Rumi's Tales from the Silk Road: A Pilgrimage to Paradise

The 13th century Sufi poet Rumi traveled in a landscape divided between the Persian and Byzantine empires, and his works express the passions, fables, and faith of both worlds. In this book, Rumi enthusiast Kamla Kapur reworks some of his writings into 30 tales of wit, wisdom, and faith. The basis for her stories is Reynold A. Nicholsons translation of Rumis six-volume Mathnawi, an epic mystical poem of more than 25,000 verses. Kapur brings this dense, intimidating work into a far more readable form, putting her own spin on the stories yet remaining true to Rumis vision. In charming tales such as The Witch of Kabul and Moses Learns a Lesson, she brings Rumis verses to life as clever fables. Pilgrimage to Paradise gives readers one of Persias greatest literary treasures in an accessible form that enlightens as it entertains.