Tales from the Arabian Nights: The Translation of Sir Richard F. Burton (The 100 Greatest Books of All Time)

769, [1] pp. Original red full leather, gilt titles, gold and blue decorations, all edges gilt, silk moire endpapers, ribbon marker bound in. Burton's translation of The Arabian Nights remains the authoritative version of this extensive collection of stories, and also stands as a unique example of liberality in publishing during the Victorian era. Despite the salacious content of many of the narratives, the first printed English version remained true to Burton's precise and inclusive translation. Burton was somewhat of a trailblazer in this regard, also publishing an authoritative version of the now-famous Kama Sutra. This edition, featuring selections from the larger work (which was first published in multiple volumes), includes illustrations by Quentin Fiore.