Finding Aladdin
The Hidden History of a Syrian Storyteller
Will be published approx. on 12. November 2026
Book
Hardback
256 pages
978-1-80522-725-0 (ISBN)
Description
This is a book about stories and storytelling, and about celebrating a young storyteller whose name was almost lost to history.
When The Arabian Nights were first translated into European languages in the 1700s, they caused a sensation. Most were ancient tales, drawn from Arabic folklore. But perhaps the most famous of all, Aladdin, was completely new.
Centuries later, a discovery in the Vatican archives revealed that Hanna Diab, a young Syrian adventurer, had spun stories from his own extraordinary life to create Aladdin, his alter ego in fiction.
In this captivating case of literary deduction, Matthew Teller unearths the hidden history of the boy, the genie and his lamp, recovering a skilled storyteller hiding in plain sight.
When The Arabian Nights were first translated into European languages in the 1700s, they caused a sensation. Most were ancient tales, drawn from Arabic folklore. But perhaps the most famous of all, Aladdin, was completely new.
Centuries later, a discovery in the Vatican archives revealed that Hanna Diab, a young Syrian adventurer, had spun stories from his own extraordinary life to create Aladdin, his alter ego in fiction.
In this captivating case of literary deduction, Matthew Teller unearths the hidden history of the boy, the genie and his lamp, recovering a skilled storyteller hiding in plain sight.
Reviews / Votes
Through archival sleuthing and remarkable personal knowledge of the Eastern Mediterranean, Matthew Teller creates a history of the Aladdin story that will enthral readers -- Ruth B. Bottigheimer, author of FAIRY TALES: A NEW HISTORY 'Hanna Diab would have loved this book. Matthew Teller is as much a skilled raconteur as his subject, the young Christian narrator from Aleppo to whom the world owes the tales of Aladdin, Ali Baba, and many more -- Ulrich Marzolph, Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Goettingen Praise for Nine Quarters of Jerusalem: Engaging ... Teller is an informed, enthusiastic guide to one of the most contested sites in the world * Financial Times * As labyrinthine as the city it describes ... a curious, offbeat biography that comes alive through the many gathered voices * Critic * Highly perceptive and readable ... Presents a subtle portrait of the current reality at the heart of the world's most intractable and divisive conflict ... Fascinating -- Ian Black * Observer *More details
Edition
Main
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Product notice
Trade binding
Illustrations
b/w integrated
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 135 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-80522-725-0 (9781805227250)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Matthew Teller is an author, journalist and documentary-maker. He writes for the BBC, CNN, The Times, Financial Times, Independent and Guardian and presents and produces documentaries for Radio 4 and BBC World Service. He is the author of Nine Quarters of Jerusalem (2022) and the editor of Daybreak in Gaza (2024).