Narrative Techniques in the Book of the Thousand and One Nights and its
Impact on World Fiction' starts with a review of the history of The
Thousand and One Nights, and a review of its impact on world literature
and literary figures since its first translation, as a whole book, into
Western languages during the early 19th century and until today. This
book also discusses the narrative techniques of The Thousand and One
Nights and the affinities of the techniques with the later invented
literary techniques of metafiction. The nature, techniques, and
theorization of metafiction are also explained. There are also
discussions of the most prominent Western fictionists and critics who
were occupied with the different applications of the techniques of
metafiction. This book gives a quick review of the whole of the literary
legacy of the Egyptian fiction writer and Noble Prize winner Naguib
Mahfouz, and continues with a discussion of Mahfouz's short but
condensed novel Layali Alf Laylah (translated into English as Arabian
Nights and Days). This book also discusses the literary legacy of the
American fictionist and critic John Barth, and it concentrates on
Barth's short story collection, Ten Nights and a Night: Eleven Stories.
This book concludes with a call to expand Literary Theory to include not
only Western works but also world classics, such as The Thousand and One
Nights, for its international appeal, impact on world literature, and
for its fascinating narrative techniques praised by Literary Theory.
