This imaginative and accessible study of the lyrical, humorous, social and educational aspects of classical Persian poetry focuses on the works of the master medieval poet Sa'di of Shiraz (d. 1291), one of the funniest, most influential and lyrical figures in classical Persian poetry. Sa'di, a prominent ethicist and a devout teacher of virtues, stands out for his worldliness, his practical teachings, and his love for living a wholesome life, as...