The Forty Rules of Love: A Rumi Novel

In this lyrical and exuberant tale, acclaimed Turkish author Elif Shafak, author of The Island of Missing Trees (a Reese's Book Club Pick), incarnates Rumi's timeless message of love. The Forty Rules of Love unfolds two tantalizing parallel narratives - one contemporary and the other set in the thirteenth century, when Rumi encountered his spiritual mentor, the whirling dervish known as Shams of Tabriz. Together, these narratives explore the enduring power of Rumi's work.

Ella Rubenstein, a forty-year-old woman in an unhappy marriage, 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. As Ella delves into the book, she becomes mesmerized by Zahara's tale of Shams's 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.

Ella is also taken with Shams's lessons, or rules, that 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, Ella realizes that Rumi's story mirrors her own and that Zahara - like Shams - has come to set her free.

The novel's contemporary narrative follows Ella's journey of self-discovery as she grapples with her own unhappiness and the transformative power of Rumi's teachings. The historical narrative, set in the thirteenth century, chronicles Shams's quest to find Rumi and the profound impact their encounter had on the cleric's life and work.

Through these dual storylines, Shafak masterfully weaves together the timeless wisdom of Rumi's philosophy and the timeless themes of love, faith, and personal transformation. The Forty Rules of Love is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that invites readers to explore the enduring relevance of Rumi's teachings in the modern world.

product information: