Author Description

"We are drunk on love, blatant with hope and adoration of the beloved..". In such passionate lines complemented by exquisite Persian miniatures, Words of Paradise weds word and image to convey the essence of the thirteenth-century scholar-poet Rumi, of whom The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran in the 1960s has a poet made such a dent in American culture". More than fifty of Rumi's most intimate and lyrical poems, in a new translation that reflects the intoxication of the ecstatic state, are complemented by medieval miniatures from the legendary Khalili collection of Middle Eastern art in London. Here are Rumi's love lyrics to the Shams of Tabriz -- the inspirational, mysterious dervish who came into his life unbidden, forged with him a deep spiritual union, then abandoned him and left behind a yearning that Rumi trasfigured into the divine Beloved. Here also are passages from Rumi's great didactic epic, the Masnavi-ye Ma 'navi, with its countless interweaving tales and mystic teachings. Prefaced by a discussion of Rumi's life and philosophy, Words of Paradise is a perfect introduction to Rumi and Sufi mysticism -- and a lavishly produced, richly decorated gift book in the tradition of Viking Studio's The Message of St. Francis and Vision. Art lovers and latter-day seekers will want it always at hand.