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The hill of Uisneach lies almost exactly at the geographical center of Ireland. Remarkably, a fraction at least of the ancient Irish population was aware of that fact. There is no doubt that the place of Uisneach in Irish mythology, and more broadly speaking the Celtic world, was of utmost importance: Uisneach was – and probably still is – best defined as a sacred hill at the center of Ireland, possibly the sacred hill of the center of Ireland. Uisneach or the Center of Ireland explores the medieval documents connected with the hill and compares them with both archeological data and modern Irish folklore. In the early 21st century, a Fire Festival started being held on Uisneach in connection with the festival of Bealtaine, in early May, arguably in an attempt to echo more ancient traditions: the celebration was attended by Michael D. Higgins, the current president of Ireland, who lit the fire of Uisneach on 6 May 2017. This book argues that the symbolic significance of the hill has echoed the evolution of Irish society through time, be it in political, spiritual and religious terms or, perhaps more accurately, in terms of identity and Irishness. It is relevant for scholars and advanced students in the fields of cultural history, Irish history and cultural studies.

"Hasan Javadi presents a survey of the subject often only briefly mentioned, or entirely disregarded, in many histories of English Literature. Students of that literature know of Edward FitzGerald's Ruba'iyyat or Matthew Arnold's Sohrab and Rustum, but many are unaware of the fascination that the East, including Persia, has exercised over European minds. Though dealing primarily with English literature, Javadi includes in his account some continental European Orientalists of note as well. Beginning in the late Middle Ages when the Bible and the classics were the main sources of information about Persia; the book covers the 16th and 17th centuries, when travel was beginning to increase Western knowledge about the East. There is a detailed account of Persian themes in Romantic poetry and prose, and a discussion of the works of travelers and novelists such as James Morier, whose Hajji Baba of Ispahan is still a popular novel for many Iranians."--BOOK JACKET.