HAFEZ OF SHIRAZ The Life, Poetry and Times of the Immortal Persian Poet. BOOK TWO (THE MIDDLE YEARS) by Paul Smith This long, historical three volume novel/biography covers Hafez's life from the age of eight in 1328 when his father dies and he goes to live with his Uncle Sadi, until after his passing in 1392. Shiraz is under siege by the tyrant Mubariz and Hafez's friend the king, Abu Ishak, is on the brink of madness and despair. Hafez falls in love with the beautiful Nabat, meets his Spiritual Master 'Attar, marries and has a son. He teaches at university and befriends the liberated princess Jahan Khatun and the poet/jester Obeyd Zakani. He experiences the people of his beloved city throwing out dictators, and the wrath of the false Sufi and black magician Shaikh Ali Kolah. Abu Ishak is executed. Eventually Shah Shuja takes control but tragedy strikes Hafiz and Jahan, and Nabat must suffer separation. Kingdoms rise and fall through treachery and wars but through it all the songs/ghazals of Hafez and his minstrel friends help the brave Shirazis to carry on. A book of immense love and power. 798 pages. 7" x 10" Large Format. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFEZ'S 'DIVAN'."It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafez 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% Hafez 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of works 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, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages including Hafez, 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, Mahsati, Baba Farid, Bulleh Shah, Ghalib, 'Iraqi, Makhfi, Hallaj. 'Ibn al-Farid and many others, and his own poetry, fiction, plays, biographies and a dozen screenplays. New Humanity Books amazon.com/author/smithpa