The Book of Strangers Mediaeval Arabic Graffiti on the Theme of Nostalgia

Patricia Crone, Shmuel Moreh, Abu 'l-Faraj Al-Isfahānī — 2000

A 10th century Iraqi took to collecting verse graffiti left behind by travellers. The result of his pastime was a little book that conjures up his nostalgic mood in a manner rarely attempted in Arabic literature. This work offers a translation of his work and discusses its cultural context.