In Arabs and the Art of Storytelling, the eminent Moroccan literary historian and critic Kilito revisits and reassesses, in a modern critical light, many traditional narratives of the Arab world. He brings to such celebrated texts as A Thousand and One Nights, Kalila and Dimna, and Kitab al-Bukhala' refreshing and iconoclastic insight, giving new life to classic stories that are often treated as fossilized and untouchable cultural treasures. For Arab scholars and readers, poetry has for centuries taken precedence, overshadowing narrative as a significant literary genre. Here, Kilito demonstrates the key role narrative has played in the development of Arab belles lettres and moral philosophy. His urbane style has earned him a devoted following among specialists and general readers alike, making this translation aninvaluable contribution to an English-speaking audience.

Based on nine highly acclaimed feature films from Palestine, Egypt, and Morocco, Perspectives is designed for students of Arabic language and culture at the intermediate to advanced level. It may be used either as the primary text in a culture, conversation, or film course or as an enriching supplement to any existing language program. Specifically developed to exploit the content and themes presented in each of the films, the activities in Perspectives are designed to promote a heightened cultural awareness and encourage meaningful language development in context. With Perspectives, students will broaden their vocabulary, enhance their cultural awareness, share ideas, discuss, debate, interpret, and analyze, but more importantly, they will find enjoyment in and a new appreciation for the language learning experience.