A Monument to Medieval Syrian Book Culture

Focusing on the Ibn ʿAbd al-Hādī Library of Damascus, this book explores the significance of a major private collection from the pre-Ottoman Arabic Middle East. It examines how the library served as a means for its owner to preserve and celebrate a scholarly heritage tied to his personal and communal identity. The text introduces a fresh perspective on Arabic book culture, provides a critical edition of a key medieval book list, and offers insights into the mobility of endowed books, all while including a color reproduction of the complete catalogue.