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Discussion Forums - Historical Fiction
Topic: Giggle-worthy reviews of the Arabian Nights
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I just started reading the massive, three-volume English translation of The Arabian Nights published by Penguin Classics. I read some reviews for the first volume at Goodreads. For some reason, I find it funny when people try to read a classic without any appreciation for the society and times in which it was written. (Some of the stories in the Nights date back to at least the seventh century.) Two reviews in particular gave me the giggles:
This book is very down-grading for women! I can't believe how men (no offense to the people from other religion) treated women during those times! (Accompanied by a one-star rating.)
What I love is how indignant the reviewer is: You mean women were treated badly in the past? The whole framing story is about a woman who weds the king and tells him stories so he will let her live another day instead of executing her for no reason.
Entertaining so far, though definitely a different sort of society than the one I grew up in.
Hmmmmmm. You don't say. I suppose the medieval Arab world might be a bit different from what you're used to in the suburbs.
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Heh. I'll have to hunt down the review on Amazon that states Jane Eyre is good for nothing but toilet paper. |
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You mean women were treated badly in the past? ... Hmmmmmm. You don't say. I suppose the medieval Arab world might be a bit different from what you're used to in the suburbs. LOL! |
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LOL |
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Some people have trouble with context :-) |
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Sigh |
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Last Edited on: 12/27/11 5:24 PM ET - Total times edited: 1 |
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