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Shahnameh
- The Epic of the Persian Kings
- Narrated by: Marc Thompson, Francis Ford Coppola - introduction
- Length: 12 hrs and 1 min
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Publisher's summary
The new, impeccable translation and adaptation of the Epic of Persian Kings by Ahmad Sadri brought to life a host of heroic characters and wove their adventures into a thrilling story spanning thousands of years. Containing four grand tragedies and four beautiful love stories, the audiobook is currently going into its fifth edition. It has been a smashing success. We are delighted to present a 12-hour audio experience of this text (performed by the award-winning voice actor, Marc Thompson) against the backdrop of evocative sound design and music editing of Hamid Rahmanian the creator of the Shahnameh project.
Now, make sure you have a good set of headphone/speakers and tighten your seat belts. This immersive audio experience will take you on a journey back to the soundscape of ancient Iranian heroes, monsters, lovers, and warriors. This is going to be one heck of a ride.
About the Book: Shahnameh: The Epic of the Persian Kings is the illustrated edition of the classic work written over one thousand years ago by Abolqasem Ferdowsi, one of Persia's greatest poets. This new prose translation of the national epic is illuminated with over 500 pages of illustrations and will be published in April 2013. The lush and intricate illustrations in this edition have been created by award-winning graphic artist and filmmaker Hamid Rahmanian, incorporating images from the pictorial tradition of the Persianate world from the fourteenth to the nineteenth centuries. The new translation and adaptation by Ahmad Sadri, retells the mythological and epic stories of the original poem in prose format. This Shahnameh is an extraordinary literary and artistic accomplishment.
Published by Liveright , distributed by W. W. Norton & Company Hardcover with slipcase, 592 pages, 500+ four-color illustrations ISBN 978-1-63149-446-8
Critic reviews
"Creating this audiobook breathes new life into the Shahnameh stories. It is an immersive experience, making these ancient tales tangible for those who are new to these incredible heroic stories and a delight for those already familiar with the poem" (Francis Ford Coppola)
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Look beyond the abstract dates and figures, kings and queens, and battles and wars that make up so many historical accounts. Over the course of 48 richly detailed lectures, Professor Garland covers the breadth and depth of human history from the perspective of the so-called ordinary people, from its earliest beginnings through the Middle Ages.
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Tantalizing time trip
- By Mark on 08-21-13
By: Robert Garland, and others
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Layli and Majnun
- By: Nezami Ganjavi, Dick Davis - translator introduction
- Narrated by: Dick Davis, Peter Ganim, Serena Manteghi, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
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The iconic love story of the Middle East, by a 12th-century Persian poet who has been compared to Shakespeare for his subtlety, inventiveness, and dramatic force, Layli and Majnun tells of star-crossed lovers whose union is tragically thwarted by their families and whose passion continues to ripple out across the centuries. Theirs is a love that lasts a lifetime, and in Nezami's immortal telling, erotic longing blends with spiritual self-denial in an allegory of Sufi aspiration, as the amenities of civilization give way to the elemental wilderness.
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Great Book
- By Anthony W. on 10-03-22
By: Nezami Ganjavi, and others
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King of the World
- The Life of Cyrus the Great
- By: Matt Waters
- Narrated by: Michael Page
- Length: 7 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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The Persian Empire was the world's first hyperpower, with territory stretching from Central Asia to Northeastern Africa and from Southeastern Europe to the Indus Valley. It was the dominant geopolitical force from the later sixth century to its conquest by Alexander in the 330s BCE. Much of the empire's territory was conquered by its founder, Cyrus the Great, who reigned from 559-530 BCE.
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Accessibile and informative
- By Amazon Customer on 12-22-23
By: Matt Waters
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The Fall of Heaven
- The Pahlavis and the Final Days of Imperial Iran
- By: Andrew Scott Cooper
- Narrated by: Assaf Cohen
- Length: 22 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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In this remarkably human portrait of one of the 20th century's most complicated personalities, author Andrew Scott Cooper traces Mohammad Reza Pahlavi's life from childhood through his ascension to the throne in 1941. He highlights the turbulence of the postwar era, during which the shah survived assassination attempts and coup plots to build a modern, pro-Western state and launch Iran onto the world stage as one of the world's top five powers.
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Excellent account of a pivotal and sad time
- By Guerin Shea on 09-05-16
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The Rig Veda
- By: Anonymous
- Narrated by: Sagar Arya
- Length: 41 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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These 1028 poems, grouped as 10 ‘Circles’ (mandalas), have variously been called hymns, poems or songs by Sanskrit scholars. The Rik (so pronounced by the ancient Angirases clans, or Seer-Priest families) was an experiment with sound. The emphasis is always on sounding the words perfectly. The focus tends to be on the ideas rather than on the authors in Vedic literature, they are largely religious in nature, reflecting the world view and spiritual preoccupations of ancient India.
