Hafiz of Shiraz was one of the very greatest Persian poets. The poetry of Hafiz is erotic yet spiritual, both sensual and symbolic, full of images of wine and the tavern, of the Beloved, of nightingales and roses. Bardic Press is proud to announce a new edition of Richard Le Gallienne's moving and poetic translations of Hafiz.

This is an extraordinary autobiography of a young girl growing up in Iran. The daughter of an English Christian mother and an Iranian Zoroastrian father, Nesta Ramazani sketches her personal life story against the backdrop of a society marked by the fusion of Iranian, Islamic, and Western cultures, and by the efforts of an authoritarian state to force modernization on a traditional society. Within this multicultural tapestry of personal, cultural, and national life, the author portrays how she came to love Persian and Western music, poetry, and dance. But translating this love into practice seemed an insurmountable task until an American woman pioneered the establishment of the first indigenous Iranian ballet company. As a member of this troupe, the author violated convention, performing first in her native land and then traveling abroad to exhibit this beautiful synthesis of Persian/Western forms to foreign audiences. The significance of this work transcends an autobiography penned by an Iranian woman—still a taboo in traditional Iranian society—it is a unique microcosm of today’s universal quest for a dialogue among civilizations. Ramazani’s story will appeal not only to students of Iran, the Middle East, and women’s studies, but also to general readers.

THIS 9 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Best Known Works of Oscar Wilde, by Oscar Wilde. To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 076613010X.

*Winner of the Sophie Brody Medal* A moving and uplifting history set to music that reveals the rich life of one of the first internationally renowned female violinists. Spanning generations, from the shores of the Black Sea to the glittering concert halls of New York, The Nightingale's Sonata is a richly woven tapestry centered around violin virtuoso Lea Luboshutz. Like many poor Jews, music offered an escape from the predjudices that dominated society in the last years of the Russian Empire. But Lea’s dramatic rise as an artist was further accentuated by her scandalous relationship with the revolutionary Onissim Goldovsky. As the world around them descends in to chaos, between revolution and war, we follow Lea and her family from Russia to Europe and eventually, America. We cross paths with Pablo Casals, Isadora Duncan, Emile Zola and even Leo Tolstoy. The little girl from Odessa will eventually end up as one of the founding faculty of the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, but along the way she will lose her true love, her father, and watch a son die young. The Iron Curtain would rise, but through it all, she plays on. Woven throughout this luminous odyssey is the story is Cesar Franck’s “Sonata for Violin and Piano.” As Lea was one of the first-ever internationally recognized female violinists, it is fitting that this pioneer was one of the strongest advocates for this young boundary-pushing composer and his masterwork.

Discover the first heartwarming novel in Kate Eastham's nursing series in this gripping and compelling story of strength 'Deftly written . . . a moving account of loss, as well as self-discovery and achievement' Woman's Own 'A vivid, entertaining read which brought history alive' 5***** Reader Review _________ From the docks of Liverpool to a distant battlefield, can one girl find her brother and save herself? Ada Houston's life is shattered when her brother Frank goes missing following an accident at the docks. But a short time later she hears a rumour that he survived and left Liverpool to fight a foreign war. Determined not to lose him a second time she boards a ship to bring him home. But the battlefields of the Crimea are a hostile place for a penniless young woman. Then one day a lifeline is thrown her way as she is offered the chance to train as a nurse under the famous Florence Nightingale. Working in the most terrible of conditions, Ada shows an aptitude beyond anyone's expectations as she cares for her injured countrymen, makes new friends and enjoys the first flutter of romance. But Frank is still missing and she needs to find him before it's too late . . . _________ 'A wonderfully written book' 5***** Reader Review 'Gripped me right from the start' 5***** Reader Review 'You felt you were with them' 5***** Reader Review