‘Among the many national poets of historical Persia, Ferdowsi is perhaps the greatest...In this superb translation of the epic, the Western reader would not fail to discern clear equivalents of chapters in Genesis, The Odyssey, Paradise Lost or the Canterbury Tales.’ Islamic ReviewThe Shah-nama is the national epic poem of Persia. Written in the tenth century it contains the country’s myths, legends and historic reminiscences. This edition makes available a valuable prose translation selecting the most representative parts of the original including the stories of Rustum, the giant hero and his son Sohrab.

‘Among the many national poets of historical Persia, Ferdowsi is perhaps the greatest...In this superb translation of the epic, the Western reader would not fail to discern clear equivalents of chapters in Genesis, The Odyssey, Paradise Lost or the Canterbury Tales.’ Islamic ReviewThe Shah-nama is the national epic poem of Persia. Written in the tenth century it contains the country’s myths, legends and historic reminiscences. This edition makes available a valuable prose translation selecting the most representative parts of the original including the stories of Rustum, the giant hero and his son Sohrab.

Whilst the notion of the Mystic East and Oriental wisdom was greatly romanticised by the Victorians and others, the shadow of colonialism has smudged the view. These great cultures are some of humanity’s earliest; their work, their art, some of its most profound and most accomplished.

In these fifty poems and across fifty poets we hope, at least in part, to rebalance our view of this subject. We begin in the 6th century BC and travel with a poet’s words and eyes across India, China, Persia and many other places in between. The geography and culture may shift to different hues, but the flavours, notions, musings and truths of these works bring simplicity, majesty and beauty to these lands and peoples.

Join us on our journey with poets such as Lao Tzu, Rumi, Mirabai, Gabirol and Guru Nanak on a journey to seek, to discover and find meaning in their verse that is still relevant to our lives today.

‘Among the many national poets of historical Persia, Ferdowsi is perhaps the greatest...In this superb translation of the epic, the Western reader would not fail to discern clear equivalents of chapters in Genesis, The Odyssey, Paradise Lost or the Canterbury Tales.’ Islamic ReviewThe Shah-nama is the national epic poem of Persia. Written in the tenth century it contains the country’s myths, legends and historic reminiscences. This edition makes available a valuable prose translation selecting the most representative parts of the original including the stories of Rustum, the giant hero and his son Sohrab.

‘Among the many national poets of historical Persia, Ferdowsi is perhaps the greatest...In this superb translation of the epic, the Western reader would not fail to discern clear equivalents of chapters in Genesis, The Odyssey, Paradise Lost or the Canterbury Tales.’ Islamic ReviewThe Shah-nama is the national epic poem of Persia. Written in the tenth century it contains the country’s myths, legends and historic reminiscences. This edition makes available a valuable prose translation selecting the most representative parts of the original including the stories of Rustum, the giant hero and his son Sohrab.

Whilst the notion of the Mystic East and Oriental wisdom was greatly romanticised by the Victorians and others, the shadow of colonialism has smudged the view. These great cultures are some of humanity’s earliest; their work, their art, some of its most profound and most accomplished.

In these fifty poems and across fifty poets we hope, at least in part, to rebalance our view of this subject. We begin in the 6th century BC and travel with a poet’s words and eyes across India, China, Persia and many other places in between. The geography and culture may shift to different hues, but the flavours, notions, musings and truths of these works bring simplicity, majesty and beauty to these lands and peoples.

Join us on our journey with poets such as Lao Tzu, Rumi, Mirabai, Gabirol and Guru Nanak on a journey to seek, to discover and find meaning in their verse that is still relevant to our lives today.