The Magical Tales of the Arabian Nights

Collected over the centuries from India Persia and Arabia and ranging from adventure fantasies vivacious erotica and animal fables to pointed Sufi tales these stories provided the daily entertainment of the medieval Islamic world at the heightt of its glory. No one knows exactly when a given story originated and many circulated orally for centuries before being written down; but in the process of telling and retelling they were modified to reflect the general life and customs of the Arab society that adapted them?a distinctive synthesis that marks the cultural and artistic history of Islam. Arabian Nights is a compelling look at both Arabic culture and Western ideas of the East--and the perfect addition to any home library.