The Excellence of the Arabs

"Ibn Qutayba's extraordinary erudition and literary skill are now on view in the LAL Arabic edition and translation at hand, The Excellence of the Arabs . . . The English translation is a page-turner. The Arabic is difficult, but the translators' command is apparent in how they avoid the complex syntax, verbosity, and numerous repetitions that are characteristic of Classical Arabic. The judiciousness of the series' decision to opt for English felicity over a more literal English rendering of the Arabic provides the reader with a genuine grasp of what Ibn Qutayba is really saying. All involved are to be congratulated!" (Journal of the American Oriental Society) "Enriches the Library of Arabic Literature and the growing corpus of translations of books from Arabic into English . . . A true delight to read." (Reading Religion) "[A] clear and lively translation." (Al-Ahram Weekly) "An excellent example of the narrative sources available to historians of West Asian late antiquity and early Islam." (Speculum)