'Librarians of Timbuktu': Saving ancient legacy from al-Qaeda
This book tells of Abdel Kader Haidara's effort to save thousands of priceless manuscripts dating back centuries, manuscripts endangered when al-Qaeda seized Timbuktu, Mali, in 2012. But it is much more than a story of a rescue effort.
The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu
By Joshua Hammer
Simon & Schuster.
288 pp. $26
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Reviewed by
Jean Marie Brown
nolead ends This book tells of Abdel Kader Haidara's effort to save thousands of priceless manuscripts dating back centuries, manuscripts endangered when al-Qaeda seized Timbuktu, Mali, in 2012. But it is much more than a story of a rescue effort.
Haidara, the central character, is an everyman who plunged into the world of ancient scripts when, at 17, his father bequeathed him the family's collection. He begins the tale as a bewildered teen, not quite sure why he was chosen from among his 11 siblings as the keeper of the texts.
A former Newsweek bureau chief and foreign correspondent, Joshua Hammer possesses a knowledge of the Middle East and North Africa, Islam and jihadists, that gives the book authority and authenticity. He explains that these texts are cherished heirlooms, not only in Haidara's family, but in families throughout the region. Many were buried or hidden in trunks, left to deteriorate from time and termites. As a young man, Haidara is recruited into helping collect and preserve the texts. His reluctance is soon replaced by passion.
Hammer crafts a thoughtful history of the Middle East and Africa in a narrative that goes beyond the one- and two-dimensional views popular today. He writes matter-of-factly about the intellectual depth and integrity of ancient civilizations that have long been dismissed or disputed by Western scholars.
He also provides a geopolitical explainer that gives context to the development of radical Islam. Much of the conversation about radical Islam often seems centered on Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya. But Hammer broadens this viewpoint and details how Mali and Haidara's hometown of Timbuktu have been swept into the maelstrom of violence.
Hammer explains how various policies and decisions by the United States and other Western governments helped fuel the jihadists. For example, he illustrates how the taking of Western hostages - the United States and Britain were in the minority in their refusals to pay ransom - was a lucrative scheme that netted millions. He also explains how the State Department and the military, with their distinct missions, have unwittingly created a vacuum that has allowed jihadists to thrive.
Haidara rescued an estimated 500,000 manuscripts over 18 months. His work was recognized with Germany's 2014 Africa Prize.
The book's title isn't overstated. Haidara and those who aided him truly earn the name.
This review originally appeared in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
