Night and horses and the desert

"Night and Horses and the Desert reveals the authentic greatness of Classical Arabic literature. Selecting a wide range of Arabic poetry and prose in translation, from the most important and typical texts to the very obscure, Robert Irwin provides an invaluable introduction to the subject." "Irwin explores the literary environments of the desert, the salon, the mosque and the bookshop, as well as providing brief biographies of the caliphs, princesses, warriors, scribes, dandies and mystics who created such a rich and diverse literary culture."--Jacket.