Rating: 
Summary: Like "digging potatoes" when you're hungry.
Review: "Hold this book close to your heart," Hafiz (1320-1389) writes, "for it contains wonderful/ Secrets" (p. 207)--secrets that "encourage our hearts to dance" (p. 1), translator Daniel Ladinsky says. This 250-poem collection can be read "as a record of a human being's journey to perfect joy, perfect knowing, and perfect love" (pp. 16-17). It also draws comparisons to one of my all-time favorite books, Coleman Barks' ESSENTIAL RUMI (1995). I am not qualified to comment on Ladinsky's translation of Hafiz, but Ladinsky triumphs in revealing Hafiz as a poet who sees God everywhere (p. 78)--in a barking dog, "in the ring of a hammer," in a raindrop, and "in the face of everyone" (p. 223). "Wherever/ God lays His glance," Hafiz writes, "Life starts/ Clapping" (p. 85). Some of the poems here soar higher than others. Most of them offer something memorable. All of them encourage us to "Wise Up" (p. 117). "Go running through the streets/ Creating divine chaos," Hafiz writes, "Go running through this world/ Giving love, giving love" (p. 59). Through his verse, Hafiz encourages us to love more, and to be happy. Reading this book was like "digging potatoes" when you're hungry. In one of my favorite poems in the collection, "And For No Reason," Hafiz writes "And/ For no reason/ I turn into a leaf/ That is carried so high/ I kiss the sun's mouth/ And dissolve" (p. 23). In another poem, he writes "The/ Mind is ever a tourist/ Wanting to touch and buy new things/ Then toss them into an already/ Filled closet" (p. 132). And I won't soon forget the line, "End the mental/ Lawsuits/ That clog/ The/ Brain--" (p. 111). I understand why many other reviewers have given this book their five-star ratings, but I have given it four-stars only when measured against Coleman Barks' five-star ESSENTIAL RUMI, which I highly recommend. G. Merritt
Rating: 
Summary: Hold your nose here!
Review: I have got no idea whether these translations are genuine or not. The only thing I know, for sure, is that they really stink. Ya, for sure, after all these eons, the Sun does not say to the Earth, "You owe me." How completely stupid. Sometimes, people owe one another, and sometimes they don't. This nonsense about a speaking Sun and a listening Earth doesn't bring anything to the table! "I saw the Earth smiling" ?? Oh, get a clue. Go buy some real poetry, not this nonsense!! "Real" poetry might be (take your pick) Li Po, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Yeats, Marlowe, Dante, Virgil, Homer, Eliot, Pound... and I'm not going to waste any more time here! Outta here!
Rating:
Summary: Understanding the Ladinsky problem!
Review: I truly do think that more people should pay attention to their teachers. In the case of this book by Mr. Ladinsky, there are two completely separate questions:
1. Do you (did you) like the poems in this book?
2. Were these poems written by Mr. Ladinsky, or by Hafez? It is very important not to confuse these two questions! The fact that you like the poems in this book does NOT mean that they were written by Hafez, any more than it means that they were written by Shakespeare. I don't know a lot of Persian (Farsi) myself, but my own reading over the past few decades, plus some input from a dearly beloved friend who is a professor of Persian poetry, tells me this: Hafez NEVER (or very rarely) uses the word "God." That would be "khoda" in Persian, or "Allah" in Arabic. You can read for entire weeks in Hafez, and never find the word "khoda" or "Allah," unless it is in some formula, such as "al-hamdullah." So how does Mr. Ladinsky explain this?
Rating:
Summary: Like "digging potatoes" when you're hungry.
Review: "Hold this book close to your heart," Hafiz (1320-1389) writes, "for it contains wonderful/ Secrets" (p. 207)--secrets that "encourage our hearts to dance" (p. 1), translator Daniel Ladinsky says. This 250-poem collection can be read "as a record of a human being's journey to perfect joy, perfect knowing, and perfect love" (pp. 16-17). It also draws comparisons to one of my all-time favorite books, Coleman Barks' ESSENTIAL RUMI (1995). I am not qualified to comment on Ladinsky's translation of Hafiz, but Ladinsky triumphs in revealing Hafiz as a poet who sees God everywhere (p. 78)--in a barking dog, "in the ring of a hammer," in a raindrop, and "in the face of everyone" (p. 223). "Wherever/ God lays His glance," Hafiz writes, "Life starts/ Clapping" (p. 85). Some of the poems here soar higher than others. Most of them offer something memorable. All of them encourage us to "Wise Up" (p. 117). "Go running through the streets/ Creating divine chaos," Hafiz writes, "Go running through this world/ Giving love, giving love" (p. 59). Through his verse, Hafiz encourages us to love more, and to be happy. Reading this book was like "digging potatoes" when you're hungry. In one of my favorite poems in the collection, "And For No Reason," Hafiz writes "And/ For no reason/ I turn into a leaf/ That is carried so high/ I kiss the sun's mouth/ And dissolve" (p. 23). In another poem, he writes "The/ Mind is ever a tourist/ Wanting to touch and buy new things/ Then toss them into an already/ Filled closet" (p. 132). And I won't soon forget the line, "End the mental/ Lawsuits/ That clog/ The/ Brain--" (p. 111). I understand why many other reviewers have given this book their five-star ratings, but I have given it four-stars only when measured against Coleman Barks' five-star ESSENTIAL RUMI, which I highly recommend. G. Merritt
Rating: 
Summary: GIFT FROM THE SOUL
Review: What a gift of love from Hafiz/Ladinsky-as-Hafiz! One poem says "Hold this book close to your heart for it contains wonderful secrets." There is no doubt that Daniel Ladinsky has "brought through" Hafiz, the great Sufi master, poet, and consummate wordsmith who lived some 700 years ago in Persia. For it takes one to know one. Not only does it take the greatest of beings -- a Hafiz -- to seek to lead in love all would-be lovers of God into themselves, therein to find rubies. It also takes a great-hearted translator and interpreter to bring an author of wonders to life for another time and a different culture. Hafiz should speak for himself to describe this book. As therapist, he says "Love will turn the mouth of sorrow right side up." As spiritual trickster, he says "Stay near this book, it will stretch out its leg and trip you; you'll fall Into God." As cosmic courier, Hafiz is "Announcing a great bash tonight some of the planets are hosting where the lead singer is God himself." Who could turn down the invitation? "These poems now rise in great white flocks against my mind's vast hills startled by God..." One can hear Hafiz and Kenneth Patchen singing together in some choir of poets SomeWhere. Or one can see a beatific bumper sticker: "It's no fun when God is not near." One knows, with this book, that "Hafiz will be your companion for life."
