in Kindle... There are also other translations that would be interesting, I think.
dnf
August 10, 2019DNF - I have to put this aside for now. Some of the stories are good, but it's too repetitive and tedious for me at this time.
December 30, 2021
TL;DR - This collection of short stories is well worth your time, and it deserves the high place it maintains in our cultural imagination.
This year I decided to read books that are 1) big, and 2) on the long list of I-should-read-that-before-I-die. I covered quite a number that I enjoyed (Gone with the Wind, War and Peace) and a few that I didn't (Les Miserables, An American Tragedy). However, I wanted to end the year with a bang by reading something that has been on my list for a long, long time.
I purchased this book in the 90s, and it has been on my shelf ever since. It has survived several moves, always waiting patiently for me to take it up. After the tragedy of trying to stomach Dreiser's An American Tragedy, I decided it was time for lighter and more interesting fare.
I'm simultaneously glad that I decided on this one and also peeved at myself for taking so long to get to it. This book is full of wonderful, inspired, sometimes bizarre tales that capture the imagination. There are tales of flying horses, of jinn, of mermaids, of treasure, of betrayal, of mutilation, of love, of daring, of cleverness, of rogues, of warriors, of corrupt viziers, of...the list goes on and on. I was intrigued, horrified, delighted, incensed, overjoyed, and many, many other things, but I was almost never bored (see below). The mythical storyteller Scheherazade has well earned her reputation as a master of her craft, and her head will forever remain firmly on her shoulders for having spun such masterful stories.
I don't want to ruin anything for you, the potential reader, but I do want to sell the book to you somewhat so you know what to expect. These tales are, as the note at the end of the Signet edition indicates, a mashup of the tales of several eastern cultures, all of which were brought west in this form. They have delighted audiences for centuries, and they bear the hallmarks of direct, sometimes blunt descriptions of life. For instance, they do not hesitate to openly discuss sex or mutilation, and these factors remind us that though we think the world a horrible place today, people have been loving and maiming one another for centuries. Put another way, these tales are as alive with lust and violence that reflects their own era as they are with today's society and its similar issues. The problems and fates they represent are not new or old; they are timeless, and this timelessness is one of the many reasons they remain so entertaining to us even to the present.
Again, I was entertained throughout, with the exception of one set of stories. Ironically, one of the best known tales from the collection -- the ones concerning Sinbad the Sailor/Seaman -- were the least interesting to me. They follow the same pattern repeatedly (Sinbad goes to sea; everyone dies except him; something miraculous happens; he goes home; he gets bored; repeat), even to the point where I knew what paragraphs I could skip when reading them. Out of dozens of tales in the Signet edition (I read the edition that preceded their adaptation of volumes 1 and 2), only this set stood out as an exception.
Thus, if you choose to spend your time with this collection, and I hope you will, you will be well rewarded. Prepare to be entertained, though also prepare to actively read since each story is like a Russian nesting doll, e.g. - here is the story of a woman who tricked a man, but in this story the woman who tricked the man must first tell him a story about another woman who tricked a man, and that woman might in turn tell a story about...etc. Be patient, take notes if you need to do so, and enjoy the ride.
This year I decided to read books that are 1) big, and 2) on the long list of I-should-read-that-before-I-die. I covered quite a number that I enjoyed (Gone with the Wind, War and Peace) and a few that I didn't (Les Miserables, An American Tragedy). However, I wanted to end the year with a bang by reading something that has been on my list for a long, long time.
I purchased this book in the 90s, and it has been on my shelf ever since. It has survived several moves, always waiting patiently for me to take it up. After the tragedy of trying to stomach Dreiser's An American Tragedy, I decided it was time for lighter and more interesting fare.
I'm simultaneously glad that I decided on this one and also peeved at myself for taking so long to get to it. This book is full of wonderful, inspired, sometimes bizarre tales that capture the imagination. There are tales of flying horses, of jinn, of mermaids, of treasure, of betrayal, of mutilation, of love, of daring, of cleverness, of rogues, of warriors, of corrupt viziers, of...the list goes on and on. I was intrigued, horrified, delighted, incensed, overjoyed, and many, many other things, but I was almost never bored (see below). The mythical storyteller Scheherazade has well earned her reputation as a master of her craft, and her head will forever remain firmly on her shoulders for having spun such masterful stories.
I don't want to ruin anything for you, the potential reader, but I do want to sell the book to you somewhat so you know what to expect. These tales are, as the note at the end of the Signet edition indicates, a mashup of the tales of several eastern cultures, all of which were brought west in this form. They have delighted audiences for centuries, and they bear the hallmarks of direct, sometimes blunt descriptions of life. For instance, they do not hesitate to openly discuss sex or mutilation, and these factors remind us that though we think the world a horrible place today, people have been loving and maiming one another for centuries. Put another way, these tales are as alive with lust and violence that reflects their own era as they are with today's society and its similar issues. The problems and fates they represent are not new or old; they are timeless, and this timelessness is one of the many reasons they remain so entertaining to us even to the present.
Again, I was entertained throughout, with the exception of one set of stories. Ironically, one of the best known tales from the collection -- the ones concerning Sinbad the Sailor/Seaman -- were the least interesting to me. They follow the same pattern repeatedly (Sinbad goes to sea; everyone dies except him; something miraculous happens; he goes home; he gets bored; repeat), even to the point where I knew what paragraphs I could skip when reading them. Out of dozens of tales in the Signet edition (I read the edition that preceded their adaptation of volumes 1 and 2), only this set stood out as an exception.
Thus, if you choose to spend your time with this collection, and I hope you will, you will be well rewarded. Prepare to be entertained, though also prepare to actively read since each story is like a Russian nesting doll, e.g. - here is the story of a woman who tricked a man, but in this story the woman who tricked the man must first tell him a story about another woman who tricked a man, and that woman might in turn tell a story about...etc. Be patient, take notes if you need to do so, and enjoy the ride.
