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Tales of the Dervishes: Teaching-Stories of the Sufi Masters over the Past Thousand Years (Compass) Paperback – October 1, 1993

by Idries Shah (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 224 ratings
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Dervish tales are more than fable, legend, or folklore. For centuries dervish masters have instructed their disciples by means of these teaching stories, which are said to increase perception and knowledge and provide a better understanding of man and the world. In wit, construction, and piquancy, they compare with the finest tales of any culture. Idries Shah spent many years traveling through three continents to collect and compare oral versions of these remarkable stories. This anthology, presented in the dervish manner, contains stories drawn from the repertories of dervish masters over a period of more than a thousand years.
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  1. Part of series
    Arkana S.
  2. Print length
    224 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Penguin/Arkana
  5. Publication date
    October 1, 1993
  6. Dimensions
    5.08 x 0.58 x 4.67 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0140193588
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0140193589
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"... a collection of diamonds ... incredibly well-crafted, multifaceted ... likely to endure in the manner of the Koran and the Bible." -- Professor Robert E. Ornstein, Ph.D., Psychology Today, July 1973

"... challenges our intellectual assumptions at almost every point." -- The Observer

"... equal, and sometimes surpass, in relevance, piquancy and humour, the best of the spiritual and ethical teachers of the West ..." -- Kirkus Review, November 5, 1969

"... some really cracking tales ... full of wit, sophistication, irony and commonsense ... completely absorbing." -- Northern Despatch, October 20, 1967

"... these teaching-tales could become a permanent part of the reader's experience ..." -- Geoffrey Grigson, Country Life, October 26, 1967

"An astonishingly generous and liberating book ... strikingly appropriate for our time and situation ... a jewel flung in the market-place." -- Sunday Times

"Beautifully translated . . equips men and women to make good use of their lives." -- Professor James Kritzeck, The Nation

"For every decade we live, we will find another meaning in each story." -- Desmond Morris, BBC - The World of Books

About the Author

Idries Shah was an author and teacher in the Sufi tradition who wrote dozens of books on topics ranging from psychology to spiritualilty to travelogues to other anthropological studies. In his writings, Shah presented Sufism as a universal form of wisdom that predated Islam. Shah is known for The Sufis, The Commanding Self, The Subleties of the Inimitable Mulla Nasrudin, The Exploits of the Incomparable Mulla Nasrudin, Thinkers of the East, and Learning How to Learn. 

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin/Arkana; Reprint edition (October 1, 1993)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 224 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0140193588
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0140193589
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.08 x 0.58 x 4.67 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 224 ratings

About the author

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Idries Shah

Idries Shah

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Idries Shah was an author and teacher in the Sufi tradition and is considered one of the leading thinkers of the 20th century. He devoted his life to collecting, translating and adapting key works of Sufi classical literature for the needs of the contemporary West. These works represent centuries of thought – some call it “practical philosophy” – aimed at developing human potential. Shah’s literary output – more than three dozen books on topics ranging from psychology and spirituality to travelogues and cultural studies – includes uniquely instrumental teaching stories, some of which he retold for children. His work is regarded as forming an important bridge between the cultures of East and West. It has been translated into dozens of languages and has sold millions of copies around the world. In his writings for adults, Shah presented Sufism as a universal form of wisdom that predates Islam. Emphasizing that Sufism is not static but always adapts to the current time, place and people, he often framed his teaching in Western psychological terms. For more than 40 years, Shah sifted through oriental literature and oral Sufi tradition to bring his contemporary audience narratives, poetry, aphorisms and an enormous range of teaching stories that are appropriate for our time and culture. He pointed out that this work “connects with a part of the individual which cannot be reached by any other convention, and ... establishes in him or in her a means of communication with a non-verbalized truth beyond the customary limitations of our familiar dimensions.”

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
224 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the stories meaningful and entertaining, with insights into mystical and intellectual wisdom. They find the book good for modern minds to develop and recharge. However, some customers report issues with poor typesetting and unreadable pages.

