Tale of the Heavens (with CD-ROM)

Author: Yin Haole
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-05-01
Features: The narrator in "One Thousand and One Nights" is Scheherazade, the daughter of a prime minister. The tyrannical King Shahryar demands a new wife every day, but she is executed the next morning. To prevent more innocent girls from being unjustly harmed, Scheherazade volunteers to enter the palace. At night, she begins to tell the king stories. Because the tales are entertaining and she tells them vividly, the king listens all night without tiring of them, so he spares Scheherazade. Thus, the stories continue for one thousand and one nights, which is why the book is called "One Thousand and One Nights." "One Thousand and One Nights" is a special name given to it by Chinese readers, as ancient China referred to Arabia as "Tianfang." The stories in the book are fantastical and intricate, with vivid characters and the use of contrast to highlight their personalities, shaping typical figures like Scheherazade, Sinbad, and Aladdin.