October 27, 2007
I made the same mistake with this as with Grimm's fairy Tales. I read them all one after another. And while some of the stories were amazing, the common themes of murder, greed, racism and misogynism wore me down after a while. Also, the stories within stories within stories...well, it made me a bit impatient.
July 15, 2017
The book was great and sensious as well.
April 14, 2023
Book Title: Arabian Nights: The Marvels and Wonders of Thousand and One Nights Volume 1
Author: Unknown
Translator: Sir Richard Frances Burton
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Folklore
Rating: 4/5
The book “Arabian Nights: Marvels and Wonders of Thousand and One Nights” is a collection of folktales of Arab, Persian, and Indian origin written by an unknown author. Set in the middle ages, the book opens with the frame tale of a vengeful King, Shah Shahryar, who develops a hatred for women after his wife’s infidelity. As a result, every night he would take a young virgin girl as his bride and execute her at the dawn of the next day. This continues to happen for quite a long time until there are no women left in his Kingdom except for the two daughters of his Vizier, Scheherazade, and Dinazade. Scheherazade, the eldest daughter is a wise, learned woman, and a gifted storyteller. She takes it upon herself to protect not only herself but also the women of her country from these senseless killings. Hence, Scheherazade volunteers to be the King’s next bride, despite her father’s protests. Now, every night, she narrates a story to Shah Shahryar and deliberately leaves it unfinished, ending on a cliffhanger, before dawn to pique his curiosity and to prevent him from executing her. This continues to happen for one thousand and one nights until Shah Shahryar is convinced of her chastity. (Hats off to this woman, by the way. It is not an easy task to narrate stories night after night.)
Anyway, that was about the frame tale. Now let’s talk about the tales. I loved most of the stories in the book, especially the ones that have elements of fairy tales in them such as, “The Tale of the Merchant and the Jinnee,” “The Ebony Horse,” “Aladdin and the Magic Lamp,” “Julnar the Mermaid and Her Son Badar Basim of Persian,” “The Tale of Judar and His Brothers,” and “Sindbad the Seaman and Sindbad the Landsman.” Although there are fairy tale elements in these stories, they are in no way appropriate for children. Overall, the book is a smooth read and the language is fine too, but some parts of the book include scenes of sexual nature. There is also the use of vulgar and offensive language in some places, making it an inappropriate read for children. Apart from that, a lot of stories have elements of racism and misogyny. Some stories showed women as commodities; however, there are also stories in which women are shown as cunning and men docile and innocent. However, it must be kept in mind that the book was written a long time ago in an era when these things were considered normal and acceptable. Therefore, we need to read these stories through the lens of their historical context.
On the other hand, if we see the character of Scheherazade, we will find her to be a strong female character in the story. She is not only the symbol of feminism but also the sane voice who used her brain and skills to educate Shah Shahryar and put sense into his head as well as helped other women to protect themselves from the wrath of the vengeful King. She seems to have an altruistic personality, in my opinion, for she decided to change the fate of the women of her kingdom by putting herself in jeopardy. For me, Scheherazade’s character is quite interesting and progressive keeping in mind the time in which it is written.
Some parts of the stories didn’t make much sense to me. For example, the justice of the King in the “Tale of the Three Apples” was very twisted. I found the King and his judgment quite stupid. Although I enjoyed all the stories, however, “The Tale of the Barber and His Brothers” was not something I enjoyed and though they were meant to be comic, I just couldn’t find them funny or humorous. In my opinion, there is no humor in the degradation of another person. Sadly, the Barber had seven brothers and I had to read all the seven stories that were more or less the same and I was getting bored by the end. I was relieved when his stories came to an end.
One of the stories that I thoroughly enjoyed in this book was the seven voyages of Sindbad the Seaman. According to the introduction of the book by Daniel Beaumont "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp" and "Ali Baba and Forty Thieves" were not parts of the original manuscript of the tales, which is why these stories were known as the “orphan stories.” They were later added by Antoine Galland, the French translator who undertook the task of translating these tales. Also, as I searched the internet about it, I came to know that Sindbad’s tale was also not part of the original manuscript. These stories were narrated to Galland by a woman named Hanna Diyab. The introduction of the book also states that “the earliest evidence of the book is a ninth-century papyrus found in Egypt.” These tales were later sent to Galland during the early 17th century, who translated them and from there on, they became popular in the Western world.
Nonetheless, these stories are truly amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed them. These tales offer the readers a glimpse into the society and culture of the ninth century Arab and Persia. It took me a couple of months to finish this book, but it was worth it. They reminded me of the bedtime stories I used to read when I was a kid, however, I would like to mention it again that these stories are not for kids. In my opinion, this book is a valuable read for anyone interested in folklore, cultural history, or classic literature. For me, it deserves 4/5 stars.
Author: Unknown
Translator: Sir Richard Frances Burton
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Folklore
Rating: 4/5
The book “Arabian Nights: Marvels and Wonders of Thousand and One Nights” is a collection of folktales of Arab, Persian, and Indian origin written by an unknown author. Set in the middle ages, the book opens with the frame tale of a vengeful King, Shah Shahryar, who develops a hatred for women after his wife’s infidelity. As a result, every night he would take a young virgin girl as his bride and execute her at the dawn of the next day. This continues to happen for quite a long time until there are no women left in his Kingdom except for the two daughters of his Vizier, Scheherazade, and Dinazade. Scheherazade, the eldest daughter is a wise, learned woman, and a gifted storyteller. She takes it upon herself to protect not only herself but also the women of her country from these senseless killings. Hence, Scheherazade volunteers to be the King’s next bride, despite her father’s protests. Now, every night, she narrates a story to Shah Shahryar and deliberately leaves it unfinished, ending on a cliffhanger, before dawn to pique his curiosity and to prevent him from executing her. This continues to happen for one thousand and one nights until Shah Shahryar is convinced of her chastity. (Hats off to this woman, by the way. It is not an easy task to narrate stories night after night.)
