The Secret of Laughter: Magical Tales from Classical Persia [Paperback]

Shusha Guppy (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 184511695X | ISBN-13: 978-1845116958 | Publication Date: May 13, 2008

Shusha Guppy, editor of The London Paris Review and prize winning author, narrates this unique collection of Persian stories that have been handed down through the generations. Although their sources have been lost over the ages, their memory runs through the collective psyche of the Iranian people and each tale reflects a deep cultural and psychological insight into the attitudes, values and structures which constitute Iranian society.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Somehow she puts you in touch with the ancient experience of a whole people... the real river of souls and physical ritual history which is the genius of Persia." --Ted Hughes

'"She writes with a fluency and charm that seem to come as naturally as breathing." --Patrick Leigh Fermor

"Each tale of wonder and adventure is retold with practice and polish, displaying a natural storyteller's inventive ability to interweave versions in pursuit of the perfect tapestry.  Guppy's versions, rich in texture and expansive in form, manage to compress a hundred Persian nights of leisurely storytelling into a few pages." --Aamer Hussein, Independent

"A bewitching collection of folk tales revealing a wonderfully rich culture. In contrast to the curent, desperately limited portrait of Islam in the media, It's a surprisingly sensual collection, revealing a strongly female-centred society.  All in all, this is remarkably subversive for a book of fairy stories." --John Williams, Mail on Sunday

"Guppy heard these tales in her childhood, has carried the memory of them around the cities of Europe, telling them to children, embellishing them with details and wisdom of her own, and now writing them down in polished versions that are models of narrative clarity. Cheerful and heartwarming. A pleasure to read." --Roger Scruton, The Times

"Charming and digressive, they [the Stories] are full of sorcery, love affairs and tyrants who are thwarted by clever, resourceful women." --Financial Times Magazine

"A delightful read. The Secret of Laughter allows us to witness the ability of literature to preserve a culture..." --Times Higher Education Supplement

'"She makes you live moments of real enchantment.. . freshness, delicacy, intensity." --Nathalie Sarraute

"A more charming, alluring and unique book will not be published this – or any other – year...The Secret of Laughter is regrettably brief but repeatedly memorable."--Douglas Murray, author of Bosie: A Biography of Lord Alfred Douglas

'Well-remembered and beautifully written...vivid description...wonderful moral tale...exotic book.' - Loose Ends, BBC Radio 4

"Here is Shusha Guppy doing what she does so well - recreating and so preserving, for English-reading audiences, the bewitching worlds of Persian folklore and fairy tales which continue to engage young and old alike." --Eastern Art Report

"It is a long time since I have enjoyed a book so much. I guarantee you the same pleasure...This is a book for everyone."  --Saturday Times (UK)  

About the Author

Shusha Guppy was born and brought up in Iran. She went to Paris when she was 17 to study at the Sorbonne, and moved to London in the early 1960s. London editor of The Paris Review, she contributes to publications on both sides of the Atlantic. A well-known writer and singer/songwriter, she is also the author of the prize winning The Blindfold Horse and A Girl in Paris (both Tauris Parke Paperbacks

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: Tauris Parke Paperbacks (May 13, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 184511695X
• ISBN-13: 978-1845116958
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,089,570 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!, November 25, 2008

By 

Janine J. Hill (melbourne ,australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Secret of Laughter: Magical Tales from Classical Persia (Paperback)

I absolutely loved this version of Iranian folktales.It only seemed like i started and it was over and I was left wanting more.
I lived in Iran for a period of time and I was really missing it by the end of reading this .

5.0 out of 5 stars The secret of Laughter, November 25, 2011

By 

Kate Runyan "katethecook" (Santa Monica, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Secret of Laughter: Magical Tales from Classical Persia (Paperback)

This a charming book, filled with lovely , old Persian tales. I found out about this book when we were recently visiting Istanbul, and we went to one of the English bookstores there and they spoke highly of this book. I ordered it as soon as I got home, plus ordering an additional copy for a friend. It's a delightful book, and at the Turkbooks they suggested reading a chapter ( one of the tales ) every day or so, not reading the whole book at once that would defeat the purpose of this charming book.
This is really a lovely, and magical book, and really worth having.