Three Oriental Tales: The History of Nourjahad, Vathek, and The Giaour

by Alan Richardson (editor), Frances Sheridan, William Beckford

This engaging volume presents the complete texts of three of the most important, and historically popular, examples of the Oriental tale genre. Supporting contextual material includes samples of Orientalist writing from The Spectator, Johnson's Rambler, Goldsmith's Citizen of the World, and Edgeworth's complete tale Murad the Unlucky, as well as a selection of modern critical essays.

Genres: Short Stories

327 pages, Paperback

First published December 10, 2001

About the author

Alan Richardson grew up in Washington State, backpacking and mountain climbing in the North Cascade and Olympic ranges from a young age. He has taught English and American literature at Boston College for over thirty years and is author or editor of a number of scholarly books. A Zen Buddhist since the age of 18, he serves as a Dharma Holder in the Boundless Way Zen community and Guiding Teacher for the Sky Flower Zen sangha.. Based in Eastern Massachusetts, he frequently hikes and backpacks in the Taconics, the Berkshires, the Green Mountains, the White Mountains, and the Mahoosucs. His most recent book is Breakfast With Salamanders: Seasons on the Appalachian Trail.


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Reviews

[Catherine Siemann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read everything but Byron's "The Gaiour" a few years back -- that work is so perfectly archetypal that it felt I'd read it before as well.

Fascinating look into the strange imaginings of Romantic era Europeans towards the rest of the world. Beautiful, febrile, completely about the teller and not the told.