The History of Caliph Vathek
Original title: An Arabian tale
Also published as: The History of the Caliph Vathek
earliest edition we have, 1796 IndyPublish.com, 2005 paperback 220 pages
Vathek is one of the earliest and most influential Gothic novels. Its hero is the Caliph Vathek who renounces Islam in a hedonistic quest for supernatural powers, which leads to his downfall. Beckford's genius was in marrying Orientalism with the Gothic, both sources of fascination and delight to reading audiences of the time.
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