1001 Nights

We here at the blog spent several months of a year of our youth reading various versions of Arabian Nights. The last week, out of the blue, we spent more time revisiting various longer tales from 1001 Nights for nostalgia and the wondrous, timelessness of ancient tales. After reading more examples of ancient fiction, romances, and stories-within-a-story from other parts of the world, we've come to appreciate Arabian Nights even more than before. Some of the story cycles are even more entertaining than our nostalgic lens remembered, particularly the Sindbad cycle. Yes, it was added to the 1001 Nights anthology in Galland's translation, but the Sindbad stories help recreate the world of merchants and seafarers in and around the Indian Ocean over 1000 years ago. Other tales explore always-relevant tales of romance, divine intervention, and adventures in and around Egypt, Iraq, Syria, and other regions.  Some of the classics we still fondly recall include The Story of Nur al-Din and Shams al-Din and The City of Brass.