Rating:
Summary: Look at the smile on the earth's lips...
Review: Hafiz says, "Look at the smile on the earth's lips this morning she laid again with me last night." Well, I can't see the earth's mouth but I do know that my own has been smiling more than usual especially when reading these poems/renderings that have a higher alcohol content that anything a store hawks.
And speaking of alcohol: I don't think Amazon should hand any drunk monkey a microphone and let them smear this remarkable book out of ignorance or jealousy as some of these tight-pursed one star raters apparantly did. I recently saw a lovely Hafiz greeting card with this line that
I found so deep, significant and touching. It read: "God courts us with the beauty of this world." I could not recommend this book enough! Right on Hafiz.
Rating:
Summary: Was Hafez a Sufi, much less a Sufi Master?
Review: In the world of Islam, "Sufi" refers to a certain type of religious mystic. The word "suf" (pronounced "soof") merely means "wool," and a "Soofi" was a religious mystic who wore a particular type of woolen cloak -- as an emblem of poverty and righteousness. Now, one very interesting thing about Hafez (the real Hafez) was that he was a religious mystic who bitterly hated the orthodox Muslims of his time. That is to say, he found his own love of God in his own way, and avoided the ways of the sheep. That all seems easy enough, except for this: Hafez also hated the Sufis! Every time he mentions them, and their righteous woolen cloaks, he throws them in the same trash-heap with the orthodox Muslims! All you have to do is open the book that he wrote, and read. Hafez is a very unlikely candidate for a "Great Sufi Master." He bitterly disliked Sufis! Ah well! The world goes on!
Rating: 
Summary: Close but not perfect
Review: While I think that Ladinsky has done a commendable job translating much of the essence of these poems, it is clear that he wanted to "Christ" -ify the message. References to "God" and "Christ" or Jesus are probably not appropriate translations. While I do not doubt that Hafez probably reached a point where he transcended common distinctions between religions, he was a Muslim and there are issues about using "God" as a translation for Allah and references to Jesus as a diety run against the current of monotheism. There is no need to present the poems in a way that would make them seem Christian. Most Christians can appreciate them for what they are as songs to Allah. Just as anyone can appreciate the beauty of the Psalms or even Shakespeare's sonnets. Dont get me wrong, I do enjoy Ladinsky's work and it does persent Hafez in a an attractive accessible manner. I just feel that presenting them with the Christian slant is distracting where it needn't be. Certainly you should add this to your collection especially for the casual enjoyer. For serious access to Hafez, this should be supplemented with more serious works.
Rating:
Summary: Craft, ear and heart
Review: Poetry is a craft. It is said Yeats worked prose into poetry, some of the finest of the last century. "...'A line will take us hours maybe;
Yet if it does not seem a moment's thought,
Our stitching and unstitching has been naught.'" However, translation is, we must admit, a ruse. It cannot be done to the satisfaction of all. To his credit, Mr. Ladinsky admits as much in his preface. Nevertheless, we are far better for his attempt then without it. At times, I feel as if we missed the 'soul' of the poem but never the effort. If I cannot stand as close to the fire as I would wish, I am still thankful for the warmth Mr. Ladinsky has bought to us. It is well worth the experience.
Rating:
Summary: A Gift indeed!
Review: I recently saw the amazing modern poet Saul Williams in an informal reading, and he recommended Hafiz highly. So when I was searching for a birthday "Gift" for the girl I saw the show with, I decided to look into Hafiz. You can open this book to any page and find a poem of such sumptuous beauty, transcendental wisdom, and poetic mastery that your soul will feel lighter after reading. I bought one copy for her, another copy for me, and then the next day I bought another one for another dear friend's birthday. I am convinced that Hafiz is an angel sent here to show us how to commune with the divine. You will treasure this book!
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