A review by mujituji
The Essential Rumi by Rumi

1.0

Coleman Barks is actually an INTERPRETER of the translations of other English translations of Rumi, not at all a translator. He does not even know Persian. He also took huge liberties with his interpretations, erasing huge parts that were integral to who Rumi was and what he wanted to teach (read the New Yorker article “The Erasure of Islam From The Poetry of Rumi” by Rozina Ali). This book is basically whitewashed Rumi poems. He also does not give any credit to the translators whom he paraphrases and allows himself to be celebrated as a translator. William Chittick is one of the translators whom he paraphrases and is a professor of Islamic studies at Stony Brook - he has a more truer selection of translated Rumi.