A literary delight to the student of Turkish writing, these essays on authors and literary issues have a wide appeal to Turkologists. This volume contains the following essays: Qarakhanid Literature and the Beginnings of Turco-Islamic Culture, On Nature in Karakhanid Literature, Three Turkic Verse Cycles Relating to Inner Asian Warfare, Inner Asian Wisdom Traditions in the Pre-Mongol Period, Kashgari on the Tribal and Kinship Organization of the Turks, Kashgari on the Beliefs and Superstitions of the Turks, The Alexander Romance in the Diwan Lughat at-Turk, Baraq and Buraq, Middle Turkic Vulgarisms, Introduction to Wisdom of Royal Glory, Textual Problems in Kutadgu Bilig, Animal Traits in the Army Commander, and Some Notes on the Middle Turkic Glosses. Taken together these essays offer a sampler of Turkish writers and their art.

Robert Dankoff studied at Columbia University and Harvard. He served in the Peace Corp in Turkey and has taught at Brandeis University, the University of Arizona, and the University of Chicago. He has published several text editions and translations.