The Forty Rules of Love

A Timeless Story of Love, Faith & Transformation

The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak is an international bestseller and one of the BBC's '100 Novels that Shaped the World' — a luminous, dual-narrative tale that weaves together a modern love story with the mystical bond between 13th-century Sufi poet Rumi and his spiritual guide, Shams of Tabriz.

"Every true love and friendship is a story of unexpected transformation. If we are the same person before and after we loved, that means we haven't loved enough..."

About the Book

Ella Rubinstein has a husband, three teenage children, and a pleasant home — everything that should make her fulfilled. Yet there is an emptiness at the heart of her life, an emptiness once filled by love.

When Ella reads a manuscript about Rumi and Shams of Tabriz and his forty rules of life and love, she is ready to look at her life anew. Compelled to embrace change, she embarks on a journey to meet the mysterious author — a quest infused with Sufi mysticism and verse, exploring faith, doubt, and the transformative power of love.

Why You'll Love This Book

• 🌹 A rich dual narrative spanning 13th-century Persia and modern-day America
• ✨ Rooted in Sufi philosophy and the poetry of Rumi
• 📖 One of the BBC's 100 Novels that Shaped the World
• 💬 Praised by Metro, The Times, and Daily Telegraph
• 🎁 A perfect gift for readers of literary fiction, spirituality, and romance

Critical Acclaim

• 'Enlightening, enthralling. An affecting paean to faith and love' — Metro
• 'Colourfully woven and beguilingly intelligent' — Daily Telegraph
• 'The past and present fit together beautifully in a passionate defence of passion itself' — The Times

Book Details

• Author: Elif Shafak
• Publisher: Penguin Books
• Genre: Literary Fiction / Sufi Mysticism / Romance
• Language: English