Seek not thy happiness to steal
'Tis work alone will bring thee weal
Who seeketh bliss without toil or strife
The impossible seeketh and wasteth life.

Happiness must be earned.

And that, in a nutshell, sums up this magnificent collection of Arabian and Persian folk tales from the great explorer, translator, and risk-taker, Sir Richard Francis Burton. The supreme badass of the Victorian Age.

As a reader, I am lucky enough to own the scarlet leather bound edition, which proudly maintains its hierarchical spot on the tallest bookshelf.

Book Season = Summer (it might take you the entire season) ( )