This is the first book to present the life, times and poetry of one of the greatest poets in the Arab tradition, Abu Nuwas. Author Philip Kennedy provides the narrative of Abu Nuwas's fascinating life, which was full of intrigue and debauched adventure, in parallel with the presentation of his greatest poems, across all genres, in easy and accessible translations, giving commentary where needed.

Philip F. Kennedy is Associate Professor of Middle Easterna dn islamic Studies and Comparative Literature at New York University. His published works include The Wine Song in Classical Arabic Poetry: Abu Nuwas and the Literary Tradition.

Preface

Acknowledgments



1 "Dangling Locks and Babel Eyes" ? A Biographical Sketch of Abu Nuwas (c. 757?814)

2 "Love, Wine, Sodomy ... and the Lash" ? The Lyric Poetry of Abu Nuwas

3 "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" ? On Panegyric and Satire

4 Some Hunting Poems and a Game of Polo

5 "Poetry for Mortals and the Dead" ? On the Ascetic Poem and the Elegy



An Afterword ? "Walk the Even Path with Me ..."

Bibliography

Index