From one of the world's most acclaimed contemporary Arab writers: a sparkling new translation of twenty mesmerizing tales from the beloved masterpiece.<br><br>The original tales of the <i>One Thousand and One Nights</i> were framed as stories told by the young queen Shahrazad to her murderous husband each night in order to save her life. Lebanese writer Hanan al-Shaykh has selected twenty of the stories, translated them into modern English, and knitted them together into one cohesive narrative that is not only a perfect introduction to this Eastern classic, but also an impressive work of literature in its own right.