When Westerners think of a genie, the first image that comes to mind may be Barbara Eden in her pink harem pants or the illuminated blue buffoon from the animated Disney film iAladdini. But to the people of the Arab and Islamic worlds, the picture is dramatically different. iLegends of the Fire Spiritsi looks beyond Westernized caricatures to immerse the reader in the vibrant lore of the jinn--the wondrous, often troublesome, and sometimes terrifying spirit beings of ancient Arab and Islamic tradition. p pRobert Lebling delves into long-lost accounts, medieval histories, colonial records, anthropologist's reports, and traveler's tales to explore the origin and evolution of legends that continue to thrive in the Middle East and beyond. He cuts through centuries of Orientalists' cultural presumption to craft a study that stands apart from the overwhelming body of literature concerned with religion in the Middle East. pbrA captivating synthesis of history and folklore, this is the most di