This four-volume set in Arabic is more than the title might suggest. Beginning with a history of Arabic literature, including the Quran, and the intellectual development in the Eastern world before and during Islamic rule, de Tarrazi sets the stage for his central focus on the Arabic libraries of the world. Encyclopedic in his method, he includes a catalogue of Christian institutions in the Arabic world, as well as translations of foreign literature to Arabic and the sources of that literature and information about the translators. He next moves on to historic libraries of the Arabic world and the spread of those libraries. Both Islamic and Christian libraries are included in both the Eastern and Western worlds of the Middle East, Europe, and America. Jewish literature collections in the Middle East are noted. Always interested in the personalities involved, de Tarrazi included the Muslim and Arabic book collectors, beginning in the ninth century and Christian book collectors from the seventh century. As the founder of the Lebanese Library, de Tarrazi was particularly well-placed to write a detailed history of that institution. This remarkable collection will be of interest to those who are involved in the world of Arabic knowledge and learning as it developed throughout history.

Philip de Tarrazi (1865-1956) was a Roman Catholic Syrian who was committed to assisting those victimized by the First World War. A prolific writer, he published 25 books on Arabic and Syrian literature and history. Another 32 books he authored remain unpublished. Highly decorated, he received 21 Ottoman medals and was given the title Viscount by the Pope. He was the founder of the Lebanese Library.