Reviews
Grand . . . To imagine an equivalent to this violent and beautiful work, think of an amalgam of Homers "Iliad" and the ferocious Old Testament book of Judges. . . . Thanks to Daviss magnificent translation, Ferdowsi and the "Shahnameh" live again in English. (Michael Dirda, "The Washington Post"), "Dick Davis [is] our pre-eminent translator from the Persian…Thanks to Davis's magnificent translation, Ferdowsi and the Shahnameh live again in English." Michael Dirda, Washington Post "Accessible…A poet himself, Davis brings to his translation a nuanced awareness of Ferdowsi's subtle rhythms and cadences. His "Shahnameh" is rendered in an exquisite blend of poetry and prose, with none of the antiquated flourishes that so often mar translations of epic poetry." Reza Aslan (author of Zealot ), New York Times Books Review "Davis's wonderful translation will show Western readers why Ferdowsi's masterpiece is one of the most revered and most beloved classics in the Persian world." Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner "A magnificent accomplishment . . . [Davis's translation] is not only the fullest representation of Ferdowsi's masterpiece in English but the best." The New York Sun "Reader-friendly…essential reading" Kirkus Review "Marvelous . . . It represents the best of Persian culture." Azar Nafisi, from the foreword, The "Shahnameh" has much in common with the blood-soaked epics of Homer and with "Paradise Lost" and "The Divine Comedy," . . . The poem is, in a sense, Irans national scripture, and Ferdowsi Irans national poet. . . . Davis brings to his translation a nuanced awareness of Ferdowsis subtle rhythms and cadences. . . . His "Shahnameh" is rendered in an exquisite blend of poetry and prose. (Reza Aslan, "The New York Times Book Review"), Davis's wonderful translation will show Western readers why Ferdowsi's masterpiece is one of the most revered and most beloved classics in the Persian world. (Khaled Hosseini, author of "The Kite Runner"), A magnificent accomplishment . . . ÝDaviss translation¨ is not only the fullest representation of Ferdowsis masterpiece in English but the best. ("The New York Sun"), Davis’s wonderful translation will show Western readers why Ferdowsi’s masterpiece is one of the most revered and most beloved classics in the Persian world. (Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner), Grand . . . To imagine an equivalent to this violent and beautiful work, think of an amalgam of Homer’s Iliad and the ferocious Old Testament book of Judges. . . . Thanks to Davis’s magnificent translation, Ferdowsi and the Shahnameh live again in English. (Michael Dirda, The Washington Post ), Davis’s wonderful translation will show Western readers why Ferdowsi’s masterpiece is one of the most revered and most beloved classics in the Persian world. (Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner ), A magnificent accomplishment . . . [Davis's translation] is not only the fullest representation of Ferdowsi's masterpiece in English but the best. ("The New York Sun"), The Shahnameh has much in common with the blood-soaked epics of Homer and with Paradise Lost and The Divine Comedy . . . . The poem is, in a sense, Iran’s national scripture, and Ferdowsi Iran’s national poet. . . . Davis brings to his translation a nuanced awareness of Ferdowsi’s subtle rhythms and cadences. . . . His Shahnameh is rendered in an exquisite blend of poetry and prose. (Reza Aslan, The New York Times Book Review ), A magnificent accomplishment . . . [Davis’s translation] is not only the fullest representation of Ferdowsi’s masterpiece in English but the best. ( The New York Sun ), Davis's wonderful translation will show Western readers why Ferdowsi's masterpiece is one of the most revered and most beloved classics in the Persian world. (Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner ) A magnificent accomplishment . . . [Davis's translation] is not only the fullest representation of Ferdowsi's masterpiece in English but the best. ( The New York Sun ) Marvelous . . . It represents the best of Persian culture. (Azar Nafisi, from the foreword) The Shahnameh has much in common with the blood-soaked epics of Homer and with Paradise Lost and The Divine Comedy . . . . The poem is, in a sense, Iran's national scripture, and Ferdowsi Iran's national poet. . . . Davis brings to his translation a nuanced awareness of Ferdowsi's subtle rhythms and cadences. . . . His Shahnameh is rendered in an exquisite blend of poetry and prose. (Reza Aslan, The New York Times Book Review ) Grand . . . To imagine an equivalent to this violent and beautiful work, think of an amalgam of Homer's Iliad and the ferocious Old Testament book of Judges. . . . Thanks to Davis's magnificent translation, Ferdowsi and the Shahnameh live again in English. (Michael Dirda, The Washington Post )
