Second Rubaiyat Miscellany

About Second Rubaiyat Miscellany

Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Persian poetry and reflections on life, love, and the cosmos with "Second Rubaiyat Miscellany." This podcast showcases a rotating collection of audiobooks that celebrate the timeless themes and philosophical musings found in the quatrains of Omar Khayyam and his literary descendants. Each episode features a new complete audiobook, guiding listeners through a rich tapestry of interpretations, translations, and poetic forms that echo the spirit of Khayyam's work. This is not a single story but a series of unique explorations that delve into the beauty and complexity of existence, offering insights into human experiences across cultures and eras. Join us as we uncover the profound wisdom embedded in these verses, inviting you to discover a new book with every episode and enrich your understanding of poetry’s enduring legacy.

Publisher

Louisa Stuart Costello, Edward Byles Cowell, Nathan Haskell Dole, Henry George Keene, Rex Löwenberg, Charles J. Pickering, Frank Siller, Whitley Stokes, W. E. B. Whittaker

Category

arts · history · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

18 Jun 2026

Latest episode

9 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

28 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   9 Sept 2026

   Wheels - The First Cycle-Nancy Cunard, Henry James, Victor Tait Perowne, Helen Rootham, Edith Sitwell, Osbert Sitwell, Sacheverell Sitwell

   In 1840 Louisa Stuart Costello published in Fraser’s Magazine an article on classic Persian poetry, which included a section on Omar Khayyam with translations of some verses. Interest in the poetry of Omar Khayyam received its first major boost in the English speaking world when Edward Fitzgerald published a translation of 75 quatrains in 1859. Fitzgerald’s mentor was Professor Edward Byles Cowell, who, in the previous year, had published an essay entitled “Omar Khayyam, the astronomer-poet of Persia” which included translations of thirty quatrains. In 1885 Whitley Stokes, a renowned Irish orientalist and linguist, published an English translation of eighteen quatrains in the journal 'Academy', nr. 663. In the National Review, December, 1890 Charles J. Pickering published a lengthy essay entitled “Umar of Nishapur”, in which he compared several notable translations including those in English by Fitzgerald and Edward Whinfield and that in German by Von Hammer. In 1896 Nathan Haskell Dole, acting as editor, published the following tome in two volumes: Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam English, French, German, Italian, and Danish translations comparatively arranged in accordance with the text of Edward Fitzgerald’s version with further selections, notes, biographies, bibliographies and other material. Included in the “further selections” are translations of assorted quatrains by Henry George Keene and Frank Siller. In 1901 Dole and Belle Walker published two volumes of “Flowers from Persian Poets.” The first volume contains a short article about Omar Khayyam and translations of twenty two quatrains by an unknown translator. Omar Khayyám: some verses and an introduction by W.E.B. Whittaker & R. Löwenberg, which was published in 1907, contains a short commentary and a translation of fifty-three quatrains by the authors. This recording is a sequel to A Rubaiyat Miscellany, published by Librivox on 28th November, 2013 - Summary by Algy Pug

2. 

   8 Sept 2026

   Dionysius the Areopagite, with other poems-Ann Hawkshaw

   In 1840 Louisa Stuart Costello published in Fraser’s Magazine an article on classic Persian poetry, which included a section on Omar Khayyam with translations of some verses. Interest in the poetry of Omar Khayyam received its first major boost in the English speaking world when Edward Fitzgerald published a translation of 75 quatrains in 1859. Fitzgerald’s mentor was Professor Edward Byles Cowell, who, in the previous year, had published an essay entitled “Omar Khayyam, the astronomer-poet of Persia” which included translations of thirty quatrains. In 1885 Whitley Stokes, a renowned Irish orientalist and linguist, published an English translation of eighteen quatrains in the journal 'Academy', nr. 663. In the National Review, December, 1890 Charles J. Pickering published a lengthy essay entitled “Umar of Nishapur”, in which he compared several notable translations including those in English by Fitzgerald and Edward Whinfield and that in German by Von Hammer. In 1896 Nathan Haskell Dole, acting as editor, published the following tome in two volumes: Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam English, French, German, Italian, and Danish translations comparatively arranged in accordance with the text of Edward Fitzgerald’s version with further selections, notes, biographies, bibliographies and other material. Included in the “further selections” are translations of assorted quatrains by Henry George Keene and Frank Siller. In 1901 Dole and Belle Walker published two volumes of “Flowers from Persian Poets.” The first volume contains a short article about Omar Khayyam and translations of twenty two quatrains by an unknown translator. Omar Khayyám: some verses and an introduction by W.E.B. Whittaker & R. Löwenberg, which was published in 1907, contains a short commentary and a translation of fifty-three quatrains by the authors. This recording is a sequel to A Rubaiyat Miscellany, published by Librivox on 28th November, 2013 - Summary by Algy Pug

3. 

   7 Sept 2026

   Study in Scarlet (Version 7 Dramatic Reading)-Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

   In 1840 Louisa Stuart Costello published in Fraser’s Magazine an article on classic Persian poetry, which included a section on Omar Khayyam with translations of some verses. Interest in the poetry of Omar Khayyam received its first major boost in the English speaking world when Edward Fitzgerald published a translation of 75 quatrains in 1859. Fitzgerald’s mentor was Professor Edward Byles Cowell, who, in the previous year, had published an essay entitled “Omar Khayyam, the astronomer-poet of Persia” which included translations of thirty quatrains. In 1885 Whitley Stokes, a renowned Irish orientalist and linguist, published an English translation of eighteen quatrains in the journal 'Academy', nr. 663. In the National Review, December, 1890 Charles J. Pickering published a lengthy essay entitled “Umar of Nishapur”, in which he compared several notable translations including those in English by Fitzgerald and Edward Whinfield and that in German by Von Hammer. In 1896 Nathan Haskell Dole, acting as editor, published the following tome in two volumes: Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam English, French, German, Italian, and Danish translations comparatively arranged in accordance with the text of Edward Fitzgerald’s version with further selections, notes, biographies, bibliographies and other material. Included in the “further selections” are translations of assorted quatrains by Henry George Keene and Frank Siller. In 1901 Dole and Belle Walker published two volumes of “Flowers from Persian Poets.” The first volume contains a short article about Omar Khayyam and translations of twenty two quatrains by an unknown translator. Omar Khayyám: some verses and an introduction by W.E.B. Whittaker & R. Löwenberg, which was published in 1907, contains a short commentary and a translation of fifty-three quatrains by the authors. This recording is a sequel to A Rubaiyat Miscellany, published by Librivox on 28th November, 2013 - Summary by Algy Pug

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