Anyway, that was about the frame tale. Now let’s talk about the tales. I loved most of the stories in the book, especially the ones that have elements of fairy tales in them such as, “The Tale of the Merchant and the Jinnee,” “The Ebony Horse,” “Aladdin and the Magic Lamp,” “Julnar the Mermaid and Her Son Badar Basim of Persian,” “The Tale of Judar and His Brothers,” and “Sindbad the Seaman and Sindbad the Landsman.” Although there are fairy tale elements in these stories, they are in no way appropriate for children. Overall, the book is a smooth read and the language is fine too, but some parts of the book include scenes of sexual nature. There is also the use of vulgar and offensive language in some places, making it an inappropriate read for children. Apart from that, a lot of stories have elements of racism and misogyny. Some stories showed women as commodities; however, there are also stories in which women are shown as cunning and men docile and innocent. However, it must be kept in mind that the book was written a long time ago in an era when these things were considered normal and acceptable. Therefore, we need to read these stories through the lens of their historical context.
On the other hand, if we see the character of Scheherazade, we will find her to be a strong female character in the story. She is not only the symbol of feminism but also the sane voice who used her brain and skills to educate Shah Shahryar and put sense into his head as well as helped other women to protect themselves from the wrath of the vengeful King. She seems to have an altruistic personality, in my opinion, for she decided to change the fate of the women of her kingdom by putting herself in jeopardy. For me, Scheherazade’s character is quite interesting and progressive keeping in mind the time in which it is written.
Some parts of the stories didn’t make much sense to me. For example, the justice of the King in the “Tale of the Three Apples” was very twisted. I found the King and his judgment quite stupid. Although I enjoyed all the stories, however, “The Tale of the Barber and His Brothers” was not something I enjoyed and though they were meant to be comic, I just couldn’t find them funny or humorous. In my opinion, there is no humor in the degradation of another person. Sadly, the Barber had seven brothers and I had to read all the seven stories that were more or less the same and I was getting bored by the end. I was relieved when his stories came to an end.
One of the stories that I thoroughly enjoyed in this book was the seven voyages of Sindbad the Seaman. According to the introduction of the book by Daniel Beaumont "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp" and "Ali Baba and Forty Thieves" were not parts of the original manuscript of the tales, which is why these stories were known as the “orphan stories.” They were later added by Antoine Galland, the French translator who undertook the task of translating these tales. Also, as I searched the internet about it, I came to know that Sindbad’s tale was also not part of the original manuscript. These stories were narrated to Galland by a woman named Hanna Diyab. The introduction of the book also states that “the earliest evidence of the book is a ninth-century papyrus found in Egypt.” These tales were later sent to Galland during the early 17th century, who translated them and from there on, they became popular in the Western world.
Nonetheless, these stories are truly amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed them. These tales offer the readers a glimpse into the society and culture of the ninth century Arab and Persia. It took me a couple of months to finish this book, but it was worth it. They reminded me of the bedtime stories I used to read when I was a kid, however, I would like to mention it again that these stories are not for kids. In my opinion, this book is a valuable read for anyone interested in folklore, cultural history, or classic literature. For me, it deserves 4/5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2021
4.4 stars. Wow. What a fantastic translation! Read this for my course on world lit (EdX course here), and I'm SO glad I did! (Reading dates estimated)
PT: RATW: Syria, Iraq, Egypt, India, etc., World Lit books, focus on the middle east, works in translation, classics, books that have been on my tbr for way too long, books that emphasize clothing
WIL
1) translation that flows. It’s not very often that I find a translated text that really *works.* This is a true gem. I mean, granted, I haven’t read the original text (because I don’t know how to read arabic lol) so I can’t REALLY say how true to the original text this is...but it just flows. It has the tone of a classic (formerly oral tradition) text. Maybe Zipes/Burton took more liberties in the translation to preserve the tone, but honestly I’m cool with that. It was so gosh darn readable.
2) adapted from the Burton translation. I was hesitant to include this in WIL because I think Burton’s translation is...ahem,, interesting. All the critics say he was controversial bc his translation was--let’s be honest-- just plain obscene. It seems like Zipes is the middle ground between Burton and Lane. (Yes, I know there are other translators. Those are just the two with which I am most familiar.) He preserves the academic integrity of the piece like Lane, and in doing so, effectively mitigates some of the “bawdiness” of Burton’s translation.
3) just interesting! Cool stories!! I want to tell some of these (in watered-down, milder versions) to my cousins!
4) cultural studies (the reading around the world goal). I didn’t know how far the geographic range of this book really was until i read it. Holy moly. It covers so MUCH. This image shows the range pretty well:
Kind of blurry on here, but you can view the actual image source here or here for the main page from which it’s sourced.
5) The Wrath and The Dawn- respect. I read the Wrath and The Dawn by Renée Ahdieh some time ago when I only had a very vague understanding of 1001 Nights/Arabian Nights. Now I get it. It makes SO much more sense. I gotta reread that. Respect to Renée Ahdieh for making the classic text more accessible for young adult readers.
6) understanding Disney's Aladdin. OHHHHH. OH I SEE WHAT THEY DID. Aladdin’s story in Disney canon is actually just the combination of A BUNCH of different Arabian Nights tales. THAT’S SO CLEVER WOW.
WIDL:
(TW: violence) (not the fault of the author) Violent and a bit intense at times. I mean, the casual killing and maiming and harsh punishments made this a bit jarring at times. Like, I didn’t really need to know how many pieces the wife was cut into after sleeping with someone who wasn’t her husband. Stuff like that. Yikes.
