Aladdin and the Magic Lamp Paperback – January 1, 2009

This is a very good version of a famous story of the Arabian Nights. It can be downloaded on Kindle at no cost and as such is an unbeatable value. I have more than one version of the story. They are generally the same, but vary in length and some details. This story is slightly shorter than another version I read and although shorter has an episode about "The Magician's Brother" that is missing from a longer version I read edited by Kate Douglas Wiggin. I enjoyed both of them approximately the same.Obviously these stories are from another time and place with different customs and rules. The sociis male dominated. There are slaves. There are eunuchs. There is cruelty. There is a sultan with the power of taking life without "due process". I am glad that these stories are preserved. I want to study them. But they are from atime and place in which I don't want to reside. Thank You...

This could be considered a delightful prequel to the usually known fairy tale. Aladdin is the son of a poor tailor who idles away his time with other idle boys. His habits so embitter his father that they cause his death. His mother prays for him, but her prayers do not help. One day a stranger appears, a magician from Africa, and claims that he is Aladdin's father's brother. He knows all about Aladdin and his mother and seems to be telling the truth, but he is not. He buys Aladdin a shop with merchandise to prove his love for Aladdin and his mother. Then, during a walk, the supposed uncle reveals that he needs Aladdin's help in opening a hole in the ground. The hole leads to a cave and the cave has a great treasure. Aladdin helps him and the magician persuades him to take his magic ring, descend the hole, enter the cave, and bring him the magic lamp. Aladdin finds the lamp, but as he is about to leave the hole, the magician demands that he give up the lamp and ring immediately. Somewhat suspicious, Aladdin says he will give him the objects when he comes out. The magician is enraged, tosses a magic powder on the hole, which causes it to close and entrap Aladdin. The story continues with an interesting tale of how Aladdin escapes the hole, what he does when he returns home, and what happens to him, his mother, and the magician. It also explains why the magician chose Aladdin to do his dirty work.

I bought this for my son who loves the movie. I remember reading it as a kid and I am happy to experience it again with him.

Interesting to read the original story, but not as good as the Aladdin movies by Disney. Quick read though. 😊

it was for a present, so I don't know if it was a good book or not.

Very good book with a lot of details and also interesting with excitement and weirdness it was short but in the short period I liked the book

The story 'Aladdin' was different than expected due to the adaptations. Nonetheless, I enjoyed that it was short and interesting.

So, I may be biased because I grew up on the Disney version, but this was just dumb. No character has personality or agency, the genie does everything, and basically every problem is wrapped up with a handclap. I know that this is old and that many old books are written like this,but it was barely a story worth being told.

Better than disney but I wish it had been longer. A decent old fashioned classic and set in China. You cheer for Aladdin.

I enjoyed this book but some of it was hard to understand. It is also quite different from other versions of this book.