Arabian Nights, in 16 Volumes

Notorious for the delight he took in tweaking the sexual taboos of the Victorian age-as well as the delight he took in the resulting shock of his bashful peers-British adventurer, linguist, and author CAPTAIN SIR RICHARD FRANCIS BURTON (1821-1890) is perhaps best remembered for his unexpurgated translation of the Eastern classic The One Thousand and One Nights, more famously known today as The Arabian Nights. Originating in Persian, Indian, and Arabic sources as far back as the ninth century AD, this collection of bawdy tales-which Burton was the first to bring to English readers in uncensored form-has exerted incalculable influence on modern literature. It represents one of the earliest examples of a framing story, as young Shahrazad, under threat of execution by the King, postpones her death by regaling him with these wildly entertaining stories over the course of 1,001 nights. The stories themselves feature early instances of sexual humor, satire and parody, murder mystery, horror, and even science fiction. Burton's annotated 16-volume collection, as infamous as it is important, was first published between 1885 and 1888, and remains an entertainingly naughty read. Volume V includes: . "The Loves of the Boy and Girl at School" . "The Caliph Harun Al-Rashid and the Three Slave-Girls" . "The Water-Carrier and the Goldsmith's Wife" . "The Woman's Trick Against Her Husband" . "The Devout Woman and the Two Wicked Elders" . "The Mad Lover" . "The Angel of Death and the Rich King" . "The Shipwrecked Woman and Her Child" . "The Pious Black Slave" . "The Blacksmith Who Could Handle Fire Without Hurt" . "The Queen of Serpents" . and many others.