The Donkey King (Elements in Magic)

Selove, Emily

Religion & Spirituality

Cambridge University Press

"?ik?yat Abu al-Q?sim, probably written in the 11th century by the otherwise unknown al-Azd?, tells the story of a gate-crasher from Baghdad named Ab? al-Q?sim, who shows up uninvited at a party in Isfahan. Dressed as a holy man and reciting religious poetry, he soon relaxes his demeanour, and, growing intoxicated on wine, insults the other dinner guests and their Iranian hometown. Widely hailed as a narrative unique in the history of Arabic literature, ?ik?yah also reflects a much larger tradition of banquet texts. Painting a picture of a party-crasher who is at once a holy man and a rogue, he is a figure familiar to those who have studied the ancient cynic tradition or other portrayals of wise fools, tricksters and saints in literatures from the Mediterranean and beyond. This study therefore compares ?ik?yah, a mysterious text surviving in a single manuscript, to other comical banquet texts and party-crashing characters, both from contemporary Arabic literature and from Ancient Greece and Rome."

Ḥikāyat Abī al-Qāsim: A Literary Banquet (Edinburgh Studies in Classical Arabic Literature)

Literature & Fiction

History & Criticism

Edinburgh University Press

"?ik?yat Abu al-Q?sim, probably written in the 11th century by the otherwise unknown al-Azd?, tells the story of a gate-crasher from Baghdad named Ab? al-Q?sim, who shows up uninvited at a party in Isfahan. Dressed as a holy man and reciting religious poetry, he soon relaxes his demeanour, and, growing intoxicated on wine, insults the other dinner guests and their Iranian hometown. Widely hailed as a narrative unique in the history of Arabic literature, ?ik?yah also reflects a much larger tradition of banquet texts. Painting a picture of a party-crasher who is at once a holy man and a rogue, he is a figure familiar to those who have studied the ancient cynic tradition or other portrayals of wise fools, tricksters and saints in literatures from the Mediterranean and beyond. This study therefore compares ?ik?yah, a mysterious text surviving in a single manuscript, to other comical banquet texts and party-crashing characters, both from contemporary Arabic literature and from Ancient Greece and Rome."

The city of Baghdad during the 8th to 13th centuries CE was one of the most important centres of cultural production in human history. A melting pot of languages, religions, and ethnicities, it produced thinkers and artists whose impact on the sciences, literatures, and cultures of the world is still felt today. From cutting-edge medical discoveries to the creation of musical and literary styles that would transform the tastes of Europe—civilization would not look the same today without the influence of medieval Baghdad. This revolutionary new textbook offers chapters from an internationally respected team of scholars conducting groundbreaking research on the city. It provides teachers with reliable and engaging material with which to introduce the dynamic medieval city of Baghdad to their students. Baghdad at the Centre of a World features the following topics and contributors: Baghdad: The Metropolis - Jens Scheiner; Daily Life in Baghdad - Michael Cooperson; The Caliph - Hayrettin Yücesoy; An Introduction to Islam - Mustafa Baig; A Caliphal Inquisition - John Nawas; Non-Muslims in Baghdad and Beyond - Paul L. Heck; Slavery in the Ancient and Medieval World - Karen Moukheiber; Slave Soldiers in Baghdad - Hugh Kennedy; Enslaved and Free Women in the Royal Court - Maryam Alkandari; Some Women of Power Before the Abbasid Period - Maryam Alkandari; Knowledge and Learning in Baghdad - Sebastian Günther; Arabic Grammar and Grammarians in Baghdad - Monique Bernards; Medicine and Philosophy in Baghdad - Peter Adamson; Musical Performances in Baghdad - Dwight Reynolds; Women Musicians and Poets Before the Abbasid Period - Karen Moukheiber; Three Women Musicians and Poetesses of the Abbasid Period - Karen Moukheiber; Literature, Poetry, and Party-Crashing - Emily Selove; The Book of Kalila and Dimna: Talking Animal Stories and Advice for Rulers - István T. Kristó-Nagy; Baghdad and Europe - Alex Mallett

Baghdad at the Centre of a World, 8th-13th Century: An Introductory Textbook

History

Middle East

Theran Press

Enjoy one hundred and twenty scenes from the vibrant city of Abbasid Baghdad, starring book-loving author Popeye (Al-Jahiz) and winebibbing poet Curly (Abu Nuwas), along with their friends Coral (a singing girl) and the Caliph of one of the world's most influential empires in history. Each episode is derived from historical sources, and designed to entertain, educate, and amaze.

Popeye and Curly: 120 Days in Medieval Baghdad

Comics & Graphic Novels

Graphic Novels

Silver Goat Media

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Books by Selove, Emily