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"""Noor (Noor-un-Nisa) Inayat Khan (19141944) is widely remembered as a hero and martyr of the Second World War. Some of those who honor her memory are aware that before the war she wrote stories for children. Until now, however, Noors mystical drama """"Aède of the Ocean and Land"""" has remained virtually unknown. A fantastical creation, """"Aède"""" shines a revealing light on Noors life and thought, reflecting her unique assimilation of the spiritual teachings of her father, Hazrat Inayat Khan. In """"Aède,"""" Noor combines elements of Greek myth, Sufi esotericism, and personal experience to produce a gripping and surprising retelling of the Odyssey of Homer. The protagonist wrestles with monsters, colloquizes with nymphs, and sails the Mediterranean in search of home. Will Ulys reattain domestic bliss in Ithacaor does another destiny await him? Noor Inayat Khan delicately infuses Homers epic poem with Sufi philosophy and weaves a narrative that is at once an ode to her parents as well as her own interpretation of the journey of life. As gods and humans mingle in a world of conflict, soul-searching, and heroism, Noor layers her characters, understanding their frailties and their strengths. """"Aède of the Ocean and Land""""written just before the writer herself would make her own brave journey in the Second World Waris a gem of a discovery, as relevant today as when it was written. Shrabani Basu, author of """"Victoria & Abdu"""", This mystical dramatization of the """"Odyssey"""" in the tradition of ancient Neoplatonic readings of Homer, melded with the influence of Sufism, is an important text for readers interested in the reception of Homer in the twentieth century. -- Emily Wilson, translator of """"The Odyssey"""""""

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9781941810255

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"Noor Inayat Khan was the daughter of the Indian Sufi teacher Hazrat Inayat Khan and American mother, Ora Ray Baker. Growing up in Paris, Noor began writing poetry and stories for children and was looking forward to a promising future in the French literary world. Her book, ""Twenty Jataka Tales,"" gave Noor the distinction of being a published author of children's stories when the threat of World War II upturned Noor's future. Germany's occupation of France forced the family to flee to England. In England Noor was recruited by the Special Operations Executive (SOE) to train as a secret agent. Even during training, she continued to write stories."

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