By the turn of the nineteenth century, the poet, novelist and thinker Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was one of the most famous people in the world. In 1823 he became friend and mentor to the young writer Johann Eckermann, who, for the last nine years of Goethe's life, recorded their wide-ranging conversations on art, literature, science and philosophy. This rich portrait of Germany's literary elder statesman, now in its first new translation for over 150 years, gives a fascinating glimpse into a great mind as well as 'many insights and invaluable lessons about life.'

POET & PRISONER... MAS’UD SA’D SALMAN Habsiyyat (prison-songs) & other Poems Translation & Introduction by Paul Smith Mas’ud-i-Sa’d-i-Salman (1048-1122) was born in Lahore to wealthy parents who originally came from Hamadan. In the beginning he was at the court of the prince of Ghazneh and governor of India Sayfu’-daula Mahmud and quickly progressed in wealth and honour. When he was forty he was thrown into prison after being wrongfully accused along with his patron of treachery by Sultan Ibrahim. He was in the fortress of Dahak for seven years despite his protests in the form of qasidas and then was imprisoned for another three years in the fortress of Nay. He wasn’t released until 1096. On release he returned to Lahore and became the governor of Chalander. Soon he was imprisoned again in the fortress of Maranj, this time for eight years in the most appalling conditions. The last years of his life he became a ‘Servant of God’ or a Sufi and a bit of a hermit. He was a brilliant poet and scholar and learnt astronomy (in prison) calligraphy and military affairs (that often got him into trouble). His famous Habsiyyat, (prison-songs) are among the most interesting poems in the Persian language. He was always an optimist, despite his long prison terms. Sana’i praised him and collected his poems into a Divan and he was admired by Mu’izzi, Anvari, Khaqani and Nava’i. Along with hundreds of qasidas and qit’as and a handful of ghazals and other forms of Persian poetry and some prose Mas’ud Sa’d Salman composed about four hundred ruba’is. This large selection is in the correct form and meaning. Introduction on his Life & Times and Forms of poetry. Selected Bibliography. Appendix: Mas’ud-i-Sa’d-Salman by Mirza Muhammad Tr. by E.G. Browne. Large Print (16pt) & Lsarge Format (“8 x 10”). 200 pages. Paul Smith (b. 1945) is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets of the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, ‘Attar, Sana’i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre, Lalla Ded, Seemab, Jigar, Abu Nuwas, Seemab and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children’s books and 12 screenplays.

Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. Despite their differences, Achilles befriends the shamed prince, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles's mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, Achilles must go to war in distant Troy and fulfill his destiny. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus goes with him, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.