São Paulo – The book "In the Arabian Nights – A caravan of stories," recently released in Brazil, brings a mix of fiction and reality. It combines the life stories of the Anglo-Afghan author Tahir Shah in Morocco, where he lives, and the legends and characters that are part of the local culture. The book is inspired by the Arabian classic "The One Thousand and One Nights."
The author revisits characters from his previous book, "The Caliph’s House," and introduces new ones, painting a typical scenario of Moroccan culture. Among them are caretakers who are scared of genies, a waiter who has no thumbs, a retired surgeon, a mattress-store astrologist, travelling dentists, a nostalgic cobbler, a blind storyteller, construction workers who work only at night, and an ex-junkie millionaire who wants to sponsor a return to the tradition that has been "lost to the TV."
In the backdrop, there lies an analysis of how stories are passed on in the Arab world, from one generation to the other. This is a tradition which, according to the writer, has been but forgotten in the West. The book sets out to show the cultural foundation on which Morocco has been built. On his website, Shah explains that the Arab country "is a land ruled by old codes of honour, duty, chivalry and respect."
The author lives in Casablanca with his wife and children. "In the Arab Nights" is the second book in the series that started with "The Caliph’s House," based on Shah’s experience of buying and reforming an old house from a Moroccan caliph, at an advanced stage of degradation, and thus diving into the local habits and facing odd situations.
Shah has published several books, most focusing on his trips to regions in Africa, Asia and the Americas. Always looking for exotic locations, removed from the tourist routes, he has written books on Ethiopia, Peru, the Amazon and India. His works have been translated into more than ten languages. The writer also makes documentary films for The History Channel.
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In the Arab Nights – A Caravan of Stories
Author: Tahir Shah
Roça Nova publishing house
Price: 56 Brazilian reals (US$ 33)
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
