Page "Idries Shah" Paragraph 18

In 1964, The Sufis appeared, published by Doubleday, with a long introduction by Robert Graves.

The book chronicles the impact of Sufism on the development of Western civilisation and traditions from the seventh century onward through the work of such figures as Roger Bacon, John of the Cross, Raymond Lully, Chaucer and others, and has become a classic.

Like Shah's other books on the topic, The Sufis was conspicuous for avoiding terminology that might have identified his interpretation of Sufism with traditional Islam.

The book also employed a deliberately " scattered " style ; Shah wrote to Graves that its aim was to " decondition people, and prevent their reconditioning "; had it been otherwise, he might have used a more conventional form of exposition.

The book sold poorly at first, and Shah invested a considerable amount of his own money in advertising it.

Graves told him not to worry ; even though he had some misgivings about the writing, and was hurt that Shah had not allowed him to proofread it before publication, he said he was " so proud in having assisted in its publication ", and assured Shah that it was " a marvellous book, and will be recognized as such before long.

Leave it to find its own readers who will hear your voice spreading, not those envisaged by Doubleday.