I got this book for my 11th birthday and just started reading this at 27. Took me 16 years to want to actually read this book. I'm glad I read this at 27 and not at 11. At 11 I would not have understood most of the story. This is not an easy read. This is more difficult then I expected.

As much as it is difficult, this book is very enjoyable. It difficult in the same sense Canterbury Tales is difficult. It's a frame story. You have to remember Scheherazade's story while reading her tales. Sometimes the tales change the the person whom is speaking and sometimes Scheherazade interrupts the tales (but that only happened in one story). I like how this book is set up though because it's more advanced compared to books written today.

This book also reminded me of Gulliver's Travels in the fact that it misplaced in the book stores. THIS IS NOT A CHILDREN'S BOOK! Like Gulliver's Travels it has elements of fantasy thus most people think that makes it a children's book: NO! This book goes into torture, insanity, murder, religion, and among other things that at 11 I at least wouldn't fully understand.

My favorite story is this was Sinbad and Aladdin. There were some stories I didn't like, mainly the sort ones, but I like the longer stories. Sinbad and Aladdin were almost like novellas. I like how this book made me full understand the Jinni. Jinn don't grant you three wishes and that's it, according to this, once you unleash them they are you're slaves and you have them do whatever you want. Jinn are a satire on slave culture I think.

As a side note: I also question who actually wrote these tales. I almost think it was a women at times. Expectantly towards the end of Scheherazade story where the Sultan tells her how delighted he was with her wit and storytelling. I could be wrong and this could just be several told tale written down later on by others, but at some points I feel like a women wrote them. ( )

Rene Bull illustrated. Selection. ( )