Customer Reviews

The Arabian Nights: An Encyclopedia (Two Volume Set)

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An impressively collaborative work by Ulrich Marzolph (Professor of Islamic Studies, Georg-August University, Gottingen, Germany) and Richard van Leeuwen (Associate Professor, Department of Religious Studies, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands) this two-volume edition of The Arabian Nights Encyclopedia is a comprehensively detailed compilation providing students with authoritative and up-to-date research on the diverse stories historically comprising the Islamic classic collection of myth, legend, and folklore known to western readers as "The Arabian Nights". The characters, themes, most influential translations, textual history, adaptations, and literary context for each individual story is proffered in a thoroughly accessible and "user friendly" arrangement. Featuring more than 800 sperate entries organized in an A-Z format, The Arabian Nights Encyclopedia is a seminal, core, essential, informed and informative contribution to personal, professional, academic, and community library Literary Studies, Folklore Studies, and Islamic Cultural Studies reference collections and resource holdings.

Another reviewer complains that because the book does not use the Persian title, "One Thousand and One Nights" (Hazar Afsan in Persian), the book cannot be a trustworthy source. It is true that the earliest references we have to stories in the tradition are Persian, dating to the 9th and 10th century, and the Scheherezade frame story comes from this Persian tradition. Nevertheless, the majority of the stories in the modern collections (14th century on) come from Iraqi, Syrian, Egyptian, and other Arab sources (as well as some Indian Sanskrit sources). And while they continue to use mostly Persian character names within those stories, they also use characters such as Prince Ahmad, an Arab name. This reviewer's sole complaint about this book is based on a flawed view of the history of this book (or tradition of books). I have found the book to be a tremendous source of information, history, and analysis, and recommend it highly. -- Darrah

The whole story of One Thousand and One Nights is Persian and the characters are Persian, including pure Persian names, however its better known as "Arabian Nights". This book advocates this inaccurate name and therefore is not a trustworthy source for studying the "One Thousand and One Nights".

While you are at it write a book on Alexander and call it the "Turkish Conqueror" who is a Ninja, historically accurate by your standards.