Love, Death, Fame
Poetry and Lore from the Emirati Oral Tradition
By al-Māyidī ibn Ẓāhir, David Elmer | Publisher: NYU Press
About the book
Poems and tales of a literary forefather of the United Arab Emirates
Love, Death, Fame features the poetry of al-Māyidī ibn Ẓāhir, who has been embraced as the earliest poet in what would later become the United Arab Emirates. Although little is known about his life, he is the subject of a sizeable body of folk legend and is thought to have lived in the seventeenth century, in the area now called the Emirates. The tales included in Love, Death, Fame portray him as a witty, resourceful, scruffy poet, at times combative and at times kindhearted.
His poetry primarily features verses of wisdom and romance, with scenes of clouds and rain, desert migrations, seafaring, and pearl diving. Like Arabian Romantic and Arabian Satire, this collection is a prime example of Nabaṭī poetry, combining vernacular language of the Arabian Peninsula with archaic vocabulary and images dating to Arabic poetry’s very origins. Distinguished by Ibn Ẓāhir’s unique voice, Love, Death, Fame offers a glimpse of what life was like four centuries ago in the region that is now the UAE.
An English-only edition.
Editions of Love, Death, Fame
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781479825806
Read an Excerpt
Poems and tales of a literary forefather of the United Arab Emirates
Love, Death, Fame features the poetry of al-Māyidī ibn Ẓāhir, who has been embraced as the earliest poet in what would later become the United Arab Emirates. Although little is known about his life, he is the subject of a sizeable body of folk legend and is thought to have lived in the seventeenth century, in the area now called the Emirates. The tales included in Love, Death, Fame portray him as a witty, resourceful, scruffy poet, at times combative and at times kindhearted.
His poetry primarily features verses of wisdom and romance, with scenes of clouds and rain, desert migrations, seafaring, and pearl diving. Like Arabian Romantic and Arabian Satire, this collection is a prime example of Nabaṭī poetry, combining vernacular language of the Arabian Peninsula with archaic vocabulary and images dating to Arabic poetry’s very origins. Distinguished by Ibn Ẓāhir’s unique voice, Love, Death, Fame offers a glimpse of what life was like four centuries ago in the region that is now the UAE.
An English-only edition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Love, Death, Fame about?
Poems and tales of a literary forefather of the United Arab Emirates
Love, Death, Fame features the poetry of al-Māyidī ibn Ẓāhir, who has been embraced as the earliest poet in what would later become the United Arab Emirates. Although little is known about his life, he is the subject of a sizeable body of folk legend and is thought to have lived in the seventeenth century, in the area now called the Emirates. The tales included in Love, Death, Fame portray him as a witty, resourceful, scruffy poet, at times combative and at times kindhearted.
His poetry primarily features verses of wisdom and romance, with scenes of clouds and rain, desert migrations, seafaring, and pearl diving. Like Arabian Romantic and Arabian Satire, this collection is a prime example of Nabaṭī poetry, combining vernacular language of the Arabian Peninsula with archaic vocabulary and images dating to Arabic poetry’s very origins. Distinguished by Ibn Ẓāhir’s unique voice, Love, Death, Fame offers a glimpse of what life was like four centuries ago in the region that is now the UAE.
An English-only edition.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Love, Death, Fame?
Biography, Literature and Literary studies > Biography and non-fiction prose > Anthologies
Where can I read a sample of Love, Death, Fame?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781479825806
How long is Love, Death, Fame and how many pages does it have?
Love, Death, Fame has 300 page(s)
Is Love, Death, Fame part of a series, and can it be read as a standalone?
Yes it is a part of series Library of Arabic Literature
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Love, Death, Fame?
al-Māyidī ibn Ẓāhir, David Elmer
Who is the Publisher of the book Love, Death, Fame?
NYU Press
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Love, Death, Fame is available as paperback(ISBN 9781479825806)
Where can I buy Love, Death, Fame online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Love, Death, Fame from below
Where can I buy Love, Death, Fame?