The Pleasantries of the Incredible Mulla Nasrudin

Idries Shah was an author and teacher in the Sufi tradition who wrote dozens of books on topics ranging from psychology to spiritualilty to travelogues to other anthropological studies. In his writings, Shah presented Sufism as a universal form of wisdom that predated Islam. Shah is known for The Sufis, The Commanding Self, The Subleties of the Inimitable Mulla Nasrudin, The Exploits of the Incomparable Mulla Nasrudin, Thinkers of the East, and Learning How to Learn.

Errol Le Cain (1941-89) was a British animator and author and illustrator of books for children. Without much formal training, he first joined the animation studio of Richard Williams. He then became a freelance animator and illustrator, working on BBC sets, and eventually became an illustrator of children's books. As an author, he published three books and, in 1984, won the Kate Greenaway Medal, which recognizes "distinguished illustration in a book for children."