Completed in the year 1010 by the Persian poet Ferdowsi, the Shahnameh is a monumental undertaking encompassing ancient myths, legends, and history. One of Iran’s most cherished literary works, it is a vast chronicle of kings and heroes, of battles and deeds, rendered in verse that is compelling, lyrical, and evocative. Through myth and legend, Ferdowsi sought to preserve the memory of an ancient civilization, creating a framework steeped in enduring, universal wisdom, tracing humanity’s passage from one generation to another, from one dynasty to the next.

More than a millennium later, in the year 2020, Josiane Cohanim completed Volume One of her translation of the Shahnameh in modern, non-rhyming verse, with the express purpose of making this epic accessible to contemporary English-speaking readers unfamiliar with it. Today, all five volumes of the poem are available, with second editions soon to be published.

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