The Shaving of Shagpat

About the book

"The Shaving of Shagpat; an Arabian entertainment — Complete" by George Meredith is a fantasy novel published in 1856. Written in the style of the Arabian Nights, this humorous oriental romance follows Persian barber Shibli Bagarag and enchantress Noorna on their quest to shave the tyrant Shagpat, whose magical hair enslaves an entire city. Their journey features magic swords, talking hawks, genies, and enchanted palaces. This imaginative allegory includes stories within stories and poetic interludes, creating a rich fantasy praised by George Eliot as a work of genius.