Needleroozer Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Andrew Lang's Arabian Nights, and would like a "tougher" translation. Sigh. He keeps wanting books that aren't listed in TWEM! This wasn't even on his list, but was for my 7th grader, lol. Were these originally translated by Richard Burton? Is there a translation you can recommend for him? He is a fine reader, and really enjoys older translations (the more flowery the old english, the happier he is, lol). I looked on Amazon, but there are so many options, and I can't begin to judge all those choices! Help please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate in Arabia Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 I answered you on the highschool board, but I'll put it here as well just in case: Oh, thank you for asking this question! I went and pulled out my Muhsin Mahdi edition (Arabic); he edited a 14th century Syrian text and had it published. Gave me a great reminder that I should consider reading through it again! The English version I have is based on Mahdi's text, it is a translation by Husain Haddawy: http://www.amazon.com/Arabian-Nights.../dp/0393313670 If he is interested in this cultural genre, might I also suggesting trying to get a hold of translations of Ibn Battuta's Rihla? My thesis was on the Rihla, I found his writing to be "youthful" and engaging. If interested I can share what editions I have of that as well... hth! Kate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Needleroozer Posted March 19, 2008 Author Share Posted March 19, 2008 LB, perhaps you already know this, but some sections of the Arabian Nights read like pornography - they are very explicit and there are quite a few of them. These are not indirect references, they include anatomic specificity and an attitude towards s*x, s*xuality, and women as s*xual objects which I, personally, would not want to give to a young person still developing his/her own sense of these things. Ymmv, but I wanted to be sure you knew what you were handing him! :) Eiliana, I did *NOT* know this! :eek: Thank you very much for the heads up! :blink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Needleroozer Posted March 19, 2008 Author Share Posted March 19, 2008 I answered you on the highschool board, but I'll put it here as well just in case: Oh, thank you for asking this question! I went and pulled out my Muhsin Mahdi edition (Arabic); he edited a 14th century Syrian text and had it published. Gave me a great reminder that I should consider reading through it again! The English version I have is based on Mahdi's text, it is a translation by Husain Haddawy: http://www.amazon.com/Arabian-Nights.../dp/0393313670 If he is interested in this cultural genre, might I also suggesting trying to get a hold of translations of Ibn Battuta's Rihla? My thesis was on the Rihla, I found his writing to be "youthful" and engaging. If interested I can share what editions I have of that as well... hth! Kate Thank you so much for these suggestions. Are either of these too "racy" for a teen, per Eliana's comment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithr Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Did anybody ever see the movie, Au Revoir Les Infants? There is a scene in the movie where one boy is reading the racy parts of the Arablian Nights out loud to his friend. They're at a boarding school and it's after lights out so they are furtively reading it by flashlight and the boy listening, drops right off to sleep in the middle of a very interesting part. It is a funny scene! The movie is great but it does have a lot of adolescent crudeness about s*x in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate in Arabia Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Thank you so much for these suggestions. Are either of these too "racy" for a teen, per Eliana's comment? I was flipping through the Haddawy translation.. he has a rather extensive preface in which he talks about the other translations; Burton in particular he mentions liked to exaggerate some bits for the "shock value"; even so, there are s*x scenes in there. I didn't re-read the whole thing, but even in the prologue there's a group thing going on.. I didn't find the writing to be gratuitous, but it's there nonetheless. I mean, it is a central part of the premise of the whole story -- that the king discovers his wife sleeps around, so he mistrusts women and thereafter marries a girl and has her executed the next morning... which is why Shahrazad comes up with this way of extending her life. Haddawy's book is meant for adults. It reminds me of the Canterbury Tales, some of which are quite, umm, more for adults, lol. Looking back at your original post, that this is for a 7th grader, I don't think this is a good choice, I guess I was thinking highschool? **ok, reading your post again (it's really late over here) I see that you have a 10th grader.. I still think I would hold off, unless you are open to it (I don't want to presume). If you are interested, you can pm me and I can send you some excerpts, if that would help... ** Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate in Arabia Posted March 19, 2008 Share Posted March 19, 2008 Needle, I sent you a PM... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Needleroozer Posted March 20, 2008 Author Share Posted March 20, 2008 Needle, I sent you a PM... Thanks for looking at the book again Kate. I think you are right- this does not sound appropriate for my Boy right now. I had no idea that it was so racy! Guess we will call it good with the Lang version. Thanks again, LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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