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The Conference of the Birds
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The Conference of the Birds Paperback - 1984

by Farid Ud-Din Attar; Afkham Darbandi (Translator); Dick Davis (Translator)

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This seller has earned a 4.21 of 5 Stars rating from internet customers.
4.21 / 5 (6445 total reviews)

Summary

The acclaimed translation of a magnificent work of Persian poetry—now updated with new material

Composed in the twelfth century in northeastern Iran, Farid Attar’s great mystical poem is among the most significant of all works of Persian literature. A marvelous, allegorical rendering of the Islamic doctrine of Sufism, it describes the pilgrimage of the world’s birds in search of their ideal king, the Simorgh bird, and the arduous journey they take to reach him. This masterly translation preserves the poem’s rhymed couplet form and nuances of language.


Reader reviews for The Conference of the Birds

Review summary

This seller has earned a 4.21 of 5 Stars rating from internet customers.
4.21 / 5 (6445 total reviews)

Readers widely regard The Conference of the Birds as a foundational Sufi allegory whose seven valleys and nested parables probe ego, love, and unity with the divine. Many praised its lyrical beauty, cross-cultural resonance, and capacity to reward slow, reflective reading—often with commentary. Some, however, found its digressions, symbolism, and doctrinal asides demanding, noting that enjoyment depends heavily on translation and prior knowledge.

Readers say this book is:
profoundlyricalchallengingtransformativedidacticspiritually richrewardingdensemeditativeopaque

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From the publisher

Composed in the twelfth century in northeastern Iran, Attar's great mystical poem is among the most significant works of Persian literature.

A marvelous, allegorical rendering of the Islamic doctrine of Sufism--an esoteric system concerned with the search for truth through God--it describes the consequences of the conference of the birds of the world when they meet to begin the search for their ideal king, the Simorgh bird. On hearing that to find him they must undertake an arduous journey, the birds soon express their reservations to their leader, the hoopoe. With eloquence and insight, however, the hoopoe calms their fears, using a series of riddling parables to provide guidance in the search for spiritual truth.

By turns witty and profound, The Conference of the Birds transforms deep belief into magnificent poetry.

Details

  • Title The Conference of the Birds
  • Author Farid Ud-Din Attar; Afkham Darbandi (Translator); Dick Davis (Translator)
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition [ Edition: Repri
  • Pages 240
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Penguin Classics, E Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S.A.
  • Publication date 1984-07-03
  • ISBN 9780140444346 / 0140444343
  • Weight 0.5 lbs (0.23 kg)
  • Dimensions 7.7 x 5 x 0.7 in (19.56 x 12.70 x 1.78 cm)
  • Age range 18 to UP years
  • Grade levels 13 - UP
  • Themes
    • Religious Orientation: Islamic
  • Category Religion - World Religions
  • Library of Congress subjects Sufism - Early works to 1800, Sufi poetry, Persian
  • Library of Congress Catalogue Number 84211777
  • Dewey Decimal Code 297

Media reviews

“This felicitous translation is a classic and reaches the widest possible audience.”

About the author

Dick Davis is currently professor of Persian at Ohio State University and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. His translations from Persian include The Lion and the Throne, Fathers and Sons, Sunset of Empire: Stories from the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi, Vols. I, II, III.

Dick Davis is currently professor of Persian at Ohio State University and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. His translations from Persian include The Lion and the Throne, Fathers and Sons, Sunset of Empire: Stories from the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi, Vols. I, II, III.

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The Conference of the Birds (Penguin Classics)

The Conference of the Birds (Penguin Classics)

by Attar, Farid ud-Din

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Penguin Classics, 1984-07-03. paperback. Good. 7x5x0. Lightly used, text and pages clean and unmarked, slight cover wearI ship Worldwide from Puerto Rico, USA. Listing Includes Books Image . Please email me if you need to see more pictures! The orders are processed promptly, carefully packaged and shipped within 1 day of purchase. PLEASE NOTE! if you need the book quickly, please Purchase Priority Shipping. Media will not show updates in mail confirmation till reaches continental U.S.
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The Conference of the Birds (Penguin Classics)
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The Conference of the Birds (Penguin Classics)

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The Conference of the Birds (Penguin Classics)
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The Conference of the Birds (Penguin Classics)

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The Conference of the Birds

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