Product guide

Persian Letters by Montesquieu, Oxford World's Classics

Persian Letters is Montesquieu’s epistolary novel, presented in an English translation based on the original text. Usbek and Rica report on Parisian society, power and religion, while events in the harem bring a thread of jealousy and suspense. The listing describes this Oxford World's Classics edition as including scholarly features such as an expert introduction, explanatory notes and a bibliography.

At a glance

Epistolary novel by Montesquieu, framed through letters from Persian travellers Usbek and Rica.
Satirises manners, power and religion in Paris during the Regency, with a parallel harem plot.
The listing describes the translation as based on the original text and identifies this as the first English translation based on it.
Oxford World's Classics features are described as including an introduction, explanatory notes and a bibliography.

Price

£9.99Save 17%

Reference price: ~~£11.99~~

Price checked: 12 Nov 2026

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Pros and cons

Pros

The letters offer contrasting observations of Parisian society and the travellers’ homeland, bringing satire and travel-writing together.
The described explanatory notes and bibliography may help readers approaching the historical and literary context.

Technical specifications

9 specifications

Publication
Publisher	OUP Oxford
Edition	First Edition
Publication date	17 April 2008
Language	English
Print length	320 pages
ISBN-10	0192806351
ISBN-13	978-0192806352

Dimensions and installation
Weight listed	1.05 kg
Dimensions	19.79 x 2.11 x 13.06 cm

Who is it for?

A good fit for

Readers of eighteenth-century European literature and satire.
Readers interested in epistolary fiction, travel-writing and comparisons of East and West.
Students seeking an edition with listed scholarly reading aids.

Customer reviews on Amazon

4.6 / 5 · 54 ratings

5 stars73%73%
4 stars16%16%
3 stars9%9%
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The supplied evidence contains aggregate ratings but no written customer feedback, so it does not show what readers liked or disliked. The rating distribution leans positive, with some lower ratings also present. Ratings alone cannot establish whether readers valued the translation, notes or other features.

Frequently asked questions

What is Persian Letters about?

Usbek and Rica write home about Parisian society, its manners, power structures and religion. News from the harem adds a plot of jealousy and passion.

What does this edition include?

The publisher description lists an expert introduction, explanatory notes and an up-to-date bibliography, alongside the text.

Which translation is this?

The listing describes it as the first English translation based on the original text.