Selections from The Art of Party Crashing in Medieval Iraq

Download or read book Selections from The Art of Party Crashing in Medieval Iraq written by Al-Khatib Al-Baghdadi and published by Syracuse University Press. This book was released on 2012-12-20 with total page 199 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: He’s fond of anyone who throws a party; he’s always at a party in his dreams, for party-crashing’s blazoned on his heart . . . a prisoner to the path of fi ne cuisine. With this statement, al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, a Muslim preacher and scholar, introduces The Art of Party-Crashing, a book that represents a sharp departure from the religious scholarship for which he is known. Compiled in the eleventh century, this collection of irreverent and playful anecdotes celebrates eating, drinking, and general merriment. Ribald jokes, flirtations, and wry observations of misbehaving Muslims acquaint readers with everyday life in medieval Iraq in a way that is both entertaining and edifying. Selove’s translation, accompanied by her whimsical drawings, introduces the delights and surprises of medieval Arabic humor to a new audience.