Introduction to Arabic Christian literature

BOOK REVIEW

INTRODUCTION TO ARABIC CHRISTIAN LITERATURE

Author: Pilar González Casado From the reader report by: Rafael Falasco

Pilar González Casado presents a critical overview of the Arab-Christian literature in a book that is the fruit of her erudition honed over decades of studies on the theme. The Arabic in the title refers to the language rather than to ethnicity, although the book also includes the “profane” writings of Christian Arabs, not necessarily dealing with matters of faith. It is a book of synthesis that intends to provide general interpretative clues about the main texts and literary groups over a long period of time. A gathering under a single critical-theoretical umbrella of a great number of writings that, until then, lacked an organization capable of making sense, of contextualizing and working out their singularities and interrelations.

The book consists of a prologue, fifteen chapters organized by themes, a chronology with historical and political references, broad bibliography, and an index. Importantly, the edition discloses exceptional care in the last section in providing to the reader an index of names, authors, works, passages from the Bible and the Koran, Arabic terms, and a general index with the numerous subheadings itemizing the chapters. This feature is an extremely useful tool for researchers and readers seeking to delve deeper into a particular source, or one-off recurrence.

Except for the last chapter, which is devoted to the writings produced between the 16th and 19th centuries, the bulk of the work covers the Medieval period, with emphasis on the 7th and 15th centuries. Although it is not intended for the general public, the book will serve the Brazilian readers on three fronts: Medievalist scholars, scholars of the Christian faith and its influence on Islam, and scholars of the Arab world, a field that has been growing and needs works of synthesis.

PUBLISHED IN NEW SPANISH BOOKS BR

SÍGUEME EDICIONES

Title INTRODUCTION TO ARABIC CHRISTIAN LITERATURE INTRODUCCIÓN A LA LITERATURA ÁRABE CRISTIANA

Author Pilar González Casado Genre Literature Pages 384

ISBN 978-84-30119-79-0 Year of publication 2017 Number of editions 1 Language Spanish Spanish retail price 23.00 €

Author’s biography: Doctor of Arabic Languages with knowledge of Hebrew, Syrian, and Coptic, she is a professor of Arabic Christian literature at the San Justino Faculty of Christian and Classical literature, University of San Dámaso (Madrid). In 2019, she was made the world’s first ever professor of Arabic Christian literature. Since September 2020 she has been rector of the San Justino Faculty of Christian and Classical literature in Madrid. She has edited various apocryphal Christian texts, for instance, El Protoevangelio de Santiago (The Gospel of Saint James; 1997) and La cueva de los tesoros (The cave of treasures; 2004), and is the author of numerous translations and articles that have appeared in specialist journals. https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilar_González_Casado Synopsis: Since its beginnings, Christianity has been present in the Near East. The appearance of Islam at the end of the 7th century and its political and linguistic dominance exerted a strong influence in the region and on the Christian communities there. As Arabic became the language of culture, Christians adopted its use for their literature. The fruit of this encounter were apocalyptic and apocryphal texts, treatises, and poetry, and, of course, translations of symbolic works into Arabic. Damascus, Bagdad, Cairo and al-Ándalus were all important centres of this type of literary activity. Arabic speaking Christians were active members of Islamic society. In the middle ages they contributed to its splendour, and, alongside reformist Muslims, they participated in the creation of new Arabic states and in this way they form an essential part of Near East culture.

Publisher: Ediciones Sígueme, Ediciones Sígueme, was awarded the National prize for the Best Cultural Publisher in 2005 and is a Spanish language Publisher dedicated over seven decades to the creation of a cultural environment that is more fully human, kindred, universal and meaningfully responsive.

Publishing rights available from: Ediciones Sígueme S.A.U. - CIF A37015641 García Tejado, 23-27, Salamanca, Salamanca www.sigueme.es Contact: Carlos Arnanz [publicaciones@sigueme.es] Phone: (+34) 923 218 203

Reviews and prizes: “Being necessary is not something that can be said of all books. However, this is one such. It introduces the world to something, that for many is as unjustly forgotten as it will be of universal fascination.” (Pedro Barrado)

Comments: In 2019, the author was made the world’s first ever professor of Arabic Christian literature.