A book review on The Epic and Sedition: The case of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh

The Epic and Sedition: The case of Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh by Dick Davis is a scholarly book on Shahnameh-scholarship. It consists of a long prologue, a brief introduction, and four chapters. As it is known from the prologue, the book has been written for the Western reader. The primarily aim of the book is to adjust the popular perception of what the great Persian epic is about. The second purpose is to correct the negative judgment, i.e. Edward Browne’s dislike of the work. According to Davis, it is the prime cause for the Western reluctance to grant the work the status of a major literary classic work. In addition, Davis tries to reject Grunebaum’s idea that says the poem is a product of a rather naïve and primitive talent. The last chapter is about the story of Bizhan and Manizheh under Western eyes.