Arabs and the Art of Storytelling: A Strange Familiarity

Abdelfattah Kilito

Dis 2014 · Syracuse University Press

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In Arabs and the Art of Storytelling, the eminent Moroccan literary historian and critic Kilito revisits and reassesses, in a modern critical light, many traditional narratives of the Arab world. He brings to such celebrated texts as A Thousand and One Nights, Kalila and Dimna, and Kitab al-Bukhala’ refreshing and iconoclastic insight, giving new life to classic stories that are often treated as fossilized and untouchable cultural treasures. For Arab scholars and readers, poetry has for centuries taken precedence, overshadowing narrative as a significant literary genre. Here, Kilito demonstrates the key role narrative has played in the development of Arab belles lettres and moral philosophy. His urbane style has earned him a devoted following among specialists and general readers alike, making this translation an invaluable contribution to an English-speaking audience.

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Abdelfattah Kilito is an acclaimed Moroccan novelist, essayist, and critic. He has written several important works on classical Arabic literature, both in French and Arabic, many of which have been translated into numerous languages, including French, German, Spanish, Italian, and English. He is the recipient of many awards, including the French Academy Award in 1996. Mbarek Sryfi is a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania and an adjunct assistant professor at Mercer County Community College in New Jersey. His translations have appeared in CELAAN, Metamorphoses, and World Literature Today. Eric Sellin is professor emeritus at Tulane University. He is the author of two books on Antonin Artaud and on early twentieth-century avant-garde movements.