In this volume Shahrazad relates several Arabic folk tales to her sister and is one of the many translated by Richard F. Burton. These tales have been collected over thousands of years from various countries, scholars, authors and translators. Their origins trace back to AD 800-900 with roots in Syria, Arabia, Yemen, India, Persia, Egypt and Asia Minor. According to Wikipedia, Burton's 17 volumes, while boasting many prominent admirers, have been criticised for their "archaic language and extravagant idiom" and "obsessive focus on sexuality"; they have even been called an "eccentric ego-trip" and a "highly personal reworking of the text". His voluminous and obscurely detailed notes and appendices have been characterised as “obtrusive, kinky and highly personal”. Note: Appendix A has been omitted from this recording. (Summary by kirk202 and Wikipedia)