" Writing Timbuktu is an impeccably researched and imaginatively written chapter of the history of the written word: an essential book for our time."-- Alberto Manguel, author of A History of Reading and The Library at Night "Jeppie takes us behind the myths surrounding Timbuktu to reveal the rich culture of learning and writing that extended across more than five centuries and the vast area of the Sahara-Sahel. The manuscript book is the thread we follow through the lives of writers, teachers, and collectors as they navigated the crises of their times. This account, both expert and accessible, offers a wonderful entry into the book culture of West Africa."-- Ann Blair, author of Too Much to Know: Managing Scholarly Information before the Modern Age " Writing Timbuktu is a captivating masterpiece that conclusively puts West Africa onto the map of global book history. Shamil Jeppie skillfully intertwines the journey of books with the stories of their owners and users, creating a fascinating narrative of local engagements and transregional networks. This book is a rare gem, a must-read that is also a page-turner."-- Konrad Hirschler, author of The Written Word in the Medieval Arabic Lands: A Social and Cultural History of Reading Practices "Shamil Jeppie takes his readers on a journey to discover a vibrant and persistent manuscript book culture in northwest Africa.

From the prolific scholar Ahmad Baba (d. 1627) and his students to the copyist and collector Ahmad Bularraf (d. 1945), both active in Timbuktu, he passes in review scholarly families and individuals, such as the Kunta of Shinqit, their networks and libraries, and their clashes and connections with local rulers and colonial officials over five centuries, anchoring the region firmly within the global history of the book."-- Beatrice Gruendler, author of The Rise of the Arabic Book.