On the Verge of Lunacy

Full title: Persian Literature Comprising the Shah Nameh, The Rubaiyat, The Divan and The Gulistan Various authors; with introduction by Richard J.H. Gottheil, PhD As the title says, this anthology features four of the best of Persian literature. Each section has introductory notes that provide the background of each author and the piece, the social climate in which the work was created, and its reception. The following are included in the two volumes of the e-book version*: Volume 1: The Shah Nameh (Book of Kings) by Firdusi (Abul Kasim Mansur), translated by James Atkinson The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam , translated by Edward Fitzgerald The Divan by Hafiz (Khwajeh Shams al-Din Muhammad Hafez-e Shirazi), translated by H. Bicknell Volume 2: The Gulistan (Flower-Garden) by Sa'di (Muslih-al-Din), translated by James Ross The book may seem like a challenging read at first glance but the translators did a good job and the introduction in each section w...

These books contain studies about the Eddas. It includes the explanation of the possible sources and history of the Eddas and the myths contained in those books. A few selected stories were analyzed. Readers who are already familiar with those stories will find this helpful in understanding the myths. I do not recommend them as an introduction to Norse mythology but rather as supplementary reading materials only. The second volume contains the story and includes the different versions of the Volsung saga. If the reader wishes to know more about the exploits of Siegfried and the people he encountered, I recommend reading the second book. I also do not recommend this to readers who are not familiar with any Western myths. Some names and events will be cited that beginners will find hard to understand.