Introducing the infamous hard-drinking and eloquent poet who stands at the very heart of Arabic literary culture.
This is the first book to present the life, times and poetry of one of the greatest poets in the Arab tradition, Abu Nuwas. Author Philip Kennedy provides the narrative of Abu Nuwas's fascinating life, which was full of intrigue and debauched adventure, in parallel with the presentation of his greatest poems, across all genres, in easy and accessible translations, giving commentary where needed.
Geert Jan van Gelder - Laudian Professor of Arabic, Oxford University"Philip has written a very good book on the great (in my view) greatest Arabic poet, Abu Nuwas... The literary analysis is generally excellent, balanced and erudite."
Philip F. Kennedy is Associate Professor of Middle Easterna dn islamic Studies and Comparative Literature at New York University. His published works include The Wine Song in Classical Arabic Poetry: Abu Nuwas and the Literary Tradition.
Preface
Acknowledgments
1 Dangling Locks and Babel Eyes A Biographical Sketch of Abu Nuwas (c. 757814)
2 Love, Wine, Sodomy ... and the Lash The Lyric Poetry of Abu Nuwas
3 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly On Panegyric and Satire
4 Some Hunting Poems and a Game of Polo
5 Poetry for Mortals and the Dead On the Ascetic Poem and the Elegy
An Afterword Walk the Even Path with Me ...
Bibliography
Index