Rare Book School
Preliminary Reading List

Introduction to Islamic Manuscripts

Marianna Shreve Simpson

Preliminary Advices

Overviews (for general historical and cultural orientation, as needed)

• Neal Robinson. Islam: A Concise Introduction. Richmond (UK): Curzon Press, 1999.
  or
  Annmarie Schimmel. Islam: An Introduction. Albany: SUNY Press, 1992.
• Jonathan Bloom and Sheila Blair. Islam: A Thousand Years of Faith and Power. New York: TV Books, 2000.
• Michael Cook. The Koran: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.
• Jonathan Bloom and Sheila Blair. Islamic Arts. London: Phaidon Press Ltd., 1997.
  Manuscript arts covered in chapters 2, 6, and 10 (chronological introductions)
  or
  Robert Irwin. Islamic Art in Context. New York: Abrams, 1997.
  Manuscript arts discussed in chapters Seven and Eight (more discursive than Bloom/Blair).

Islamic Manuscripts: Overviews

• Johannes Pedersen. The Arabic Book. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1984.
  Alas, this short and seminal book is long out of print, but should be available in university and other institutional libraries.
• Dictionary of Art 16: "Islamic art. III. Arts of the book" (pages 271-359).
  Divided into specific sections for calligraphy, painted decoration, painted illustration, etc., written by numerous specialists. A very useful introduction, albeit in the encyclopedia mode.
• Marie-Genevieve Guesdon and Annie Vernay-Nouri. L'Art du livre arabe: Du manuscripts au livre d-artiste. Paris: Bibliotheque nationale de France, 2001.
  An exhibition catalogue, aimed at general public, introducing the constituent arts of Arabic manuscripts.

Islamic Manuscripts: Codicology , Materials and Techniques

• Francois Deroche, ed. Manuel de codicologie des manuscripts en ecriture arabe. Paris: Bibliotheque nationale de France, 2000.
  A very detailed overview, written by and for specialists.
• Jonathan Bloom. Paper Before Print: The History and Impact of Paper in the Islamic World. New York and London: Yale University Press, 2001.
  Wide ranging in its discussion, and with popular appeal.
• Gulnar Bosch, et. Al, Islamic Bindings and Bookmaking. Chicago: Oriental Institute, 1981.
  Catalogue of a pioneering exhibition. See especially pages 1-84

Additional Bibliography on specific aspects of the Islamic manuscript arts will be provided during the course.