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Robert Louis Stevenson : New Arabian Nights before purchasing it in order to gage whether or not it would be worth my time, and all praised New Arabian Nights:

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. When It Was Alright for Literature to Be EntertainingBy Don QuixoteBefore I picked up this book, I had read only two works by Robert Louis Stevenson. One was _The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde_, which, like the vast majority of its readers, I was not able to read "innocently." This story has become so popular that virtually everyone knows "what's up" with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which takes away part of the thrill of reading it, though it does not diminish this immortal masterpiece in any way. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, you are truly blessed and I envy you; please get a copy of the book immediately and read it before someone spoils the whole thing for you.) As a child, I had also read the short story "," in Spanish, in what was probably a simplified version. I thought it was, like Poe's "The Gold Bug," one of the most wonderful things ever written. Those two stories would have sufficed to make me want to be a writer. It is strange, then, that so many years have passed before I read Stevenson again. I still haven't read _Treasure Island_ or _Kidnapped_, but I plan to change that soon. Stevenson had a tremendous influence on two of my favorite authors: Jorge Luis Borges and G. K. Chesterton. Borges even included _New Arabian Nights_ (plus the short story "") in his "biblioteca personal," the list of the 100 most significant books he had read.The title of _New Arabian Nights_ (1882) is misleading. In a way, Stevenson was capitalizing on the tremendous success of the _One Thousand and One Nights_. The "Arabian" stories in Stevenson's collection take place in London, though this is a highly personal view of the English capital. Stevenson creates a haunting, perilous atmosphere, and as Borges points out, this depiction of London greatly influenced Chesterton (see _The Man Who Was Thursday_, for example; another story, by the way, that one should read before someone spoils it). Like Cervantes in _Don Quixote_, Stevenson pretends to retell stories that have been penned by an unnamed Arabian author. _New Arabian Nights_ consists of two story cycles ("The Suicide Club" and "The Rajah's Diamond", the actual "Arabian" tales) and four stories. All of these tales may be described as tales of "adventure" and/or "mystery." I will comment briefly on each story.* The Suicide Club: this cycle includes the "Story of the Young Man with the Cream Tarts," the "Story of the Physician and the Saratoga Trunk," and "The Adventure of the Hansom Cabs." The premise is fabulous: someone has created a club to aid those people who are sick and tired of life and wish to put an end to their own. Cards are drawn from a pack each night: one determines who will die, and another who will "assist" him. These stories are tightly related and unified by the character of Prince Florizel of Bohemia; they could almost be considered a novella. One of my favorite pieces in the collection.* The Rajah's Diamond: a cycle that comprises the "Story of the Bandbox," the "Story of the Young Man in Holy Orders," the "Story of the House with the Green Blinds," and "The Adventure of Prince Florizel and a Detective." As those in "The Suicide Club," these tales are connected, and even though each may stand alone, if the reader wants to see the plot developed he/she has to read them all. The story concerns a diamond that passes from one hand to another. The influence of Wilkie Collins is patent here. His novel _The Moonstone_ (according to T. S. Eliot "the first, the longest, and the best of modern English detective novels") appeared in 1868. Conan Doyle had not yet introduced Sherlock Holmes to the world. That would happen in 1887 with _A Study in Scarlet_.* The Pavilion on the Links: the story of two misanthropes who meet by chance in a secluded pavilion they used to visit as young men. Things have changed, of course. One of them is now accompanied by a beautiful woman and an older man. Add in financial trouble and a "difference of opinion" with a group of Italians, and you have a great story.* A Lodging for the Night: One of the most famous stories in the collection, it describes a night in the life of French poet Francis Villon (called Franccedil;ois in real life, he is the author of the famous line "mais ougrave; sont les neiges d'antan?" i.e., "where are the snows of yesteryear?"). An excellent piece, I was slightly disappointed in it, surely because all the praise led me to expect something different.* The Sire De Maleacute;troit's Door: A man hides behind a door, which then will not open. I can't say more without spoiling the tale. This was by far my favorite story in the collection.* Providence and the Guitar: A story of artists and the troubles they run into. It read as a light piece to me. This is, in my opinion, the weakest effort in _New Arabian Nights_, thought it still exhibits Stevenson's mastery of description and his keen observation.Stevenson is often dismissed as a writer of entertainment. I will not deny that the main purpose of his writings seems to be to please, to interest, to entertain his reader. My question is, "So what's the problem?" We tend to forget that to entertain is not only a valid aim in literature, it should be one of its requirements. We seem to have fallen into the idolatry of the obscure, the complicated, the artsy, even the illegible. How many modern and especially post-modern novels can you name that are "classics" simply because they are a pain to get through? Nobody will point out that the emperor is not wearing any clothes. Not to mention novels that are valued not because of their artistic merit, but because of their politics. In an age such as ours, it is not surprising that the appreciation of Stevenson has decreased. Personally, I find this type of reading quite refreshing. It allows me to go back to a time when it was alright for an author to keep the reader in suspense, a time when self-indulgence and pretentiousness had not yet become the norm. Stevenson is a master storyteller, which is why in Samoa, where he spent the last years of his life, he was known as Tusitala, "Teller of Tales."I plan to read all of Stevenson's short fiction, which consists of this book plus _The Merry Men_ (1887), _Island's Night Entertainment_ (1893), and a handful of uncollected stories, some of which appeared in the posthumous _Tales and Fantasies_ (1905). The Modern Library has published all of this material, plus _Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde_ and the uncollected story "An Old Song," in one nice volume titled _The Complete Stories of Robert Louis Stevenson_. I will share my experience with these other books as I read them.Thanks for reading, and enjoy the book!1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Held my interestBy tdav53I found these interlocking stories to hold my interest. Unlike most of the Stevenson works I'm familiar with it was set in his time period in England. There is intrigue and even some humor. It's not great literature but good enough to pass some time by with.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy StarmanJimGood old classic.

New Arabian Nights by Robert Louis Stevenson, first published in 1882, is a collection of short stories previously published in magazines between 1877 and 1880. The collection contains Stevenson's first published fiction, and a few of the stories are considered by some critics to be his best work, as well as pioneering works in the English short story tradition.

About the AuthorRobert Louis Balfour Stevenson (1850 - 1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His most famous works are , , Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and A Child's Garden of Verses. A literary celebrity during his lifetime, Stevenson now ranks as the 26th most translated author in the world. His works have been admired by many other writers. --Wikipedia

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