Neutral ground:
1) oh my god the treatment of women. oh my gOD. UH???? WHAT??
PT: RATW: Syria, Iraq, Egypt, India, etc., World Lit books, focus on the middle east, works in translation, classics, books that have been on my tbr for way too long, books that emphasize clothing
WIL
1) translation that flows. It’s not very often that I find a translated text that really *works.* This is a true gem. I mean, granted, I haven’t read the original text (because I don’t know how to read arabic lol) so I can’t REALLY say how true to the original text this is...but it just flows. It has the tone of a classic (formerly oral tradition) text. Maybe Zipes/Burton took more liberties in the translation to preserve the tone, but honestly I’m cool with that. It was so gosh darn readable.
2) adapted from the Burton translation. I was hesitant to include this in WIL because I think Burton’s translation is...ahem,, interesting. All the critics say he was controversial bc his translation was--let’s be honest-- just plain obscene. It seems like Zipes is the middle ground between Burton and Lane. (Yes, I know there are other translators. Those are just the two with which I am most familiar.) He preserves the academic integrity of the piece like Lane, and in doing so, effectively mitigates some of the “bawdiness” of Burton’s translation.
3) just interesting! Cool stories!! I want to tell some of these (in watered-down, milder versions) to my cousins!
4) cultural studies (the reading around the world goal). I didn’t know how far the geographic range of this book really was until i read it. Holy moly. It covers so MUCH. This image shows the range pretty well:
Kind of blurry on here, but you can view the actual image source here or here for the main page from which it’s sourced.
5) The Wrath and The Dawn- respect. I read the Wrath and The Dawn by Renée Ahdieh some time ago when I only had a very vague understanding of 1001 Nights/Arabian Nights. Now I get it. It makes SO much more sense. I gotta reread that. Respect to Renée Ahdieh for making the classic text more accessible for young adult readers.
6) understanding Disney's Aladdin. OHHHHH. OH I SEE WHAT THEY DID. Aladdin’s story in Disney canon is actually just the combination of A BUNCH of different Arabian Nights tales. THAT’S SO CLEVER WOW.
WIDL:
(TW: violence) (not the fault of the author) Violent and a bit intense at times. I mean, the casual killing and maiming and harsh punishments made this a bit jarring at times. Like, I didn’t really need to know how many pieces the wife was cut into after sleeping with someone who wasn’t her husband. Stuff like that. Yikes.
Neutral ground:
1) oh my god the treatment of women. oh my gOD. UH???? WHAT??
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2020
During my childhood I had already read parts of the 1001-nights stories. I never came across the official version, untill I got this book. My version with this ISBN is the complete edition, so I have no idea why the title description says Volume 1 of 2.
So... I have finished reading it today. Read it in parts, everybtime I picked up the book I read as much as I wanted. It isn't a book (at least for me it wasn't) to read without pauses.
I liked it and I loved to finally learn what fate had in store for Scheherazade and her sister.
So... I have finished reading it today. Read it in parts, everybtime I picked up the book I read as much as I wanted. It isn't a book (at least for me it wasn't) to read without pauses.
I liked it and I loved to finally learn what fate had in store for Scheherazade and her sister.
September 18, 2015
I had to read this for a course I'm TAing. Very sexist, very racist. Just all the problems. But also maybe some cool ideas around female sexual desire? Curious to see what gets said about this in lecture.
September 28, 2017
The version of Arabian Nights unexpurgated translation by Richard F. Burton adapted by Jack Zipes was certainly long, but worth reading. Apparently Zipes has arranged the stories he selected in order of interest with, of course, the exception of the frame story of Scheherazade and King Shahryar. Included are many of the famous tales: The Tale of the Ox and the Donkey, The Tale of the Merchant and the Jinnee (in which are embedded The First Sheikh's Story, The Second Sheikh's Story, and The Third Sheikh's Story), The Fisherman and the Jinnee (in which are embedded The Tale of King Yunan and the Sage Duban, The Tale of King Sinbad and his Falcon, The Tale of the Husband and the Parrot, The Tale of the Prince and the Ogress, and The Tale of the Enchanted Prince), The Ebony Horse, Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Aladdin and the Magic Lamp, Julnar the Mermaid and her son Badar Basim of Persia, The Tale about the Chief of Alexandria and the Chief of Police, Prince Behram and the Princess Al-Datma, The Tale of the Three Apples (in which is embedded The Tale of Nur al-Din Ali and his son), The Huntchback's Tale (in which are embedded The Christian Broker's Tale, The Steward's Tale, The Jewish Doctor's Tale, The Tailor's Tale, and The Barber's Tale in which are embedded tales of Himself, and each of his Six Brothers), The Hedgehog and the Pigeons (in which are embedded The Tale of the Merchant and the Two Thieves, The Tale of the Thief and his Monkey, and The Tale of the Foolish Weaver), The Wily Dalilah and her Daughter Zaynab, The Tale of Judar and his Brothers, and Sinbad the Seaman and Sinbad the Landsman (in which are embedded the seven Tales of Sinbad the Seaman's Seven Voyages).
These Tales are indeed unexpurgated when compared with the well-known children's versions for not only their sexual content, but particularly for their lack of what is today know as "political correctness" in discussing dwarves, hunchbacks, and especially black people. This is especially interesting when the afterward explains the Tales provided stories to illustrate appropriate moral and social codes of action. They provide a fascinating contrast of the moral and social codes of Islamic Indian, Persian and Arab ninth to fourteenth century people and twenty-first century culture of the United States.
