This extraordinary anthology gathers together a broad selection of representative, authoritative writings—spanning antiquity to the present—from the non-Western civilizations of the Middle East. It combines extensive introductions, headnotes, and bibliographies with excellent literary translations of the best contemporary and classical writers. The selections reflect literary, religious, and philosophical traditions and reveal—despite cultural differences—the universality of life experiences. Primary literary genres (poetry, fiction, and drama) as well as key religions, philosophical, historic, aesthetic, biographical and political texts are covered. For readers of Middle Eastern, World, and Non-Western Literature.