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Storytelling qualityInsightHumorTypesetting
17 customers mention "Storytelling quality"17 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's storytelling. They find the tales meaningful and interesting, with simple stories in simple languages that provide deeper insights. The book offers a fresh look at everyday occurrences, unquestioned practices, and established thought.

"...In this book he presents stories from Sufi teachers over the last 14 centuries, as well as comments on each...." Read more

"...There are famous stories, such as The Blind Ones and the Matter of the Elephant, The Ancient Coffer of Nuri Bey, Strike on this Spot and The King’s..." Read more

"delivered on time; excellent collect of Dervish stories" Read more

"I love how these stories are presented. Accessible, with a bit of their origins...." Read more

16 customers mention "Insight"16 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's insights and intellectual wisdom. They find it presents teachings in a way that causes them to think, making it good for modern minds to develop and recharge. The stories open their minds to a different way of thinking and offer interesting philosophical meanings.

"Shah suggests that there is a practical knowledge of humanity that we may wish to develop...." Read more

"...A fresh look at everyday occurrences, unquestioned practices and established thought-processes. It has an invigorating value...." Read more

"One of the most important books ever. I have re-read it many times over 30 years...." Read more

"I like this book because it presents the teaching in a way that causes you to think about it indirectly...." Read more

5 customers mention "Humor"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book. They find it entertaining and engagingly retold.

"...But first and foremost I hope you will find the book is a fun read with delightful stories to enjoy and perhaps share." Read more

"...Images of the real and the unreal (plus Notes). Very entertaining." Read more

"...encountered some of my favorite stories in a book where they are engagingly retold and are more appropriate for children: "Wonder Bird" - bilingual..." Read more

"Treasure of wisdom peppered with humor!" Read more

3 customers mention "Typesetting"0 positive3 negative

Customers dislike the poor typesetting. They find the pages unreadable.

"Who edited the proof? The typesetting is screwy in a few places. You might be concerned with that, But ultimately I’m happy with it." Read more

"...and words written in pen.... making these pages unreadable." Read more

"...Some of them are incoherently written even. Would not recommend." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • RogerMCPS
    5.0 out of 5 stars First: Enjoy
    Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Shah suggests that there is a practical knowledge of humanity that we may wish to develop. In this book he presents stories from Sufi teachers over the last 14 centuries, as well as comments on each. Before you go looking for lessons here, however, remember that elsewhere Shah suggests that the first thing you want to do with a story is to enjoy it, and I hope that you enjoy the stories here as much as I do. If beyond that you find a little something extra in these stories, then so much the better. I happen to think that taken together they perhaps provide a glimpse of habits that we might wish to be more aware of in ourselves, and maybe even a little about perceiving reality more accurately. If you would like to call that spirituality, a “science of humanity,” or even just “common sense,” I do not think he would be greatly offended. But first and foremost I hope you will find the book is a fun read with delightful stories to enjoy and perhaps share.
    15 people found this helpful
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  • 39.48
    5.0 out of 5 stars Images of the Real and the Unreal - plus Notes
    Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    The Preface tells you of the use of stories by Sufis and the general public. There are tales with great titles like The Cure Of Human Blood, The Man Whose Time Was Wrong, Wisdom For Sale. There are famous stories, such as The Blind Ones and the Matter of the Elephant, The Ancient Coffer of Nuri Bey, Strike on this Spot and The King’s Son. It all comes down the electronic pipeline (plus tax) to browse, to read, or just to have a copy. Images of the real and the unreal (plus Notes). Very entertaining.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Shiva
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another Great Book From Idries Shah
    Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I have read many books by Idries Shah going back 30+ years and this is another great one. Will read it again and again.
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  • Frieda Webb
    4.0 out of 5 stars Shah, Tales of the Dervishes
    Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    delivered on time; excellent collect of Dervish stories
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  • Greg G.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Love these Sufi stories
    Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I love how these stories are presented. Accessible, with a bit of their origins. If Sufi stories are of interest to you, this is a great author to start with. .
    One person found this helpful
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  • Pablo R. Vitaver
    5.0 out of 5 stars Dare to question everything
    Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2002
    Verified Purchase
    Stories that will shake your assumptions and strict belief in the established, conventional, trusted and safe relationship between cause and effect. These stories, if nothing else, open your mind to a different way of thinking. By doing that, it awakens parts of your brain that normally stay dormant. A fresh look at everyday occurrences, unquestioned practices and established thought-processes. It has an invigorating value. You don't have to 'believe' anything the author says: he is not selling anything, not even ideas. Just read and observe what happens to yourself, since these stories are about you.
    37 people found this helpful
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  • FG
    3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    The book is relatively good, but not great!
    One person found this helpful
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  • detail-oriented purchaser
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most important books ever.
    Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    One of the most important books ever. I have re-read it many times over 30 years. The works of Idries Shah provide templates for understanding the mind and the world, and this book is a very good place to start. I bought this copy for a friend.
    7 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Audrey M
    5.0 out of 5 stars Magical
    Reviewed in Canada on June 1, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    One of my all time favourite books... I keep it by my bedside and re-read the stories whenever I feel like I need a fresh perspective. One thing I love is that some of these stories are over a thousand years old, yet they get to the core aspects of human behaviour... I find it interesting that reading these stories helps me put the recent world events in perspective and feel more personally resilient as a result.
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  • Ita
    5.0 out of 5 stars 'The Artistry of the Dervish Scientists'
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 27, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    A book of over eighty very entertaining and varied stories begins with some already appreciated by many in the West, like ‘The Tale of the Sands’, ‘The Food of Paradise’, and ‘The Blind Ones and the Matter of the Elephant’. Shah guides us through these, and the many unfamiliar tales which follow. He tells us that not all dervish stories are suitable for everyone, for all places, and for all times. As an example, ‘The Man Who Walked on Water’ provides great enjoyment and a superficial moral for those of us who read it in English; but, to be fully appreciated, it needs to be encountered in Arabic.

