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Book Smugglers of Timbuktu Hardcover – January 1, 2017

by Charlie English (Author)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 114 ratings
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Two tales of a city: The historical race to reach one of the world s most mythologized places, and the story of how a contemporary band of archivists and librarians, fighting to save its ancient manuscripts from destruction at the hands of al Qaeda, added another layer to the legend.
The fabled city of Timbuktu has captured the Western imagination for centuries. The search for this African El Dorado cost the lives of many explorers but Timbuktu is rich beyond its legends. Home to many thousands of ancient manuscripts on poetry, history, religion, law, pharmacology and astronomy, the city has been a centre of learning since medieval times.
When jihadists invaded Mali in 2012 threatening destruction to Timbuktu s libraries, a remarkable thing happened. A team of librarians and archivists joined forces to spirit the precious manuscripts into hiding. Based on new research and first-hand reporting, Charlie English expertly tells this story set in one of the world s most fascinating places, and the myths from which it has become inseparable.
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  1. Language
    English
  2. Publisher
    HARPER COLLINS PUBLISHERS
  3. Publication date
    January 1, 2017
  4. Dimensions
    6.26 x 1.46 x 9.45 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0008126631
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0008126636
  7. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ HARPER COLLINS PUBLISHERS (January 1, 2017)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0008126631
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0008126636
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.57 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.26 x 1.46 x 9.45 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 114 ratings

About the author

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Charlie English

Charlie English

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Charlie English is a British non-fiction author and former head of international news at the Guardian. He has written three books, including The Snow Tourist (2008) and The Book Smugglers of Timbuktu, aka The Storied City (2017). His third, The Gallery of Miracles and Madness, was published in August 2021. He lives in London with his family. He may be reached via charlieenglish.net and twitter.com/charlieenglish1

​

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
114 global ratings

Top review from the United States

S. Marcus
3.0 out of 5 stars Most of the book has nothing to do with the title
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2021
As someone who arrived in Mali soon after 2012 and stayed for years, I'm familiar with many of the locations and AQIM jihadist events mentioned. I still live in Africa and was interested enough to pick up this book.

I was quickly surprised to find that most of it was not at all about 'The Book Smugglers of Timbuktu’, instead it’s a history book of the region. Perhaps 10-15 percent of the book is actually about the movement of the manuscripts (rather than books) to Bamako. During this time, the safety of these documents was in no way central to the conflict and I never heard of any real jihadist threat to destroy them. Not sure it existed. The added hint in the book that they were somehow still at risk from terrorists even while stored in Bamako, is silly. Destruction by happenstance in a war zone or by frantic and cowardly scorched earth efforts, while the jihadis were fleeing Timbuktu, was certainly possible. But the central threat during this terrorist-driven conflict was to human life. That cost was real and horrible.

The documents were moved, but was it really a dramatic and dangerous effort?
If you want a historical account of the region written by a reporter, with a little intrigue that is likely overblown tossed in, read it. It seems this book started as a straight historical work until the 'rescue' was added. The movement story is only incidental to the book, which is why I find the title misleading.

Mali, like the rest of Africa, is full of intrigue - both real and imagined. And, if a story can be enhanced by such intrigue in a bid to obtain foreign funds, it certainly will be.
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Top reviews from other countries

Vandana
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb!!!
Reviewed in India on July 19, 2022
Verified Purchase
I loved it..
The book was very satisfying and gripping.
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Dr. B. Prynn
5.0 out of 5 stars Western fascination with Timbuctoo and the present situation of the guardians of the books.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 9, 2021
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed this book very much. I thought the juxtaposition of Western interest in Timbuctoo from the end of the eighteenth century, with the attempt by the custodians of the Timbuctoo books to protect them from Mali separatists and Isis, was a good way of telling two different but connected stories. I hadn't realised that the majority of the Timbuctoo books were still in the hands of private individuals whose families have presumably looked after them for hundreds of years. The twist at the end which suggests that the guardians of the books had somewhat exaggerated the numbers of books and their danger from potential marauders was unresolved, but interesting to read about.
One person found this helpful
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SK
5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and educational
Reviewed in Germany on July 21, 2018
Verified Purchase
I admit I knew near to nothing of Timbuktu which was one of the reasons why I bought this book (another was a recommendation of newspaper magazine I read online regularly).

That said it surprised me in its intensity and vibrant storytelling. It didn't take long for me to want to know if the city's manuscripts would be saved and who was the first European who finally found the mysterious town in West Africa.

The best part, I learned so many things. For example I knew the Sahara is huge but now I know how big and how its parts are called and that its sandy part is actually the smallest. It was all presented in ways that I'm remembering parts form the beginning even though this book isn't one you can read in one go. At least I couldn't. Too many names and like the author said so himself in his notes too many similar names (apparently many of Mali's inhabitants have surnames like Toure or Haidara) which made it confusing at times. I loved the historical retrospects parts. People who explored the world in the 17/18/19 century (and earlier of course) before there were vaccinations, antibiotics, and anti malaria drugs were true heroes. Every single one of them must have had the strength of an ox and a cast-iron will.

The ending came a bit sudden for my tastes. In part that's due because the notes take up a considerable part of the book and reading the ebook was deceiving here.

All in all it was an entertaining and educational book - and you can never go wrong with one of those. Also a book that makes for a good present.
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Neeraj Sinha
4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and educational
Reviewed in India on March 11, 2023
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The book is based on the movement of the manuscripts of Timbuktu to save it from destruction post the capture of the city by the Al Qaida offshoot. In parallel the story of the discovery of the city by the western adventurers also takes place. It was very informative for me as I didn't know anything about Timbuktu standing as a place of learning and bibliophile people.
One person found this helpful
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M. Forrest
4.0 out of 5 stars A city set in time
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 31, 2017
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An excellent and true tale. You need to keep a list of characters as you read or you'll lose track of who did what when, as there are so many players. I wish I had done this because I need to read it again now.
9 people found this helpful
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