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The History of Caliph Vathek: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition

The History of Caliph Vathek: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.

Published by Pop Culture Files••2 min read•Automatically generated · review not guaranteed
AI-generated editorial illustration — not a photograph of the subject
AI-generated editorial illustration — not a photograph of the subject

The History of Caliph Vathek is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Beckford, William (1760–1844).

Catalogue synopsis

Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:

"The History of Caliph Vathek" by William Beckford is a Gothic novel composed in French beginning in 1782 and first published in English in 1786. The story follows Vathek, a depraved and tyrannical caliph with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, who encounters a mysterious stranger promising magical treasures and access to forbidden power. Seduced by promises of ultimate knowledge and the keys to the Palace of Underground Fire, Vathek makes a dark pact that demands terrible sacrifices and leads him down a path of increasingly heinous acts, rejecting salvation at every turn.

Book and edition facts

  • Title: The History of Caliph Vathek
  • Author credits: Beckford, William (1760–1844)
  • Catalogue language: English

Catalogue subjects

  • Arab countries -- Fiction
  • English fiction
  • Gothic fiction

Gutenberg collections

  • Category: British Literature
  • Category: Classics of Literature
  • Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore
  • Category: Novels
  • Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
  • Fantasy
  • Gothic Fiction

Read this edition

View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.

Source notes

Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.

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