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Challenging Enunciation; Listen with Good Speakers
- By Hannah on 07-02-21
By: Anonymous
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The Ancient Near East
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Amanda H. Podany
- Narrated by: Fajer Al-Kaisi
- Length: 4 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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The ancient Near East is known as the "cradle of civilization" - and for good reason. Mesopotamia, Syria, and Anatolia were home to an extraordinarily rich and successful culture. Indeed, it was a time and place of earth-shaking changes for humankind: the beginnings of writing and law, kingship and bureaucracy, diplomacy and state-sponsored warfare, mathematics and literature. This Very Short Introduction audiobook offers a fascinating account of this momentous time in human history.
By: Amanda H. Podany
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The Scythian Empire
- Central Eurasia and the Birth of the Classical Age from Persia to China
- By: Christopher I. Beckwith
- Narrated by: Jim Lee
- Length: 7 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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This audiobook narrated by Jim Lee provides a rich, discovery-filled account of how a forgotten empire transformed the ancient world.
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Demystifying the mysteries of the Ancient Worlds through a common source
- By cpdb on 02-10-23
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Aristotle
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Jonathan Barnes
- Narrated by: Phil Holland
- Length: 3 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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The influence of Aristotle, the prince of philosophers, on the intellectual history of the West is second to none. In this book, Jonathan Barnes examines Aristotle's scientific researches, his discoveries in logic and his metaphysical theories, his work in psychology and in ethics and politics, and his ideas about art and poetry, placing his teachings in their historical context.
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Great Book Moderate Storyteller
- By Brad on 08-23-24
By: Jonathan Barnes
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The Oresteia
- Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers and The Furies
- By: Aeschylus
- Narrated by: Lesley Sharp, Hugo Speer, Will Howard, and others
- Length: 4 hrs and 30 mins
- Original Recording
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The classic trilogy about murder, revenge and justice, as heard on BBC Radio 3 – plus a bonus documentary exploring Aeschylus's seminal Greek tragedy. A chilling tale of homecoming, violent death and bloody vengeance, The Oresteia dates back to the fifth century BC, but its themes still resonate today. At once a family saga, morality tale and courtroom drama, it recounts how two generations of the cursed House of Atreus become locked into a deadly cycle of atrocities....
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Three adaptations, three writers
- By purplecrayon88 on 03-12-21
By: Aeschylus
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The Mabinogion
- By: Charlotte Guest
- Narrated by: Richard Mitchley
- Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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The Mabinogion, the earliest literary jewel of Wales, is a collection of ancient tales and legends compiled around the 12th and 13th century deriving from storytelling and the songs of bards handed down over the ages. It is a remarkable document in many ways. From an historical perspective, it is the earliest prose literature of Britain. But it is in its drama that many surprises await, not least the central role of King Arthur, his wife, Gwenhwyvar, and his court at Caerlleon upon Usk.
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A Wonder Whose Origin is Unknown
- By John on 07-28-17
By: Charlotte Guest
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The Arabian Nights
- Their Best Known Tales
- By: Kate Douglas Wiggin, Nora A. Smith
- Narrated by: Johanna Ward
- Length: 11 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Here is a selection of some of the best-known and best-loved tales of The Arabian Nights, including "Sinbad", "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves", "Aladdin", "The Talking Bird", and the "Fisherman and the Genie". In this "treasure house of pleasant things" you will find golden palaces, gem studded caves, and breathtaking gardens.
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Lively Nights
- By Joe Pawlowski on 04-14-05
By: Kate Douglas Wiggin, and others
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Assyria
- The Rise and Fall of the World's First Empire
- By: Eckart Frahm
- Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
- Length: 15 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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At its height in 660 BCE, the kingdom of Assyria stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. It was the first empire the world had ever seen. Here, historian Eckart Frahm tells the epic story of Assyria and its formative role in global history. Assyria’s wide-ranging conquests have long been known from the Hebrew Bible and later Greek accounts. But nearly two centuries of research now permit a rich picture of the Assyrians and their empire beyond the battlefield.
