THE SPIRITUAL VERSES Masnavi-ye Ma'navi, Book 1

This volume contains a dozen stories from Book One of the six-volume collection, composed in rhyming couplets by the Afghan/Persian poet Rumi in the 1260s. With Anton Lesser's patient, precise narration, and Naxos's quality production, these religious stories are accessible to a wider audience. Without being effeminate, Lesser's voice is unusually high pitched for a man's voice, which may be jarring at first for some listeners. But his classical but unpretentious Shakespearean style, perfectly paced, makes this set worthy of repeated listening. Persian music, commissioned for this recording, sets the tone. The liner notes include background to the work and an introduction by the translator. S.E.S. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2008]