Shahnameh: The Persian Book of Kings (Penguin Classics)

I love shahnameh. This is the only affordable paperback version on Amazon.

It is very common for people with persian (and mostly Zoroastrian) ancestry to pick up this book to narrate tales to their children about times gone by and to connect with culture. I wish my Persian was strong enough to be able to grapple the original but it's not, which is why I tried reading this, considering that it was Penguin, and Dick Davies' who did a splendid job with the conference of the birds.Unfortunately, this book was quite a disappointment. I found the literal story telling of the verses very dull when translated, the poetry scarce and robbed of eloquence at parts by the translator, the panels (which are central to Shahnameh and make the book standout) few and far between and far below standards expected, untitled and unimaginative, the prose tedious and extremely repetitive, The stories boringly titled and uninformative.The author / publisher / editors have savagely and quite propitiously slashed and elaborates parts as they please. There are times where it just gets to literal translation, and at times it just skips parts that are so interesting to the uninitiated. The stories of trials and tribulations of the kings on their journeys and the names that they acquire, the exploits they do are nifty titbits that make the shahnameh stand out and a recurrent theme of persian folklore and a cornerstone of the rich Persian language .The verses are fleeting as the book progresses, much like the author was desperately trying to fit in a deadline at times, and so made do with a sprinkling of the at the later stages of the book. There are lots of text portions that become repetitive, "not a fly could get through them.." "the stature of a cypress, with a face like the full moon, a waist as slender as a reed ...cheeks like pomegranate fruit, cheeks as sallow as the colour of fenugreek... " paragraph on paragraphs are squandered on such repetitive text, which no doubt would be the case with the original too, but then if you are going to choose these stuff to put in a book with limited space, in stead of actual legendary stories and fun anecdotes, it gets a bit compelling for the reader to be patient.Needless to say my search for a English translation of Shahnameh goes on... feel free to inbox me if you find a better one.

paper, print quality not good enough for an epic of such proportions which one expects to keep with oneself for a lifetime.although delivered before expected date, the book was slightly damaged.

I love it; very well written and it has details too

La épica persa, lectura amena con una buena traducción.

As an avid reader of world literature, I recently delved into the pages of Shahnameh by Abolqasem Ferdowsi, and was absolutely captivated by the epic poem. From the very first lines, Ferdowsi's poetic language drew me into the mythical world of ancient Persia, where the gods created the universe and the first king rose to power.Throughout the poem, Ferdowsi's vivid descriptions and colorful characters brought the stories to life in a way that was both entertaining and educational. I was particularly struck by the tales of great heroes such as Rustam and Sohrab, whose bravery and sacrifice resonated with me on a deep level. Their stories, along with those of other kings and warriors, revealed a complex and nuanced view of Persian culture and history that I had never encountered before.But Shahnameh is not just a book about warriors and battles. The stories of love and loyalty, of treachery and betrayal, of human triumphs and tragedies, all wove together to create a tapestry of the human experience that transcends time and culture. Despite being written over a thousand years ago, the themes and values of the poem are still relevant today, and I found myself contemplating the lessons that could be gleaned from the pages.Overall, I would highly recommend Shahnameh to anyone interested in world literature or Persian culture. While the length and complexity of the poem may seem daunting at first, the beauty and richness of the language and the stories make it a rewarding and unforgettable read. Ferdowsi's masterful retelling of Persian history and mythology is a testament to the power of storytelling and the enduring appeal of human experience.

Paper good. Pleasure reading. I own the more elaborate version, but use this one for day-to-day reading.

Can someone explain why books starts from page 55? Introduction, 'The first kings', 'demon king-zahhak', 'story of bferaydun and his 3 sons', 'story of Iraj' and 'vengeance of manuchehr' are missing completely. Why?!?!