Beginning with the earliest origins of the Persian state and culture, these lectures, primarily focusing on Persian literature and mysticism, cover 2,500 years of a glorious way of life. Poetry is part of the fabric of Iranian life, appreciated by all members of society regardless of educational background or social milieu. It is also the primary form in which Persian mysticism is expressed.

Peter J. Chelkowski is a professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at New York University. He is the author of Ideology and Power in the Middle East; Ta'ziyah: Ritual and Drama in Iran; and Mirror of the Invisible World: Tales from the Khamseh of Nizami.