Land of Enchanters: Egyptian Short Stories from the Earliest Times to the Present Day » (REVISED)

The 1948 first edition, published by Harvill Press, was among the first to translate Egyptian stories into modern English without ye olde archaic affectation. In this second edition, four stories have been added and some revisions in translation have been made. The 22 stories are from ancient, Greco-Roman, Coptic, and Muslim Egypt. Names and allusions are explained in footnotes. There is no index or bibliography. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Publishers Weekly

The revised edition of Land of Enchanters, edited by Bernard Lewis and Stanley Burstein, is well defined by its subtitle: "Egyptian Short Stories from the Earliest Time to the Present Day." The preface is informative, as are the brief introductions to the stories, which describe the travails and triumphs of royals, heroes, spirits and monsters. Typical are "The Story of Dalal," in which a princess wedded to an ogre plans an escape, and "The Island of the Serpent," wherein a shipwrecked sailor is aided by a giant serpent "plated with gold." Sales of this slim volume could get a boost if it is assigned to high schoolers and undergraduates. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.