THE BOOK OF ANVARI Translation & Introduction Paul Smith Ahad-ud-din Anvari Abeverdi (1126-1189) was a court poet of the Seljuk sultans. Jami composed a ruba'i where he names him, along with Firdausi and Sadi as one of the 'three apostles' of Persian poetry. He was also a celebrated astronomer, mathematician and scientist who admitted he gave them up for the more lucrative occupation of ... a court poet, that he later rejected twenty years before his death for a life of seclusion and contemplation, embracing Sufism. He is renowned for his delightful wittiness that can be found in many of his ruba'is and qit'as and ghazals. He is one of the greatest Persian masters of the qasida and his one called 'The Tears of Khurasan' is considered his masterpieces. He created a new kind of poetry by using the conversational language of his time in simple words and expressions. The correct rhyme-structure has been kept and the beauty and meaning of these unique poems. Introduction 0n his Life and Times and Forms of Poetry in which he wrote. Selected Bibliography. Large Format Book 7" x 10" 168 pages. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. I am astonished. If he comes to Iran I will kiss the fingertips that wrote such a masterpiece inspired by the Creator of all." Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of books into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Mu'in, Amir Khusrau, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Bulleh Shah, Shah Latif, Mahsati, Iqbal, Ghalib and others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and a dozen screenplays. www.newhumanitybooks.com