Love's Alchemy: Poems from the Sufi Tradition [Hardcover]

David Fideler (Author), Sabrineh Fideler (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 11, 2006

The thirteenth-century poet Rumi is just one voice in the poetry of Sufism, the timeless Persian mystical tradition. The poems and epigrams collected in Love’s Alchemy represent all of the major poets, including Rumi, of this magnificent art. While many recent bestsellers have been interpretations from other English translations, Sabrineh and David Fideler work from the original Persian sources. The book offers faithful yet elegant translations from 170 of the best poems written in ruba'i form: concise, tightly focused meditations that span only four lines, but which reveal worlds of meaning. The poems explore many aspects of human life and the spiritual path, but center on the liberating power of love. Also included are an extensive introduction, a glossary, and notes that place these wonderful poems in cultural, historical, and religious context.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“I have appreciated the highly original, solid, and beautiful work of David Fideler for many years. Love’s Alchemy could come only from his wide knowledge and sense of aesthetics. In its musical words, the Sufi poets paint a delicate word-bridge between the earthly and the spiritual, and they charm us, wakening the human urge to transcend ourselves.”
— Thomas Moore, author of Care of the Soul and Dark Nights of the Soul

“Love’s Alchemy takes us into the tavern of mystical love, full of intoxicating treasures of Sufi poetry. Here are the masters of love, Rumi among them, whose words speak directly to the soul. With beauty and wisdom they teach us the truth of our eternal nature and how the heart opens to God. Treasure these poems and allow them to nourish the secret and hidden parts of your innermost being.”
— Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, PhD, author of Sufism: The Transformation of the Heart

“Love’s Alchemy is a delightful and absorbing collection of translations from the major Persian Sufi poets. David and Sabrineh Fideler have provided authentic interpretations of these mystical texts in memorable form. Lovers of Rumi will be pleased to find so many other great authors from this tradition.”
— Carl W. Ernst, Zachary Smith Professor, Department of Religious Studies, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill

“This is how Sufis themselves teach Sufism: through poetry as alchemy. And these translations are indeed transmutations, changing the gold of Persian into the gold of English.”
— Peter Lamborn Wilson, author of Sacred Drift: Essays on the Margins of Islam

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: New World Library (April 11, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577315359
• ISBN-13: 978-1577315353
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,035,073 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Clean & Elegant rendition of inspiring poetry, June 23, 2006

By 

Dominick Bruno Jr. (Highland Park, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Love's Alchemy: Poems from the Sufi Tradition (Hardcover)

I delayed picking this book up for awhile after it came out - I'm not usually one for poetry. It was my loss, and a great one at that.

This volume of thought-provoking and inspirational writings by many great Sufi poets is of immense value to spiritual folks of any faith as well as those who simply appreciate fine poetry. The translation by David & Sabrineh Fideler is very clean and sparing - spartan while still exhibiting an elegance that only comes from both knowledge of the language as well as the meanings intended by the authors.

It's really rare that a compendium of poetry can serve admirably both for leisure reading and academic study, but they've really pulled it off here. The included glossary also helps to explain Sufi symbolism to the reader unacquainted with such things, and thus the work can also serve well as a da'wa tool.

To sum it up, I highly recommend this book & thank the translators for the excellent job they have done here.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Exceptional Collection of Poetry, June 6, 2006

By 

Bob Tarte (Lowell, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Love's Alchemy: Poems from the Sufi Tradition (Hardcover)

This is an exceptional collection of Sufi poetry from a wide range of writers, some well known in the West and some fairly obscure. David and Sabrineh Fideler's translations are lovely and straight forward, and their choice of poems benefit both newcomers to Sufism and those looking for the deepest truths. Highly recommended.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful!, February 4, 2007

By 

Seeker of Knowledge (Brooksville, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Love's Alchemy: Poems from the Sufi Tradition (Hardcover)

This is a very excellent and smooth translation that captures the essence of the sufism and spirituality.