The language is lush, the descriptions a bit too lengthy for our tastes. The number of meats for each meal, the number of jewels for each lovely lady, and even the number of "moon faced" women becomes hard to bear. But the stories are humorous, clever, and you can, if you look carefully, see the "moral" behind each one. The heroes realize their gifts and successes are from Allah, not their own cunning, and they are dutifully thankful and humble. While accepting that Fate is far stronger than their will, even so they boldly go searching for adventure and gain. It is a long, sometimes tiring, but useful read, both for entertainment and for cultural contrast.
These Tales are indeed unexpurgated when compared with the well-known children's versions for not only their sexual content, but particularly for their lack of what is today know as "political correctness" in discussing dwarves, hunchbacks, and especially black people. This is especially interesting when the afterward explains the Tales provided stories to illustrate appropriate moral and social codes of action. They provide a fascinating contrast of the moral and social codes of Islamic Indian, Persian and Arab ninth to fourteenth century people and twenty-first century culture of the United States.
The language is lush, the descriptions a bit too lengthy for our tastes. The number of meats for each meal, the number of jewels for each lovely lady, and even the number of "moon faced" women becomes hard to bear. But the stories are humorous, clever, and you can, if you look carefully, see the "moral" behind each one. The heroes realize their gifts and successes are from Allah, not their own cunning, and they are dutifully thankful and humble. While accepting that Fate is far stronger than their will, even so they boldly go searching for adventure and gain. It is a long, sometimes tiring, but useful read, both for entertainment and for cultural contrast.
November 27, 2021
The Arabian Nights (Signet Classics Edition - Adapted from Sir Richard Burton unexpurgated translation by Jack Zipes - Vols. 1 and 2)
To say anything at all about this book is not an easy task, since many others (the illustrious minds of John Barth and Jorge Luis Borges to name a few) have already declared their love for this rich tapestry of stories that has enchanted countless generations and will continue to enthrall countless others, but here is my humble attempt:
The Arabian Nights, a book written by many hands across many centuries, is one of those quintessential literary works that has captivated the hearts and minds of its readers and has stood the test of time as one of the most marvelous story collections ever written. Its origins date back to the 9th Century (first Arabic translation), although its sources (primarily a Persian work entitled A Thousand Stories, which was based on Indian Folk Tales) are much older, going all the way back to the ancient art of oral/vernacular storytelling.
Without further ado, this is the basic idea: King Shahryar marries a virgin every evening, but then kills her on the next day, in order to avoid being cuckolded by her. Once he marries Scheherazade, things take an unprecedented turn: she avoids her fate by telling him a new tale every evening, always keeping him at ease by telling him that her next tale will be even more marvelous than the one he has just heard. This not only dissuades Shahryar from his murderous impulses, but also becomes the main premise of the book - a deep-dive within the wonders of imagination.
The Nights' structure is part and parcel of one of the world’s oldest storytelling devices, the Frame Tale/Story (a story within a story), which dates back to the Indian Folk Tales mentioned above. This arabesque of stories told by Scheherazade is reminiscent of a Russian Matryoshka doll, with its many layers of self-contained beauty. The tales themselves are a smorgasbord of fictional delicacies, ranging from Adventure, Love Story, Science Fiction, Fable, Mystery, Horror, and even Erotica. There is something in it for everyone - personally I see it as vast panorama of narrative invention infused with traditional Islamic belief/mores.
The convolutions of the tales will capture your attention and immerse you in their atmosphere, while their manifold details and twists will take your mind on a trip to various places within the Arabic-speaking map and beyond. Needless to say, the Nights’ influence from the Medieval Era to our present days remains incontestable both in form as in content, from Boccaccio to Chaucer to Poe to R.L. Stevenson to Borges to Calvino...
We have all heard about this book as much as we have about those timeless classics such as Don Quixote, Hamlet, The Divine Comedy, and many others, so it will suffice to say that you could do a lot worse than to include this phenomenal work of art in your to-read list. It’s a ride you will never forget.
End of sermon.
To say anything at all about this book is not an easy task, since many others (the illustrious minds of John Barth and Jorge Luis Borges to name a few) have already declared their love for this rich tapestry of stories that has enchanted countless generations and will continue to enthrall countless others, but here is my humble attempt:
The Arabian Nights, a book written by many hands across many centuries, is one of those quintessential literary works that has captivated the hearts and minds of its readers and has stood the test of time as one of the most marvelous story collections ever written. Its origins date back to the 9th Century (first Arabic translation), although its sources (primarily a Persian work entitled A Thousand Stories, which was based on Indian Folk Tales) are much older, going all the way back to the ancient art of oral/vernacular storytelling.
Without further ado, this is the basic idea: King Shahryar marries a virgin every evening, but then kills her on the next day, in order to avoid being cuckolded by her. Once he marries Scheherazade, things take an unprecedented turn: she avoids her fate by telling him a new tale every evening, always keeping him at ease by telling him that her next tale will be even more marvelous than the one he has just heard. This not only dissuades Shahryar from his murderous impulses, but also becomes the main premise of the book - a deep-dive within the wonders of imagination.
The Nights' structure is part and parcel of one of the world’s oldest storytelling devices, the Frame Tale/Story (a story within a story), which dates back to the Indian Folk Tales mentioned above. This arabesque of stories told by Scheherazade is reminiscent of a Russian Matryoshka doll, with its many layers of self-contained beauty. The tales themselves are a smorgasbord of fictional delicacies, ranging from Adventure, Love Story, Science Fiction, Fable, Mystery, Horror, and even Erotica. There is something in it for everyone - personally I see it as vast panorama of narrative invention infused with traditional Islamic belief/mores.
The convolutions of the tales will capture your attention and immerse you in their atmosphere, while their manifold details and twists will take your mind on a trip to various places within the Arabic-speaking map and beyond. Needless to say, the Nights’ influence from the Medieval Era to our present days remains incontestable both in form as in content, from Boccaccio to Chaucer to Poe to R.L. Stevenson to Borges to Calvino...