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Outstanding Historical Book
- By Okahead on 05-15-23
By: Eckart Frahm
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The Ecclesiastical History of the English People
- By: The Venerable Bede
- Narrated by: Peter Wickham
- Length: 12 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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The Ecclesiastical History of the English People was written in Latin by the Venerable Bede (673-735), a Benedictine monk living in Northumbria, an important Christian centre in the eighth century. It is a remarkable document, tracing, in general, early Anglo-Saxon history, and in particular, as the title proclaims, the growth and establishment of Christianity against the backdrop of the political life.
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good story
- By Henry Harrity on 04-21-20
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At Swim-Two-Birds
- By: Flann O’Brien
- Narrated by: Alan Smyth
- Length: 10 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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A wildly comic send-up of Irish literature and culture, At Swim-Two-Birds is the story of a young, lazy, and frequently drunk Irish college student who lives with his curmudgeonly uncle in Dublin. When not in bed (where he seems to spend most of his time) or reading, he is composing a mischief-filled novel about Dermot Trellis, a second-rate author whose characters ultimately rebel against him and seek vengeance. From drugging him as he sleeps to dropping the ceiling on his head, these figures of Irish myth make Trellis pay dearly for his bad writing.
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Worth waiting for
- By Ken Watkins on 02-04-20
By: Flann O’Brien
What listeners say about Shahnameh
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- ST
- 07-07-21
Shahnameh
fantastic in all aspects - the story was put together in a fluid and engaging manner.
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- Em
- 07-06-23
Incredible
I first encountered the Shahnameh through an art history class in which we studied images from the Shah Tahmasp Shahnameh, and I was blown away by the art. A few years later I came across a video of the pop-up book Zahhak the Legend of the Serpent King, which was again one of the most beautiful books I've ever seen. I wanted to experience the full story, and was thrilled when I learned of this audiobook. Where the former two books are feasts for the eyes, this is a banquet for the ears. I highly recommend giving it a listen.
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- Eric
- 12-18-21
Absolutely awesome
The stories in this epic are no less interesting and entertaining than those of the ancient greeks or the medieval epics of Europe. Its filled with heros, monsters, wars, treachery, politics and battles.Absolutely worth a listen if you want to hear the important works of history.
But the highest praise has to go to the narrator. Wow! I've never heard anyone put so much effort and theatrical talent into an audiobook. When characters are enraged, the narrator is enraged too. When the characters are distraught with sadness, he is too. Every character has a distinct voice. I really can't praise him enough. I also liked the sound effects. Not too much, just enough to aid your imagination. The music at the end of chapters was beautiful too.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Vida
- 01-07-23
Just perfect!
Everything from the translation, the narrator, to the background music and sounds are just done in perfection. It’s captivating and just draws you in. Simply loved it! Thank you …
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1 person found this helpful
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- David Doolittle
- 05-02-19
excellent English translation
dramatized by narrator. Will listen again at least a dozen times. a story so characterizing of Persian culture it should be heard by anyone who has a interest in that region
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4 people found this helpful
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- Shabnam Vaziri-Sadri
- 05-30-20
Fascinating Epic
This brilliant rendering of Ferdowsi’s timeless epic further expands the reach of Shahnameh beyond the boundaries of the Persian language. The modernized recount of the ancient stories in English takes the old masterpiece across cultural and generational bridges and adds to its longevity. I share the author’s hope that perhaps some day Rostam, Feraydoon, Bijan and Manijeh will become as familiar as Homer, Hector, Romeo and Juliet.
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1 person found this helpful
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- U. Campanella
- 08-30-21
What a fantastic epic
I always wanted to read the Shahnameh and this audio book made it possible.
Thank you all involved in this production of Shahnameh for your amazing work. You did Ferdosi justice.
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- CarrierofLadders
- 08-06-18
Epic
This was a great listen. While it's not the full Shahnameh (it ends around the death of Rustam), it was a truly epic listen, full of wise kings, proud heros, and surprisingly complex lessons about the virtues of patience, tolerance, and courage. It is not simply tales of physical bravery, but also of strained family relationships and the tragic consequences of pride. The narration sometimes is a little distracting (the women all sound the same, for example), as are the sound effects, but the music and the ambience is general helps keep the pace exciting and engaging. I loved this story and am now going to read the whole translation. 5/5!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Ada Davis-Nouri
- 06-20-21
Incredible, Immersive, Emotional!
A fantastic performance with incredible audio work and excellent translation leads for a fully immersive, well mixed modern/traditional experience rivaling those of a Persian tea-house for those who can only enjoy this text in the English language. Rahmanian will go down in the annals of history as the Ferdowsi of the digital age.
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- Mohammad Rostami
- 01-08-23
Epic Story
Great voice acting although at the end there were some confusion about who is talking since there are so many characters.
Great sound effects and music.
Bitter and awing ending
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