Kalila and Dimna: Selected Fables of Bidpai, Retold by Ramsay Wood [Hardcover]

Ramsay Wood (Author), Margaret Kilrenny (Illustrator), Doris Lessing (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1980

First appearing in Sanskrit nearly 2,000 years ago, TheTales of Bidpai, with their slyly profound grasp of human nature at its best--and more often at its worst--have been translated through the centuries from Ethiopia to China. Incidents from the tales can be identified in Buddhist shrines built before 200 BC, and in the fables of Aesop, La Fontaine and Uncle Remus. Ramsay Wood brings us a racy, contemporary English translation--the first since 1888. Margaret Kilrenny's intricate line drawings bring the stories to life.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A beautiful book full of mirth and human interest and unsentimental wisdom and vigorous writing. -- The Boston Globe, August 19, 1980 (also referring to the first US edition of the same book)

Crossing linguistic and cultural frontiers, these fables also transcend conventional time-frames. They abound with temporal paradoxes . . . They contain words of advice whose meaning only becomes gradually clear, sometimes after a very long delay. -- Le Monde, September 15, 2006 (referring to the French edition of the same book)

His version will certainly be much more attractive to modern readers than the older translations, with the drier narratives and unfamiliar oriental hyperbole. -- The Times Literary Supplement March 17, 1980 (also referring to first British edition)

Unique retelling... may well jolt literary sensibilities tuned to the solemnity or quaintness of our best known versions of animal fables. -- San Francisco Sunday Examiner & Chronicle,July 27, 1980 (referring to the first US edition of the same book by Knopf)

When Ramsay Wood retells a story he makes a proper job of it: not for him those pale imitations of a noble original which is what your average reteller so often palms off on his readers, His style is vigorous, unrepentantly colloquial, and yet -in case your purist's soul is now shriveling - his text retains a high degree of that bardic dignity proper to the classic fable. -- The Times, 1980 (referring to first British edition of the same book by Paladin) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

In his retelling of 'Kalila and Dimna', Ramsay Wood deftly knits several oral storytelling traditions into a captivating literary style. This version from all major ancient texts is the first new compendium in English since 1570. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 263 pages
• Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf; 1st edition (June 1980)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394506936
• ISBN-13: 978-0394506937
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,346,062 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless Tales, November 8, 2010

By 

Christopher N. Darlington - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Kalila and Dimna: Fables of Friendship and Betrayal (Paperback)

These tales are indeed timeless, and more than that, of universal application. On a recent trip to the airport my cabbie referred to the wisdom in these stories while commenting on a current political event that was sweeping the news. I recommend this book for all those looking for a wondrous reading experience.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Mystery from the start, September 28, 2008

By 

William T. Palmer (Pasadena, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kalila and Dimna: Fables of Friendship and Betrayal (Paperback)

Well I was able to stop without finishing in a single sitting but only because I did not allow enough time today. The universal and timeless stories of friendship and betrayal speak to all of us.

There is an interesting twist right from the beginning...Alexander the Great's puppet and unjust tyrant in India was overturned and replaced by King Dabschelim (from the preface). But the King's predecessor was his own father (from the first story). Did Dabschelim overturn his own father? And by the way, King Dabschelim is no angel..would hate to live under his father!! More to follow.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kalila and Dimna, August 26, 2008

By 

Vernon Roden - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tales of Kalila and Dimna: Classic Fables from India (Paperback)

Delightful, better than Aesop--but in the same vein. Very relaxing to read and so much fun. Not as magical as Narnia or Lord of the Rings. Stories are not too complex and have their messages all over the place. If you want symbolism and subtlety, this is one way to go. If you just want a fun bunch of stories, go here, too. Don't expect to learn much about Indian culture/ways of life here. One could put these stories into almost amy culture and the themes would come through.