We have all heard about this book as much as we have about those timeless classics such as Don Quixote, Hamlet, The Divine Comedy, and many others, so it will suffice to say that you could do a lot worse than to include this phenomenal work of art in your to-read list. It’s a ride you will never forget.
End of sermon.
May 5, 2020
If you're not familiar, here's the setup: In ancient times, this sadistic king who has been emotionally burned by women decides to be a complete psychopath and marry a new virgin every day, take her virginity that night, execute her, then repeat the next day. This goes on until the entire kingdom is running out of maidens. When he sets his sights on our protagonist Scheherazade's sister, Scheherazade pulls a Hunger Games, yells "I volunteer," and marries him instead.
The premise is then that that night, after they've consummated their marriage, before he can execute her, she starts telling him a story, and it's so fascinating that he decides to not execute her so he can hear the end of it the next night. She does this over and over, telling tale after tale, thus delaying her execution indefinitely and saving the women of the kingdom. The tales she tells constitute the titular "1001 Tales of the Arabian Nights."
There's just one problem.
If I were the crazy king in this situation, and she were telling me the tales included in these volumes, she wouldn't survive the week, because most of these are emotionally un-engaging. Tedious. In a word: BORING.
I will give some slack because this is an Arabic-to-French-to-English translation, which explains why it's all a bit wooden, but it goes beyond just boring. These stories are shockingly racist, sexist, just about every "ist" you can imagine. The moral of more than a few of them are the importance of beating your wife to put her in her place. If anything, it makes me realize that, politics aside, we truly do live in an enlightened time.
Other fun moral issues include: Every single "romance" contained within revolves around the young suitor desperately trying to impress the girl's FATHER, because the concept of it being the woman's decision flat-out doesn't exist in this era / setting.
Another cringe-worthy trend is how many of these stories revolve around a wife cheating on her husband with a black slave, which they repeatedly point out is far worse than if she cheated on him with a white person. And on that note EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER in these stories has slaves. All of them. Apparently the only people worth remembering from these times were slave-owners. The stories almost never revolved around an under-class person. The few exceptions to the rule were rags-to-riches stories where the moral is "life is about acquiring wealth and slaves."
If you MUST read these, reading one or two gives you a general overview of how they all go; they're all more or less the same. Everybody tricking each other, getting turned into animals, finding genies, being cheated on, etc. However, it's marginally worth your time as it is an insight into the horror that was living in the Arab world in Medieval times.
The premise is then that that night, after they've consummated their marriage, before he can execute her, she starts telling him a story, and it's so fascinating that he decides to not execute her so he can hear the end of it the next night. She does this over and over, telling tale after tale, thus delaying her execution indefinitely and saving the women of the kingdom. The tales she tells constitute the titular "1001 Tales of the Arabian Nights."
There's just one problem.
If I were the crazy king in this situation, and she were telling me the tales included in these volumes, she wouldn't survive the week, because most of these are emotionally un-engaging. Tedious. In a word: BORING.
I will give some slack because this is an Arabic-to-French-to-English translation, which explains why it's all a bit wooden, but it goes beyond just boring. These stories are shockingly racist, sexist, just about every "ist" you can imagine. The moral of more than a few of them are the importance of beating your wife to put her in her place. If anything, it makes me realize that, politics aside, we truly do live in an enlightened time.
Other fun moral issues include: Every single "romance" contained within revolves around the young suitor desperately trying to impress the girl's FATHER, because the concept of it being the woman's decision flat-out doesn't exist in this era / setting.
Another cringe-worthy trend is how many of these stories revolve around a wife cheating on her husband with a black slave, which they repeatedly point out is far worse than if she cheated on him with a white person. And on that note EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER in these stories has slaves. All of them. Apparently the only people worth remembering from these times were slave-owners. The stories almost never revolved around an under-class person. The few exceptions to the rule were rags-to-riches stories where the moral is "life is about acquiring wealth and slaves."
If you MUST read these, reading one or two gives you a general overview of how they all go; they're all more or less the same. Everybody tricking each other, getting turned into animals, finding genies, being cheated on, etc. However, it's marginally worth your time as it is an insight into the horror that was living in the Arab world in Medieval times.
November 22, 2019
I have never read this book straight thru. I keep it on my shelf and take it down to read or re-read a story here and there, or take on travel to read on the bus. It gives a detailed picture of Islamic feudal society, such as patriarchy, the class system, economic practices, crime and justice, the role of religion, including in politics. The similarities with the Christian feudal system are notable. It's a good example of the concept of base and superstructure. The base being the prevailing mode of production in a society, in this case feudalism, and the superstructure being the customs, social relations, culture, art, state, politics etc. arising from that base.
This 600 page edition by Zipes is based on the translation by Burton, a Cristian European (English). It contains just a part of Burton's translation of the Arabian nights. The whole thing is pretty massive.
This 600 page edition by Zipes is based on the translation by Burton, a Cristian European (English). It contains just a part of Burton's translation of the Arabian nights. The whole thing is pretty massive.
July 27, 2024
It only took for six years to finish reading this. Some of the tales are imaginative and engaging, while others suffer from repetition. There are quite a few tropes in the stories as well which have not aged well, particularly about African characters, Jews, and women in general. Besides those uncomfortable tropes, one of the most tiresome aspects of the stories is that every woman in the tales, they are either a hideous hag, or else they are the most beautiful woman to have graced the planet. It all gets a bit repetitive and feels like most of the characters are all the same in terms of motivation.
September 28, 2019
What a classic set of stories. This paperback was printed in 1991 but is still holding up well. The font is small but it is dark and easy to read (I detest a light-colored font). There are a few translation or typos but minimal enough to not cause problems. I remember first reading these stories as a child and how they transported me across the ages to another country and culture with genies, mysteries caves, and magic words.
