The Ultimate Ambition in the Arts of Erudition

June 13, 2016
Like the bestiaries and compendiums of medieval Europe, Muhanna’s edited translation of the work of al-Nuwayrıˉ, an Egyptian Muslim secretary and historian of the Mamluk dynasty, is encyclopedic in coverage. Originally compiled during the 14th century, Muhanna explains in the introduction, “al-Nuwayrıˉ’s text... represents one of the tallest peaks... of literary anthologies, cosmographical compendia, dictionaries, and miscellanies.” As such it serves as a window into the medieval Muslim world and its vast storehouse of knowledge that drew on multiple sources, including Greek philosophers, Abbasid scholars, and Andalusian luminaries. Weaving together poetry, proverbs, scientific investigations, mathematical insight, holy books, and theological wrangling, this treasury of learning is a veritable Wikipedia of its time. The sheer vastness of the topics covered—political thought, economics, religion, sex, history, culinary delights, medicine, and more—and the mix of both quotidian and cultured factoids make this a valuable addition to the library of those who are interested in medieval miscellany. Moreover, this text serves as a corrective to narratives that might isolate the Islamic world from the wider cosmos of medieval thinking and instead incorporates Islamic history—in all its stunning diversity—into the narrative of the history of thought. The erudition and breadth of the book is staggering, and it is a positively entertaining collection of anecdotes and flesh-and-blood experience from a time and place sadly neglected by popular scholarship.

July 1, 2016

Medieval Arab Islamic encyclopedic literature witnessed its golden age during the Mamluk Empire (1250-1517) in Egypt and greater Syria. An emblematic product of that flourishing culture is the monumental titular work by 14th-century author al-Nuwayri. Purporting to cover all knowledge of its time, the discursive book of over 9,000 pages in 30 volumes that comprise the original includes sections on heaven and earth, the human being, animals, plants, and the history of the world. This condensed, abbreviated English-language rendition more than does justice to the Arabic text. Muhanna (comparative literature, Brown Univ.) has made a fascinating selection for this clear, accessible translation. It offers brief, encyclopedia-style entries addressing themes related to astronomy, art, exotic religions and cults, geography, zoology, and a variety of "common knowledge" and practical tips about health recipes and medicinal remedies, aphrodisiacs, etc. The introduction discusses the first edition and its sources by topic, with copious notes and suggested further readings. Appendixes include a full translation of the Arabic table of contents, a chronology of al-Nuwayri's life, and a register of proper names. VERDICT Recommended for academic libraries; readers who enjoy dipping into a medieval cornucopia of sheer fact will find the volume fascinating.--Ali Houissa, Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY

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