TEHRAN -- Writer Mahmud Dowlatabadi is currently devoting himself to a project based on Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh.

Dowlatabadi began research work on the Shahnameh five years ago and plans to dedicate his time to this opus until its completion, he told the Persian service of CHN.
“The Shahnameh is one of the most significant works in the Persian language, and I believe that whatever is done to familiarize people with this masterpiece is little compared to its greatness,” he added.
Dowlatabadi gave no details about his work except to mention that he is focusing on the issue of self-examination as conveyed in Persian literature and in the Shahnameh.
Dowlatabadi, who was due to begin a story-reading tour of Europe this winter, explained that his trip has been postponed until next year due to his current work on the Shahnameh, adding, “The trip has been postponed to allow more time for the selection of a collection of my works for the tour and also prepare articles to serve as a general introduction to Persian literature.”
He added that some of his works including “Missing Soluch” have been republished.
Several of Dowlatabadi’s works have previously been translated into Arabic, German, Swedish, and Dutch.
He has also authored “Kalidar”, “Desert Strata”, “Two Stories”, “The Trip”, “The Legend of Baba Sobhan”, “The Cowherd”, “With Shobayru”, “Solomon’s Emigration”, “Aqil”, “Man”, “Visit to the Baluch”, and “Through the Hoop”.