Baghdad: An Urban History through the Lens of Literature

"Iman Al Attar’s Baghdad: An Urban History through the Lens of Literature is an essential text for anyone studying the history of this ancient city. Evoking the ethereal qualities of the urban via scholarly texts, in the tradition of Calvino’s Invisible Cities, the book interprets and presents the essence of Baghdad as a natural, spiritual, communal, social and architectural presence using ‘thematic’ and ‘cumulative’ techniques of literary analysis. Comparing literature and poetry from pre- eighteenth century, eighteenth century and post- eighteenth century, the book focuses on the quintessential characteristics of the city: the two settlements divided by a river, the Tigris and its bridges, the adjoining public gardens, along with the urban interior of markets, cafes, mosques and private courtyard residences. The book is welcome addition to the literature of middle eastern urbanism. As the cities of this region are redeveloped or rebuilt their futures may be usefully informed by a profound historiographical understanding of the patterns and practices of meaningfully inhabiting these landscapes in a sustainable and resilient manner."

Diane Brand, University of Auckland, New Zealand