{"product_id":"music-of-a-distant-drum-classical-arabic-persian-turkish-and-hebrew-poems-paperback","title":"Music of a Distant Drum: Classical Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and Hebrew Poems - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eBernard Lewis\u003c\/b\u003e (Translator)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eMusic of a Distant Drum\u003c\/i\u003e marks a literary milestone. It collects 129 poems from the four leading literary traditions of the Middle East, all masterfully translated into English by Bernard Lewis, many for the first time. These poems come from diverse languages and traditions--Arabic, Persian, Turkish, and Hebrew--and span more than a thousand years. Together they provide a fascinating and unusual window into Middle Eastern history. Lewis, one of the world's greatest authorities on the region's culture and history, reveals verses of startling beauty, ranging from panegyric and satire to religious poetry and lyrics about wine, women, and love. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Bernard Lewis, one of the world's greatest authorities on the region's culture and history, offers a work of startling beauty that leaves no doubt as to why such poets were courted by kings in their day. Like those in the \u003ci\u003eRubaiyat of Omar Khayyam\u003c\/i\u003e, the poems here--as ensured by Lewis's mastery of all the source languages and his impeccable style and taste--come fully alive in English. They are surprising and sensuous, disarmingly witty and frank. They provide a fascinating and unusual glimpse into Middle Eastern history. Above all, they are a pleasure to read.They range from panegyric and satire to religious poetry and lyrics about wine, women, and love. Lewis begins with an introduction on the place of poets and poetry in Middle Eastern history and concludes with biographical notes on all the poets. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThis treasure trove of verse is aptly summed up by a quote from the ninth-century Arab author Ibn Qutayba: \"Poetry is the mine of knowledge of the Arabs, the book of their wisdom, the muster roll of their history, the repository of their great days, the rampart protecting their heritage, the trench defending their glories, the truthful witness on the day of dispute, the final proof at the time of argument.? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn one hand the Qur'vn, in the other a wineglass, \u003cbr\u003eSometimes keeping the rules, sometimes breaking them.\u003cbr\u003eHere we are in this world, unripe and raw, \u003cbr\u003eNot outright heathens, not quite Muslims.\u003cbr\u003e--\u003ci\u003eMujir\u003c\/i\u003e (12th century)\u003ch3\u003eBack Jacket\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Professor Lewis's earlier translation of Solomon Ibn Gabirol's long philosophical-meditative poem, \u003ci\u003eThe Kingly Crown\u003c\/i\u003e, is masterful and a classic. Given that effort, Lewis's historically minded sensibility, the exceptional literary value of his selection, and the clarity and accuracy of his translations here, \u003ci\u003eMusic of a Distant Drum\u003c\/i\u003e will meet with a waiting and approving audience. There is no comparable volume offering us the opportunity to read and examine side by side poems from these related but distinct literary traditions. This may well be the first and last collection of Middle Eastern lyric poems translated by a single scholar with such a sweeping command of all of the languages and literatures represented.\"\u003cb\u003e--Ross Brann, Cornell University\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A fine anthology with moments of real beauty. Unlike almost any scholar I can think of, Lewis not only has the linguistic diversity to undertake translations from four different languages, but he has the ability to produce translations with a literary quality that rises to a level one can call poetic.\"\u003cb\u003e--Carter Findley, Ohio State University\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBernard Lewis\u003c\/b\u003e is professor emeritus at Princeton University. His many books include \u003ci\u003eWhat Went Wrong?\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Crisis of Islam\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eFaith and Power\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 232\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.7 x 7.99 x 5.08 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e April 03, 2011\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52726314828083,"sku":"9780691150109","price":24.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0300\/5595\/6612\/files\/V3BndWlLcVZaNlBSUzJldFhNTFBtUT09.webp?v=1763733660","url":"https:\/\/www.vysn.com\/en-ca\/products\/music-of-a-distant-drum-classical-arabic-persian-turkish-and-hebrew-poems-paperback","provider":"VYSN","version":"1.0","type":"link"}