Tablet & Pen, a new anthology of poetry edited by Reza Aslan, presents eloquent translations of 20th- century poetry from Arabic, Turkish, Persian, and Urdu. Composed as British and European political control waned and nationalism rose from the Maghreb to the Indian Subcontinent, these works are poignant expressions of both aspiration and disappointment.

Listen to excerpts and commentary on NPR.

15th-century Ottoman Scribe by Gentile Bellini
15th c. Ottoman Scribe by Gentile Bellini
ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM / BRIDGEMAN ART LIBRARY

Click here to see a small selection of books that includes Tablet & Pen and other writings on travel as well as the cultures, cuisines, and history of the Middle East and the Islamic world.