Land of Enchanters: Egyptian Short Stories from the Earliest Times to the Present Day
The 1948 first edition, published by Harvill Press, was among the first to translate Egyptian stories into modern English without ye olde archaic affectation. In this second edition, four stories have been added and some revisions in translation have been made. The 22 stories are from ancient, Greco-Roman, Coptic, and Muslim Egypt. Names and allusions are explained in footnotes. There is no index or bibliography. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
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The 1948 first edition, published by Harvill Press, was among the first to translate Egyptian stories into modern English without ye olde archaic affectation. In this second edition, four stories have been added and some revisions in translation have been made. The 22 stories are from ancient, Greco-Roman, Coptic, and Muslim Egypt. Names and allusions are explained in footnotes. There is no index or bibliography. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, ORPublishers WeeklyThe revised edition of Land of Enchanters, edited by Bernard Lewis and Stanley Burstein, is well defined by its subtitle: "Egyptian Short Stories from the Earliest Time to the Present Day." The preface is informative, as are the brief introductions to the stories, which describe the travails and triumphs of royals, heroes, spirits and monsters. Typical are "The Story of Dalal," in which a princess wedded to an ogre plans an escape, and "The Island of the Serpent," wherein a shipwrecked sailor is aided by a giant serpent "plated with gold." Sales of this slim volume could get a boost if it is assigned to high schoolers and undergraduates. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
Preface to the first editionPreface to the second editionForewordIntroduction1IAncient Egypt21The Middle Kingdom23The Island of the Serpent23The Adventures of Sinuhe29Hyksos Period47Tales of the Magicians47The New Kingdom55The Tale of the Two Brothers55Egypt in the Persian Era67Rhampsinitus and the Clever Thief67IIGreco-Roman Egypt71The Miracles of Khonsu73The Story of Khamwise78The Dream of Nectanebo95IIIChristian Egypt99Two Coptic Stories101Saint Pisentius and the Jealous Man102Saint Pisentius and the Mummy106IVMuslim Egypt111Tales of Recompense: Three stories by Ahmad ibn Yusuf ibn ad-Daya113A Merchant and His Wife114One of the Kings of India and a Merchant117The Midwife of Khumarawaih and Her Sister119Echoes of the Past: Two stories from the "Abridgement of Marvels"122The Image that Exposed Adulterers123A Visit to the Source of the Nile125Echoes of the Past: From the Egyptian History of Murtada ibn al-KhafifMiraculous Stories of the Pyramids129Of Queen Charoba of Egypt and Gebirus the Metapheguian134From the Thousand and One Nights140The Three Walis140Tales of a Cairene Cook145The Story of Dalal145The Story of 'Arab-Zandiq155From Modern Egypt163'Amm Mitwalli163The Lawsuit174Half a Day180
\ Publishers WeeklyThe revised edition of Land of Enchanters, edited by Bernard Lewis and Stanley Burstein, is well defined by its subtitle: "Egyptian Short Stories from the Earliest Time to the Present Day." The preface is informative, as are the brief introductions to the stories, which describe the travails and triumphs of royals, heroes, spirits and monsters. Typical are "The Story of Dalal," in which a princess wedded to an ogre plans an escape, and "The Island of the Serpent," wherein a shipwrecked sailor is aided by a giant serpent "plated with gold." Sales of this slim volume could get a boost if it is assigned to high schoolers and undergraduates. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.\ \ \ \ \ Library JournalLewis (Princeton; The Arabs in History) and Burstein (California State Univ.; ed., Ancient African Civilization: Kush and Axum) have produced a fascinating collection of Egyptian stories that span 4000 years from writers of the Middle Kingdom period (2133-1786 B.C.E.) to Nobel prize winner Naguib Mahfouz and embrace ancient, Greco-Roman, Christian, and Muslim Egypt. These stories show not only the continuity of idea and spirit in Egyptian literature but also its influence; many of the motifs of wonder and cleverness appear repeatedly in the literature of other cultures. This volume has a long history; Lewis first edited it in 1948, and Burstein has revised the introductions. Especially noteworthy are the "The Tale of the Brothers" (New Kingdom), "The Story of Khamwise" (Greco-Roman), "Of Queen Charoba of Egypt and Gebirus the Metapheguian" (Murtada ibn al-Khafif, c.1200), and "Amm Mitwalli" (Mahmud Taimur, 1894-1973). A feast of literature; highly recommended. Gene Shaw, NYPL Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.\ \ \ BooknewsThe 1948 first edition, published by Harvill Press, was among the first to translate Egyptian stories into modern English without ye olde archaic affectation. In this second edition, four stories have been added and some revisions in translation have been made. The 22 stories are from ancient, Greco-Roman, Coptic, and Muslim Egypt. Names and allusions are explained in footnotes. There is no index or bibliography. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)\ \