April 20, 2022
Unfortunately, I won’t be able to finish this book due to the slngth in I have to return it soon back to the library. But while it lasted, I did enjoy every single tale, from The fisherman and the genie to Alibaba and the 40 thieves. One day I’ll pick this book up again in the future. For now, happy reading.
April 29, 2023
There is misogyny and racism that frame these stories as well as being woven into them but there is also wonder, inventiveness, magic and intelligence. Aside from the problematic content these stories are entertaining and some parts even wise, which is why we continually go back to them to adapt or just to find inspiration.
February 27, 2025
Was a good book. I read it in middle school and was taken back by the amount of sex in the book. Pretty tame by modern descriptions and it doesn't hold a candle to modern romance or smut novels, but for a seventh grader in the early 90's it could get the heart going.
The stories are fun and timeless.
The stories are fun and timeless.
April 11, 2020
I found this book in an antique shop. I fell in love with Scheherazade. While Sinbad were stories I already knew from pop culture and movies I found myself liking the other stories better. If you like grim fairy tales and dark stories I think you will like this book.
September 24, 2019
I really enjoyed the tales in this book although many were similar.
June 29, 2020
Best book that I have ever read.
August 4, 2021
Pop Sugar Reading Challenge-a book published anonymously
Most of the "heroes" in these stories were awful. Lazy, murderers, rapists. Blech.
Most of the "heroes" in these stories were awful. Lazy, murderers, rapists. Blech.
January 7, 2022
A great story with its great story well explained and narrated.
August 4, 2023
Stories within stories and intricate Arabian folklore.
June 22, 2024
SIX WORD REVIEWS: Genies and treasures and talking fish.
April 5, 2025
A woman wisely and patiently spends 1,001 nights of story telling (albeit nested and repetitive) that saves life, changes outlook, and brings peace.
July 7, 2015
Finally!!! I didn’t think I was ever going to finish this book.
I found the book at a used bookstore and knew nothing about it other than the title. I began reading it thinking it was a long fairy tale. Boy, was I wrong. As someone so aptly put in their review, it really is an Arabian parallel to the Grimm fairy tales. You would never sit down and read all of those at once, so why would you sit down and read all of these at once. As soon as I read that, it changed my whole perspective. I read until I got tired or bored and then would put it down for a while, coming back to it later when it piqued my interest again.
The overarching structure of the book is the storyline of Scheherazade and King Shahryar. King Shahryar and his brother experience some issues with the women in their lives (namely infidelity), so King Shahryar decides that every night he will sleep with a different virgin and then kill her the next day. After this goes on for some time, the Vizier’s daughter, Scheherazade, decides she can set it right. So she sleeps with the King and begins her first of many tales including Aladdin, Sinbad, the Hunchback’s tale, and a whole plethora of others. King Shahryar is so enraptured with her storytelling ability that he allows her to live night to night until finally, Scheherazade confronts him by pointing out how all her tales had a purpose of teaching the King moral, social, and cultural values. He decides to marry Scheherazade, his brother decides to marry her sister, and all is right in the world.
There are a couple of things that struck me most about the book. First, coming from my Western Judeo-Christian upbringing, there were a lot of tales that I knew were references to the Muslim culture, but had no idea what the reference was. Second, you could tell that Scheherazade values the tradition of oral history and storytelling. This value comes through clearly in her multiple stories within stories. Many of her characters get into trouble through one mean or another. How do they get out of trouble? They tell a story. And, many times the character in their story gets into trouble, and how do they get out of trouble? You got it! A story.
The last thing that struck me was the use of guile and cunning throughout the stories. It didn’t matter whether the character was in the right or in the wrong, if they could finagle their way out through the use of either of these, then it was appropriate. To me, the natural conclusion of this is there is no right or wrong only the ability to justify one’s self. And second, there is no truth, only the ability to twist the story to fit one’s needs. Both of these are unsettling to me. Again, probably rooted in my world view, but what is there in life if there isn’t ultimately going to be justice? What is there in life if there isn’t truth? Without either of these, life becomes futile and morals have no relevance.
All in all, I’m glad I read the book once. It gave me some insights into a culture I’ve never experienced. It made me think about some of my own beliefs. It made me think over the things that I value and how I pass those values on to my children and family.
I found the book at a used bookstore and knew nothing about it other than the title. I began reading it thinking it was a long fairy tale. Boy, was I wrong. As someone so aptly put in their review, it really is an Arabian parallel to the Grimm fairy tales. You would never sit down and read all of those at once, so why would you sit down and read all of these at once. As soon as I read that, it changed my whole perspective. I read until I got tired or bored and then would put it down for a while, coming back to it later when it piqued my interest again.
The overarching structure of the book is the storyline of Scheherazade and King Shahryar. King Shahryar and his brother experience some issues with the women in their lives (namely infidelity), so King Shahryar decides that every night he will sleep with a different virgin and then kill her the next day. After this goes on for some time, the Vizier’s daughter, Scheherazade, decides she can set it right. So she sleeps with the King and begins her first of many tales including Aladdin, Sinbad, the Hunchback’s tale, and a whole plethora of others. King Shahryar is so enraptured with her storytelling ability that he allows her to live night to night until finally, Scheherazade confronts him by pointing out how all her tales had a purpose of teaching the King moral, social, and cultural values. He decides to marry Scheherazade, his brother decides to marry her sister, and all is right in the world.
There are a couple of things that struck me most about the book. First, coming from my Western Judeo-Christian upbringing, there were a lot of tales that I knew were references to the Muslim culture, but had no idea what the reference was. Second, you could tell that Scheherazade values the tradition of oral history and storytelling. This value comes through clearly in her multiple stories within stories. Many of her characters get into trouble through one mean or another. How do they get out of trouble? They tell a story. And, many times the character in their story gets into trouble, and how do they get out of trouble? You got it! A story.
