Stranger Magic: Charmed States and the Arabian Nights — Marina Warner

Author: Marina Warner
Publisher: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press
Format: Hardcover
First published: 2011
ISBN: 9780674055308

Condition: Very good second-hand hardcover condition with light shelf wear and minor handling marks to the dust jacket. Binding is firm and pages are clean and bright. Please see photos for the exact copy available.

Stranger Magic is a sweeping exploration of the enduring power of One Thousand and One Nights and its influence on storytelling, fantasy, myth, and cultural imagination across centuries.

In this richly detailed study, Marina Warner traces how the tales of the Arabian Nights travelled from the Middle East into Europe and beyond, shaping literature, theatre, art, politics, and ideas of the exotic “Other.” Moving through folklore, colonial history, magic, fairy tales, and Orientalism, Warner examines how these stories continue to haunt modern culture.

Blending literary criticism, mythology, history, and cultural analysis, the book explores figures such as genies, sorcerers, enchanted cities, transformations, and hidden worlds while also questioning the political and imaginative forces behind fantasy itself.

A substantial and beautifully written work for readers interested in mythology, folklore, comparative religion, fairy tales, and the strange intersections between storytelling and power.

About the Author:

Marina Warner is an acclaimed British author, mythographer, and cultural historian known for her work on folklore, fairy tales, religion, feminism, and mythology. Her books frequently examine how stories and symbols shape collective imagination across cultures and historical periods.