Official Review: A New Rubáiyát of Omar Kha...

[Elizanic]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "A New Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám" by Jay Ter Louw.]

---

3 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Jay Ter Louw skillfully translated A New Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám: Age-old Wisdom for a 21 Century World from an 1859 book by Edward Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald loosely interpreted the words of Omar Khayyám into English. Khayyám was born in Persia, modern-day Iran, in the year 1048, and he died in 1131. He was known as an astronomer, mathematician, and poet.

Ter Louw does a splendid job transforming Fitzgerald’s centuries-old language into beautiful, easy-to-understand poetry. In the preface, Ter Louw tells the endearing story of how the love of his life gave him his first copy of Fitzgerald’s book, explains why he decided to write a modern version, and shares some history about Omar.

The main text consists of seventy-five verses. The author refers to verses 59 through 66 as ‘The Book of Pots.’ This section contains vivid imagery describing pottery pots that come alive.

The poetry is philosophical, focusing on humanity. Some verses point out that our time on earth is fleeting. This aspect is what I disliked most. At first, I found it depressing. For example, part of Verse 23 says:

“Enjoy the most of every good endeavor,
before the reaper comes your soul to sever:”

However, Ter Louw’s words kept tugging on my heart and became a catalyst that gently nudged me to make the best of every day. The brilliance of his words can penetrate deep into your soul.

The 'End Notes' come after the verses. I’m thrilled the author added his thoughts here. It makes the book more personal and relatable. For example, this is part of the note for Verse 11: “This was the first verse Jancie had circled for me. We did a picnic one day by a small local river. Though under age, I carried a …”

Next, the author includes some acknowledgments. He shares the website where he found descriptive notes that gave him insight into each verse. It is an extraordinary resource for readers who enjoy history and want to do further research. Ter Louw concludes the book with a brief bio about himself.

I enjoy poetry and prose, but I don't read it often. One of the things that caught my attention was the colorful artwork on the cover. It reminded me of the exotic temples I saw when I traveled to India. I was unfamiliar with Khayyám’s work and was instantly intrigued.

This book pleasantly surprised me, and I rate it 3 out of 4 stars. I gave it three stars because of the editing, not the content. What I liked most was the addition of Fitzgerald's verses directly after Louw's. Reading both texts together made it more interesting. It might not have the same effect on everyone, but I think it is engaging and thought-provoking. I found myself in awe of the author and his ability to simplify Fitzgerald’s words. As a lay minister, he is familiar with philosophical and spiritual texts, such as Proverbs and the Psalms. Perhaps this is how he was able to translate Fitzgerald's exquisite book into something equally as profound and meaningful.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys poetry, and who doesn’t mind mild religious content. In various sections, there is mention of Ramadan, Jesus, and Bible verses.

******
A New Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Usma Khann]

The content sounds promising and beautiful but due to the religious element, I may have to pass on this one. Appreciate the review though.

[Priyanka2304]

The book has covered the most sensitive topics about religion which might not interest all. Thanks for the review.

[Merix]

This book, is the most of all. So realistic in true fact. When looking to know whats going-on with you on inside, look no further than this book.