<p>This is an excellent introduction to Jalaludin Rumi's magnum opus, <em>The Mathnawi</em>, which is divided into six books within three volumes, or roughly 2500 verses on 1500 pages. Rumi, the great Persian mystic, once considered America's most popular poet, died in 1273. This slim treatise samples stories from each of his six books and analyzes the deeper, subtle meanings within them. It is intended to encourage further enjoyment and study of this literary classic.</p>