Maktub: The Book of Destiny and Other Stories

Descripción

Well, here's a book rife with fanciful elements! First of all, don't be fooled by the author of this volume of tales of the Orient, or by the lengthy and detailed biography of him printed on the back of the dust jacket (one reason why the jacket here is of such importance!). Malba Tahan is actually an entirely fictitious creation from the Brazilian writer and mathematician, Julio Cesar de Mello e Souza (apologies for the lack of accents - this software doesn't allow for it!). Cesar even adapts his alter ego to suit the particular work in question. Here, "Tahan" is a Saudi writer and adventurer, 1885 - 1931. For Cesar's most famous work, a book of recreational mathematics and puzzles, "The Man Who Counted", Tahan was a 13th century Persian scholar. Much of Cesar's (and Malba Tahan's) work is possibly inspired by the Arabian Nights and is Middle Eastern in setting and flavor. With this "Maktub", we have a collection of ageless short stories ranging from Marrakesh to Peking, illustrated with pretty good drawings by an unfortunately uncredited artist. This is a near fine copy with a couple of spots to lower edge, minimal softening to spine ends and lower corners, and a small bookseller label to front pastedown. Dust jacket is complete and very good. There is some rubbing and edgewear - especially to extremities - fading to spine panel, and a small area of wear to front panel from removal of a label. A book that is scarce in a decent dust jacket, and is fascinating for the fiction of its authorship as well as its fictional content. JS. N° de ref. del artículo 000892

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