William Beckford
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Books
An Arabian tale
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.
Italy
A descriptive account of the island of Jamaica: with remarks upon the cultivation of the sugar-cane, throughout the different seasons of the year, and chiefly considered in a picturesque point of view
The Episodes of Vathek
In the usual version of Vathek, when the antihero goes to Eblis` infernal realm, he encounters a group of other damned royalty awaiting their appointed dooms in a sort of lobby of hell, & these characters tell him their stories, beautiful dark tales in a decadent arabian nights flavour, which beckford himself, it is said, felt were too dangerous in their blasphemy to be published - or at least for him to be associated too. Personally i like the episodes more than the story of Vathek himself, excellent though it is....