Of special note in this still youthful age of self-published books (digital ebooks as well as books 'Printed-on-Demand'), is the truly astonishing fact that the Rub???iy???t was a self-published book, and not only self-published, but anonymously so by its translator, Edward FitzGerald! It was also a financial flop, with the unsold copies remaindered to the penny box in one small bookstore. Were it not for Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Algernon Charles Swinburne, two famous Victorian authors, happening quite by chance to see a ...
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Of special note in this still youthful age of self-published books (digital ebooks as well as books 'Printed-on-Demand'), is the truly astonishing fact that the Rub???iy???t was a self-published book, and not only self-published, but anonymously so by its translator, Edward FitzGerald! It was also a financial flop, with the unsold copies remaindered to the penny box in one small bookstore. Were it not for Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Algernon Charles Swinburne, two famous Victorian authors, happening quite by chance to see a pamphlet advertising second-hand books, and being curious about one titled Rub???iy???t of Omar Khayy???m the Astronomer-Poet of Persia, Translated into English Verse (no translator named), the entire batch was destined to be reborn as waste paper. This edition of the Rub???iy???t, Edited and with a Preface by H.D. Greaves, is unique in that it contains all of the FitzGerald editions: the First, the Second, and the Fifth, as well as FitzGerald's extensive variations in his Third and Fourth Editions. You will also find here FitzGerald's Notes to the Second Edition, his Introduction to the Third Edition, his brilliant essay on Omar Khayy???m, and a complete Glossary. Although FitzGerald's translation is not literal (he called it a "transmogrification" from the Persian), it is by far the greatest English language version of these extraordinary quatrains. This KDP Amazon high quality paperback and its Kindle eBook companion contain no illustrations. As lovely-and as beloved-as many of those are, it may be wise to consider that Omar Khayy???m's immortal words ultimately need no artist's palette. Our imagination and discernment are more than enough to give them life.
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Seller's Description:
1968 fourth printing. Collier Books introduction by Jerome H. Buckey. Good solid paperback with moderate reading/age wear, may have some light markings, pages may have some mild tanning. We take great pride in accurately describing the condition of our books and media, ship within 48 hours, and offer a 100% money back guarantee. Customers purchasing more than one item from us may be entitled to a shipping discount.
