Adventures of Sayf Ben Dhi Yazan: An Arab Folk Epic

By Lena Jayyusi

Book Overview

"A charming and agreeable surprise . . . A welcome gift to Western readers." --Kirkus Reviews

"Editor Jayyusi offers a major example of the Arabic folk epics or romances called siras . . . The siras are full of heroic adventures, exotic landscapes, love affairs, friendships, supernatural dangers, magical spells, and great Arab heroes. . . . " --Library Journal

"This text should find its place alongside the translations of other epic traditions of the world as a text well suited for use in university courses on the Middle East, world literature, epic, and folklore." --Journal of Arabic Literature

This colorful panorama recounts the fantastic tales of a sixth-century Arab king and offers unusual perspectives on gender, religion, race, and ethnicity. Composed between the 13th and 16th centuries and presented here in English for the first time.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0253213428
• ISBN13: 9780253213426
• Release Date: September 1999
• Publisher: Indiana University Press (Ips)
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.1"
• Age Range: 3 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher