The Arabian Nights Paperback – January 9, 2013

I could never engage with the Burton translation, but this translation into modern English is a real page-turner. Finished it as bedtime reading in a few days. The notes are very helpful. Stories are nested to many levels (the Dervish said the Vizier said the slave girl said the magic fish said his brother who was transformed into a camel said, etc.), so when control is returned to the calling story you may suffer some momentary confusion, but the nesting is really quite ingenious. The only suggestion I would have is that the author include an appendix with a flowchart. I'm serious. Be advised this is not a children's book, unless you are comfortable introducing your children to decapitations, bloody mutilations, raging strumpets, and wicked rakes. OK, some stories might be suitable for children, but certainly not all, or even most.

Comparing this translation with Burton is like night and day. Modern language but ancient thought expression. Very nice and clear as these tales can be told without the additions and deletions which were made by previous translators who needed to satisfy their cultural norms and for political correctness, not to offend. Mahdi's translation is bold and authentic! Like you have never imagined. If you are going to read the Nights, this is the one. Absolutely the best yet!

The stories themselves are entertaining and easy to read. The language used isn't particularly archaic or stilted; it doesn't quite have modern characteristics, but it's close. The main problem with this version (Lang) is mostly that it contains notable omissions. This seems to be a heavily abridged version of the Arabian Nights. Even the ending has been cut completely, which is a grevious error. There are also odd choices of words from time to time which other translations have handled better.

This is basically the Grimm Fairy Tales equivalent for East Asia, India, and the Middle East. You can imagine these tales told orally by skillful speakers.There are stories within stories within stories, an interesting device. (It's like "Inception," where you go down the dream layers and then have to return upwards, and then you have to try and remember the upper layers after time away from them.)There are lots of kings and rulers and beautiful princesses and handsome princes. Very few good-looking people turn out to be jerks. There is magic and magical creatures, but not in every story. It's a great look at human imagination over the generations.These are the main lessons from these tales: Traits such as industry, wisdom, graciousness, and generosity are admired. Greed, dishonesty, and laziness are scorned. Wealth is admired so long as you are generous with it. A good story may save your life. A good sob story will make people feel sorry for you and give you money. Everyone eventually gets what they deserve. Punishments are harsh, so beware!

I remember reading this version of the tales in school, and I've since realized the censored and "westernized" prints cannot compete. It's a must have for any scholar of eastern culture, just as it was meant to be taken. This comes with the drawback of not being child friendly, but it's lessons will more than make up for that.

This book never ceased to amaze me. I'm an American and Christian and although the morality of some stories could be questioned from that perspective. If you open your heart, and your mind, you will be taken on a journey you will never forget.

The pages of this book are deckled and I love the feel of it. The cover is beautiful but the pages are really thin and the book is about an inch thick.Arabian Nights is also called "1001 Arabian Nights" and this book has 271 beautifully written stories.I attatched an image of the table of contents incase anyone wants to see that!

The book is written in somewhat archaic so it is not delightful reading. It is an abridged version of Arabian Nights. The lessons from the stories are positive: wisdom and generosity are good, greed and dishonesty are bad. Good looking people are not necessarily good people. The stories have some violence. The violence and archaic language make it not an ideal choice for very young readers. The book has no illustrations. My recollections from my own childhood are beautifully illustrating stories that were interesting, and this book is not it.Ali Julia review

Since this is free to download it's hard to complain about it. It works well on my Kindle and iOS devices and I enjoyed reading it from cover to cover. It took me back to the Victorian hardback I read as bedtime stories to my now grownup daughters. Four out of five stars from me - it would have been five stars but for it's missing out Alibaba and the forty thieves. So no 'Open Sesame' in this one

Fascinating picture of the times. The stories are funny, and naughty and the invention never ends.I did find that it became too repetitious for me as each story developed into ever more complex knots.I skipped all the poetry, and there's masses of it, and if you have what it takes to enjoy that, you'd surely enjoy this even more than I did.Nonetheless, it's one to relish, perhaps in smallish bites, taken often.

Amazing and whimsical with an air of the original fairy tales. A truly wonderful read worthy of any holiday or bedtime story

I have never read The Arabian Nights before, so I was glad when I was able to purchase this edition.I very much enjoyed reading this edition by Andrew Lang, as it was well laid out. There is an active table of contents at the start of this book. My two favourite stories are The Merchant And The Fisherman and The Story Of the Fisherman.I would recommend this book as suitable for both adults and children to read.

This was ordered as a present. This is the first book. The paper is jagged and has been cut really badly. The book is being returned, but I ordered another one in the hope it would be cut straight. Unfortunately it is in the same condition so it is also being returned.

I'd like to have known what happened to Shiharizad. Maybe I'll read the complete 1001 Arabian Nights someday instead of an abridged version

An interesting read. Short stories, well fairy tales really from the Middle East and Asia. I enjoyed them and they flow into one another. Some are quite short so it's easy to pick up and put down. One of the few classics I've enjoyed.

Suspend your disbelief and enjoy these ancient Middle Eastern tales for what they are. Well worth it at the price.

Classic but hugely enjoyable tales. I loved it

Great reading, short stories of Persia and India, magic and royalty whether true or false or merely richly embellished, totally gripping and utterly entertaining. Suitable for all ages.

Love this translation of the classic book, well read on the audible - great for long car journeys!

Unfortunately, I have to join the chorus of disappointed customers due to pages being very badly cut. It was supposed to be a gift and I won’t be able to use it as such.

Simple process well conducted

Really good translation - shame only c 270 stories are translated.

Having seen a production at THe Tricycle which mined the original with tales I did not know I have read it with interest- the stories of morality and subterfuge are fascinating and give an insight into Arabic culture - but this tranlation is a bit plodding.