Arabian Nights and Days: A Novel

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It's a hit!

Although I didn't care for Naguib Mahfouz's famous Cairo Walk, I really enjoyed Arabian Nights and Days. It is whimsical, with its meddling genies,... (show more)

Although I didn't care for Naguib Mahfouz's famous Cairo Walk, I really enjoyed Arabian Nights and Days. It is whimsical, with its meddling genies, but also very intelligently discusses human nature, good, evil, power, and powerlessness in a series of sophisticated fables. It follows the rises and falls of a variety of characters in a neighborhood, as well as an interesting, gradual change of character in the Sultan Shahriyar (of 1001 Nights), brought on by the Shaharazad's stories and later by his incognito night wanderings among his subjects. I think I may have to read it again some time with less interruptions. (show less)

 

 

by Tamia Dowlatabadi

No, it's a flop!

I simply could not get into this book, it was a disapppointment after the excellence of the Cairo trilogy, but I haven't given up on Mahfouz comple... (show more)

I simply could not get into this book, it was a disapppointment after the excellence of the Cairo trilogy, but I haven't given up on Mahfouz completely. (show less)

 

 

by Tanja Äijö

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  Having read a decent portion of the Arabian Nights, I really enjoyed this book. The story begins the morning after Shahrzad has told the sultan the last of her 1001 tales and she is spared. However, she isn’t 100% convinced that her husband’s bloodlust has been permanently eradicated. Add to that the fact that there are four genies, two who are good and two who are not, exploiting or otherwise manipulated the weaknesses of the citizens of the sultanate either for the greater good or their own... (show more)

  Having read a decent portion of the Arabian Nights, I really enjoyed this book. The story begins the morning after Shahrzad has told the sultan the last of her 1001 tales and she is spared. However, she isn’t 100% convinced that her husband’s bloodlust has been permanently eradicated. Add to that the fact that there are four genies, two who are good and two who are not, exploiting or otherwise manipulated the weaknesses of the citizens of the sultanate either for the greater good or their own amusement and it seems like, for the sultan, life is imitating art and changing his perception of things as well. (show less)

   

   

  by Nancy M. Spagnolo on Mar 09, 2009 at 10:32AM

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  Deeply satisfying (if not exactly feminist) rewriting of the 1001 Nights, starting on the 1002st day with Shaherazad's pardon by Shahriad, playing out the (im)moral and political implications of letting him off the hook. Of course, it's better if you've read 1001 Nights.

   

  by Denise Filios on Jul 28, 2009 at 10:17PM

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