Ghazal Eros: New Perspectives on History, Poetics, and Gender

Imagine a type of poem called a ghazal.

This book argues that these poems, which were often seen as being about heterosexual love, have always also been about same-sex love.

The author, Shad Naved, shows that in many languages, like Arabic, Persian, and Urdu, these poems had a style that celebrated same-sex relationships.

Naved's book explores how this style changed over time and across different places.

It helps us understand the history of these poems and how they have been read and interpreted.

This book also looks at how these ideas connect to things like mysticism and spirituality.