The last thing that struck me was the use of guile and cunning throughout the stories. It didn’t matter whether the character was in the right or in the wrong, if they could finagle their way out through the use of either of these, then it was appropriate. To me, the natural conclusion of this is there is no right or wrong only the ability to justify one’s self. And second, there is no truth, only the ability to twist the story to fit one’s needs. Both of these are unsettling to me. Again, probably rooted in my world view, but what is there in life if there isn’t ultimately going to be justice? What is there in life if there isn’t truth? Without either of these, life becomes futile and morals have no relevance.
All in all, I’m glad I read the book once. It gave me some insights into a culture I’ve never experienced. It made me think about some of my own beliefs. It made me think over the things that I value and how I pass those values on to my children and family.
May 11, 2016
I think the last thing I'll remember before I die is, "And Scheherazade noticed that dawn was approaching and stopped telling her story. When the next night arrived, however, she received the king's permission to continue her tale and said..." Except for that one time it was randomly "The next DAY arrived." That was weird.
I think this may be the longest it has ever taken me to finish a book. I really didn't enjoy 99% of what I read. The only "tale" I really liked was the Hunchback's story. Other thoughts gathered from my status updates:
"Why isn't it Morgiana and the 40 thieves? Ali Baba did fuck all except accidentally stumble onto some gold and get fooled by a robber over and over and over again."
"Ah yes. The evil lying scheming cheating Jew. known only as The Jew. Thanks for that."
"And thus, Aladdin learned that if you spend your life being an ass hole and mooching off your mother, one day you will be given a magic lamp that you can order to make you rich and powerful through no merit or effort of your own! Also, all Jews are horrible and will steal all your money. The end."
"I know these are supposed to be morality tales, but the morals are so inconsistent. So magic is evil when the "Moor" uses it, but noble when Aladdin does. Here's what I'm noticing about these old fairy tales (well, the Signet translations, anyway): there's no internal consistency to the stories. Which makes sense given that this is a conglomeration of tales from a huge variety of different times and places, only held together by the framing Scheherazade story, but that doesn't mean I have to enjoy it."
"It's all, "And then this happened, for some reason. And then THIS happened for some reason. And then this person suddenly changed his entire personality for some reason. And sometimes people are morally punished, and sometimes they're rewarded for the exact same reason because of the reason, that's why.""
"Yay rape! This is the most appalling one yet. "Prince Behram and the Princess Al-Datma." Or, as the Afterward describes it, a delightful precursor to Taming of the Shrew, showing a demanding woman being put in her place. In other words, fuck you, Jack Zipes."
"Everyone is beautiful in the exact same way. Also, yay, the Jew didn't do anything terrible this time! The racism in this book is appalling. It's bad enough being Jewish while reading; I imagine it must be like a thousand slaps to the face if you're black. And apparently this translation is "toned down.""
"What the actual fuck just happened? At first, it seemed like this was going to be a Joseph and the Technucolour etc about ass hole brothers mellowing out over time and with forgiveness. Then it seemed like it was maybe a tale of a good guy getting his just desserts. But then the brothers killed him anyway, and then the wife killed the brothers and the community chose a new king. The end. Moral? When your brothers keep trying to kill you and beat your mother, don't continually forgive them and give them a free ride. Or possibly this is why we can't have nice things. Or because fuck you, that's why. So what comes first: the chicken of parental favoritism, or the egg of the ass hole sibling?"
I think this may be the longest it has ever taken me to finish a book. I really didn't enjoy 99% of what I read. The only "tale" I really liked was the Hunchback's story. Other thoughts gathered from my status updates:
"Why isn't it Morgiana and the 40 thieves? Ali Baba did fuck all except accidentally stumble onto some gold and get fooled by a robber over and over and over again."
"Ah yes. The evil lying scheming cheating Jew. known only as The Jew. Thanks for that."
"And thus, Aladdin learned that if you spend your life being an ass hole and mooching off your mother, one day you will be given a magic lamp that you can order to make you rich and powerful through no merit or effort of your own! Also, all Jews are horrible and will steal all your money. The end."
"I know these are supposed to be morality tales, but the morals are so inconsistent. So magic is evil when the "Moor" uses it, but noble when Aladdin does. Here's what I'm noticing about these old fairy tales (well, the Signet translations, anyway): there's no internal consistency to the stories. Which makes sense given that this is a conglomeration of tales from a huge variety of different times and places, only held together by the framing Scheherazade story, but that doesn't mean I have to enjoy it."
"It's all, "And then this happened, for some reason. And then THIS happened for some reason. And then this person suddenly changed his entire personality for some reason. And sometimes people are morally punished, and sometimes they're rewarded for the exact same reason because of the reason, that's why.""
"Yay rape! This is the most appalling one yet. "Prince Behram and the Princess Al-Datma." Or, as the Afterward describes it, a delightful precursor to Taming of the Shrew, showing a demanding woman being put in her place. In other words, fuck you, Jack Zipes."
"Everyone is beautiful in the exact same way. Also, yay, the Jew didn't do anything terrible this time! The racism in this book is appalling. It's bad enough being Jewish while reading; I imagine it must be like a thousand slaps to the face if you're black. And apparently this translation is "toned down.""
"What the actual fuck just happened? At first, it seemed like this was going to be a Joseph and the Technucolour etc about ass hole brothers mellowing out over time and with forgiveness. Then it seemed like it was maybe a tale of a good guy getting his just desserts. But then the brothers killed him anyway, and then the wife killed the brothers and the community chose a new king. The end. Moral? When your brothers keep trying to kill you and beat your mother, don't continually forgive them and give them a free ride. Or possibly this is why we can't have nice things. Or because fuck you, that's why. So what comes first: the chicken of parental favoritism, or the egg of the ass hole sibling?"
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