    The book contains a story composed by one of the greatest Arabic poets, el-Mutannabi. ‘The Three Truths’ was, like others in his collection, to remain an oral legend for a thousand years, because the retelling needed to be in accordance with ‘the changes of the times’. By the time Shah compiled this collection, a thousand years since the poet’s death had elapsed, and the story finally appeared in print.

    This is not the only reminder that the Eastern approach to storytelling is governed by what seem to us to be inexplicable rules. ‘The Lame Man and the Blind Man’, according to dervish lore, is only to be read after receiving definite instructions to do so. Alternately it can be read by those who have already studied ‘The Blind Ones and the Matter of the Elephant’. When you come to the penultimate story, make sure you leave yourself enough time to read the last one immediately afterwards, because ‘The Host and the Guests’ is one of the Sufi Tales which carry an embargo. In this case we are warned that it may not be studied in isolation.

    I read the Kindle edition of this book twice before attempting this, admittedly inadequate, review. I thoroughly enjoyed all the stories, but make a plea not to ignore, or dismiss lightly, the more down-to-earth tales. Some of the stories I found most surprising and rewarding included ‘The Time, the Place and the People’, ‘Wisdom for Sale’ and ‘The Lamp Shop’.
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  • vijay kumar
    5.0 out of 5 stars enriching experience
    Reviewed in India on September 13, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Like Panchtantra its a book of age old wisdom encapsulated in a fun loving format coming from the land of Islam. Stories are ageless and without religious overtones. A must read for all who believe in universal wisdom across religious boundaries. It has an element for all age groups as the meaning encoded is multidimensional. The higher meanings unfolding as you grow.
    I bought it for my daughter of 11 years to give her a cultural experience and for its different way of storytelling and she thoroughly enjoys it.
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  • BRCBKH
    5.0 out of 5 stars fables
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 26, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    "Their true function, beyond sheer entertainment, as a metaphorical teaching instrument is so little-known in the modern world, that no popular terms exist to describe them."

    Metaphorical teaching instruments are called fables. These are excellent fables.
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  • Man Mohan Khullar
    5.0 out of 5 stars Full of wisdom
    Reviewed in India on March 13, 2017
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    full of wisdom
    Report