Conference of the Birds: A Seeker's Journey to God [Paperback]

Farid Al-Din Attar (Author), Rustom Pestonji Masani (Author, Translator), Andrew Harvey (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2001

First written in the 12th century, Conference of the Birds is an allegory of extreme measures for extreme times -- the story of birds seeking a king is the story of all of us seeking God. Like the birds, we may be excited for the journey, until we realize that we must give up our fears and hollow desires, that our journey will be long and hard. Like the duck, we may not wish to leave the water. Like the nightingale, we may want to stay close to our roses. Direct and to the point, Masani's translation, made in the early part of the 19th century, is particularly apropos for our early 21st century times -- both are periods of intense spiritual seeking.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 72 pages
• Publisher: Red Wheel Weiser (October 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578632463
• ISBN-13: 978-1578632466
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #377,254 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful work but this isn't the best English version., August 15, 2002

By 

Dan (Washington DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Conference of the Birds: A Seeker's Journey to God (Paperback)

The Conference of the Birds is a marvellous book--a sufi treatise on the spiritual life written in Persian rhyming couplets. This translation is not in poetry, but in rather dull prose. In addition the translator leaves out a number of the stories that make up the bulk of the work. He mistranslates at a few crucial points.

I would recommend instead the extraordinary translation by Dick Davis and Afkham Darbandi. With great skill the whole work is translated into rhyming couplets like the original. Davis' rhythm and rhyme carry you through the work at a cracking pace, unlike the plodding prose of this version. Davis and Darbandi's translation is in the Penguin Classics series, ISBN 0140444343, also available from Amazon, where you can see a sample of their work.

5.0 out of 5 stars A fan, a groupie, September 22, 2009

By 

Ali Bamba "A traveler" (Philadelphia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Conference of the Birds: A Seeker's Journey to God (Paperback)

I don't if such words could be used when it comes to describing such a spiritual book but Attar (peace be upon him) is trully a master. TThe simplicity with which he relates the story is very deep. The way God is described is an eye opener. I recommend this book to anybody who wants to know what Sufism is about.