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  • The Forty Rules of Love

  • A Novel of Rumi
  • Written by: Elif Shafak
  • Narrated by: Laural Merlington
  • Length: 11 hrs and 34 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (137 ratings)

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The Forty Rules of Love cover art

The Forty Rules of Love

Written by: Elif Shafak
Narrated by: Laural Merlington
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Publisher's Summary

In this follow-up to her acclaimed 2007 novel The Bastard of Istanbul, Turkish author Elif Shafak unfolds two tantalizing parallel narratives---one contemporary and the other set in the 13th century, when Rumi encountered his spiritual mentor, the whirling dervish known as Shams of Tabriz---that together incarnate the poet's timeless message of love.

Ella Rubenstein is 40 years old and unhappily married when she takes a job as a reader for a literary agent. Her first assignment is to read and report on Sweet Blasphemy, a novel written by a man named Aziz Zahara. Ella is mesmerized by his tale of Shams' search for Rumi and the dervish's role in transforming the successful but unhappy cleric into a committed mystic, passionate poet, and advocate of love. She is also taken with Shams's lessons, or rules, which offer insight into an ancient philosophy based on the unity of all people and religions, and the presence of love in each and every one of us. As she reads on, she realizes that Rumi's story mirrors her own and that Zahara---like Shams---has come to set her free.

©2010 Elif Shafek (P)2010 Tantor

What listeners say about The Forty Rules of Love

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Limitless inspiration

Amazing book full of wisdom
Enlightenment into the true meaning of humanity and existential purpose

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    5 out of 5 stars
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life changing

read it in Arabic and English before the audio, made me cry everytime., with joy and anticipation never in regret or fear. live love laugh lots and be blessed. the narrator SHOULD know Arabic as she butchered keys words

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I love love

I have read this book before- it is a beautiful story pregnant with meaning- several layers of it. I listened to it now on audible 3 years after having read it. The narrator does it justice. This is a book to be read more than once for it shall mean different things to you in various seasons of life.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Great story, but distracting narration.

The narrator does not have a gift for accents and different voices. All the male characters sound vaguely Mediterranean with a random bit of Irish showing up here and there. The women all sound simpering. This was an unfortunate distraction from what I found to be a wonderful story.

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Amazing Story for Lovers of Sufism

Strongly recommend this book to all Rumi fans and lovers of Sufism. The parallel modern story of Ella and Aziz is fascinating. A true masterpiece.

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One of the best books I've listened to

This is an excellent book in my opinion and I personally liked the way narrator presented the story.
The writer is using a subtle technique to get the reader to think about life and death and what is important in life.

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Captivating

Could not put down until the last word was read. Like the 1001 nights longed for the story to continue.

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WOW.....

THIS was the greatest book I have ever read. My only regret is not having read this book years ago.

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Masterpiece

no words can describe how beautiful this novel was, I enjoyed this from the bottom of my heart. Thank you Elif!

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Captivating...

I love the way two parallel narratives are juxtaposed and how one situation made me understand the other even though they are centuries apart. The rules of love emerge from distinct situations as the stories progress and invite you to think, think deeply to discover yourself.

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