An insightful pocket book containing a mishmash of Sufi stories and question-and-answer sessions, collected by R. Easterling and Kamil Hanafy.

Evenings with Idries Shah is a sampler of Sufi discussion meetings, where both instruction and carefully constructed stories for teaching purposes have been shared for thousands of years.

Although teaching stories often appear to be little more than entertaining fairy or folk tales, they enshrine – in their characters, plots, and imagery – patterns and relationships that nurture a part of the mind not reachable in more conventional ways. Familiarising ourselves with these yarns can increase our understanding, flexibility, and breadth of vision.

Shocking, often funny, peppered with uncommon common sense, this far-reaching little book can facilitate a deeper perception in the reader.

Idries Shah was born in India in 1924 into an aristocratic Afghan family. He was an author and teacher in the Sufi tradition and is considered one of the leading thinkers of the 20th century.

Shah devoted his life to collecting, translating and adapting key works of Sufi classical literature for the needs of the West. Called by some 'practical philosophy' - these works represent centuries of Sufi and Islamic thought aimed at developing human potential. His best-known works include the seminal book The Sufis, several collections of teaching stories featuring the ‘wise fool’ Nasrudin, Reflections and Knowing How to Know.

Shah's corpus - over three dozen books on topics ranging from psychology and spirituality to travelogues and cultural studies - have been translated into two dozen languages and have sold millions of copies around the world. They are regarded as an important bridge between the cultures of East and West.