The Arabian Nights (Illustrated Edition) (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Enchanting Tales of Arabian Prince & Princess, Aladdin, Sindbad the Sailor, Ali Baba and Other Classic LegendsBy Richard Francis Burton
Length8h 17m
About this audiobook
The Arabian Nights (Illustrated Edition) presents the celebrated cycle of medieval Arabic, Persian, Indian, and Egyptian tales in Richard Francis Burton's famously ornate English rendering. Framed by Shahrazad's life-preserving narration to King Shahryar, the collection moves through wonder tales, romances, comic anecdotes, voyages, moral fables, and erotic intrigues. Burton's prose is deliberately archaic, sensuous, and philologically dense, reflecting Victorian fascination with the "Orient" while preserving a sense of oral abundance and narrative layering. Richard Francis Burton was a soldier, explorer, translator, ethnographer, and prodigious linguist whose travels through India, Arabia, and East Africa shaped his literary ambitions. His pilgrimage to Mecca in disguise and his controversial studies of sexuality, religion, and custom informed both the authority and the biases of his translation. Burton approached the Nights not merely as entertainment but as a vast archive of social manners, fantasy, language, and comparative culture, though his work remains inseparable from nineteenth-century Orientalist assumptions. This illustrated edition is recommended for readers seeking a grand, immersive encounter with one of world literature's most influential narrative traditions. It will especially reward those interested in folklore, translation history, Victorian prose, and the complex meeting of scholarship, imagination, and empire.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 4.0 (392)
Includes Goodreads
GenreFairy Tales and Folklore, Fantasy
Length8 hrs 17 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateAug 13, 2021
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1Introduction
2Introduction
3Historical Context
4Synopsis (Selection)
5SINDBAD THE SAILOR
Show all chaptersShow less
6The First Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor
7The Second Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor
8The Third Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor
9The Fourth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor
10The Fifth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor
11The Sixth Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor
12The Seventh Voyage of Sindbad the Sailor
13ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP (pt. 1)
14ALADDIN AND THE WONDERFUL LAMP (pt. 2)
15THE THREE CALENDERS
16The Story of the First Calender
17The Story of the Second Calender
18The Story of the Third Calender
19THE SLEEPER AWAKENED
20Analysis
21Reflection
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