This revised and expanded edition of The Essential Rumi includes a new introduction by Coleman Barks and more than eighty never-before-published poems.
Through his lyrical translations, Coleman Barks has been instrumental in bringing this exquisite literature to a remarkably wide range of readers, making the ecstatic, spiritual poetry of thirteenth-century Sufi mystic Rumi more popular than ever.
The Essential Rumi continues to be the bestselling of all Rumi books, and the definitive selection of his beautiful, mystical poetry.
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“If Rumi is the most-read poet in America today, Coleman Barks is in good part responsible. His ear for the truly divine madness in Rumi’s poetry is truly remarkable.”
— Huston Smith, bestselling author of The World’s Religions
“The thirteenth-century Persian mystic’s words continue to resonate, particularly in this translation, which offers a remarkably contemporary voice.”
— Oprah.com“The Essential Rumi is a rare and precious book that will stir the hearts of Rumi devotees and win many new converts.”
— Body Mind Spirit“Delightful…Barks sparklingly demonstrates once again why his free-form interpretations of [Rumi’s] poetry…have been a major impetus for the current Rumi vogue.”
— Publishers WeeklyBe the first to write a review about this audiobook!
Rumi (1207–1273) is the foremost Sufi poet, famous for his lyrics and for his didactic epic Masnavi, a collection of mystical tales and discourse. Rumi lived in the Seldjuk capital Konya, and his influence on literature, carried by his Sufism, spread with the expansion of the Ottoman Empire and lasted centuries.
Robertson Dean has played leading roles on and off Broadway and at dozens of regional theaters throughout the country. He has a BA from Tufts University and an MFA from Yale. His audiobook narration has garnered ten AudioFile Earphones Awards. He now lives in Los Angeles, where he works in film and television in addition to narrating.