Erotica, Love and Humor in Arabia - Spicy Stories from The Book of Songs by al-Isfahani

The Book of Songs of Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani (AD 897-971) is the most extensive collection of anecdotes from pre-Islam Mecca, Medina, Damascus and Baghdad to the beginning of the tenth century. Entertaining and informative, these gems have remained largely inaccessible to Western readers. This translation presents a collection of love stories and poems, biting satires, daring erotic encounters, bathroom humor and hilariously detailed descriptions of feminine beauty, genitalia, sex toys and sex positions, along with stories praising and criticizing both homosexuality and heterosexuality--topics that set the tone for the Arabian Nights centuries later.

List of contents

Table of Contents

Introduction

Part I. Sex, Entertainment and Beauty

One. Penis and Vagina

Two. Sexual Acts

Three. Good Sex, Bad Sex, Erectile Dysfunction and Atrophy

Four. Farting

Five. Pissing

Six. Humor

Seven. Satire

Eight. Beautiful Women

Nine. Big Ass, Small Ass, Big Tits

Ten. Homosexuality, Heterosexuality, Bisexuality

Part II. Love Stories and Poems

Eleven. Flirtatious and Amorous Love Stories and Poems

Twelve. Genuine Love Stories and Poems

Thirteen. Heartbreaking Love Stories and Poems

Chapter Notes

Bibliography

Index

About the author

George Dimitri Sawa has written 50 articles and four books and has taught graduate and undergraduate courses on medieval, modern, and religious music of the Middle East at the University of Toronto and at York University. In 2005, he received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Egyptian Ministry of Culture for his research in Arabic music history. He lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Product details

• Authors: Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani
• Assisted by: Sawa George Dimitri (Editor and translation)
• Publisher: Ingram Publishers Services
• Languages: English
• Age Recommendation: from age 18
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 16.06.2016
• EAN: 9781476663654
• ISBN: 978-1-4766-6365-4
• No. of pages: 172
• Dimensions: 152 mm x 229 mm x 9 mm
• Weight: 249 g
• Illustrations: Raster,schwarz-weiss
• Subjects: Fiction > Poetry, drama; LITERARY CRITICISM / Poetry, LITERARY CRITICISM / Ancient & Classical, LITERARY CRITICISM / Middle Eastern, POETRY / Anthologies (multiple authors), Middle East Studies, Arabic, Literary studies: classical, early & medieval, Literary studies: poetry & poets, Poetry anthologies (various poets), Literary studies: ancient, classical and medieval, Literary studies: poetry and poets