alphadesigner's reviews
100 reviews

A fascinating journey into the geography of the human psyche, from Antiquity to present days.

I didn't really finish it. There is no end. This book is a chameleon. Ridiculously awesome.

A fascinating exploration of the legend of Cockaigne through various perspectives: historical, linguistic, psychological, religious, and last but not least—culinary :)

A collection of stories full of brilliant ideas, some of which written with excessive complexity and occasionally—a very opaque style. Whether that can be viewed as a shortcoming or an achievement depends on the ability of the reader to focus, follow the rhythm, and grasp the concepts driving the storylines. I got lost several times, feeling like stranger who arrived too late to a party full of old friends. However, ultimately, this book is a delight.

Being a collection of stories inherited from oral tradition, The Arabian Nights have no "original" version. However, their popularity in the West can be traced back in history to two main manuscripts, the oldest of which comes from 14th Century Syria and is kept in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris. This translation is based on it and represents the oldest known written core of the collection. Editor Muhsin Mahdi and translator Husain Haddawy have intentionally stuck to the spirit of this "original," with the goal to present the tales in their most authentic tone and form, before European translators adapted them to the expectations of their public. Like anything older than 500 years, it is a challenging read. The gratuitous mysogyny and racism, especially in the first couple of stories, can be overwhelming even to people with thick skin, yet it is important not to forget that just like fairy tales require a certain suspension of disbelief, historical perspectives require a certain suspension of judgement. Those who object to the idea can return to the safety of the Disney-esque versions. Interestingly, the most famous stories we associate with The Arabian Nights (Aladin, Sindbad, and Ali Baba) are missing from this book. They are later additions and some scholars suspect that their authenticity has been faked by European authors. Which shouldn't be that shocking bearing in mind that the Syrian manuscript is itself a collection of random stories. This becomes apparent as The Nights unfold, meandering between simplistic fairy tales of sex and betrayal, action-packed adventures, overly long sentimental tragedies, and sagas of might and magic.