Unknown heritage
In his new book Al-Torath al-Magehoul (The Unknown Heritage) Youssef Zeidan presents a review of 30 rare manuscripts on Arab heritage. The book comes in two volumes; in the
Bedouin heritage
This beautifully illustrated Gardens of a Sacred Landscape, Bedouin Heritage and Natural History in the
Answer to difficult question
Al-Ein Publishing House recently issued a new study by Abdel-Khaleq Farouq under the title Kam Yunfiq al-Misriyoon ala al-Taaleem? (How Much do Egyptians Spend on Education?), reviewed by Hamed Ammar. In seven chapters the study tackles the Egyptian public education system which is financed by government funds, yet is regarded by the majority of Egyptians as inadequate. They plan and save in order to afford the high cost of education on top of what the government—or they as taxpayers—already spend. Dr Farouq then proposes a new policy to finance education in
History of ages
A study and translation of the famous Syrian manuscript by Bar-Hebraeus that narrates the history of the different historical ages has been published in a new book entitled Makhtutat Tarikh al-Azmina (Manuscripts of the History of the Ages). Bar-Hebraeus, who lived in the 13th century, was known for his works on philosophy, poetry, language, history, and theology and has been called one of the most learned men of the Syrian Orthodox Church. In this manuscript, Bar-Hebraeus presents a study of history since the creation and until his death in 1286. The book is an encyclopedia in that it includes sections of information on history, religions, customs and traditions, the stories of scholars, professors and warriors, and descriptions of war and battle. The manuscript is all the more remarkable because Bar-Hebraeus wrote about an era when he lived and acted, which increases the credibility of the given information. The manuscript has been translated and presented in a book by Shadya Tawfiq Hafez and revised by al-Sebaei Mohamed al-Sebaei, and is one of the Ministry of Culture’s ‘1,000 Translated Books’ project.
WATANI International
9 November 2008