“The Arabic Book” was printed in Danish in 1946. The English translation was published by Princeton University Press in 1984. Professor Johannes Pedersen, the author, describes all aspects of book making in medieval Arabia, i.e., composition, writing, calligraphy, pens and writing materials, book painting, bookbinding, selling, distribution and building libraries. The book making process in Arabia was different from that in medieval Europe.
In pre-Islamic Arabia, there were no books. The Arabs had innumerable stories and highly developed poetry which were handed down orally. The birth of Arabic books was triggered by Islam. The new message needed an entire new industry in order to be recorded, distributed and preserved. By describing the various aspects of making Arabic books, Professor Pedersen captured a snapshot of a process that is of great importance not only to the history of Islam or the history of book making. “The Arabic Book” illustrates an example of the cyclic nature of the development of our civilization. It is this cyclic nature which, somehow, has escaped the scholars researching various phases of European history. Namely, the various phases of Arabic book making correspond to a cycle which includes: (i) pronouncement of a new concept or idea that stimulates the development of a new culture; (ii) invention of a method to record and disseminate this concept; (iii) establishment of an entirely new industry for this concept wide implementation; (iv) gradual corruption that is followed by (v) initiation of a new cycle, which marks the next turn on an evolutionary spiral.
After some time, the projection of a new evolutionary idea or concept becomes mechanized. At this point, the process becomes subject to the law of diminishing returns. The original concept becomes sterilized and loses its dynamic component. The overall situation becomes messy, erratic and seemingly unpredictable. At that time a new and somehow complementary idea emerges in another part of the world. A new cultural cycle is initiated. It usually coincides with the invention of a new technique that serves as an adequate distribution instrument. Such a new cycle was initiated in Europe in the mid-15th century. It was marked by the invention of the printed press by Johannes Gutenberg of Germany. At that time, the Muslim culture had passed its zenith. There was no interest among Muslims in novel methods of book production. Incidentally, the development of the printing presses corresponded to the time of the pronouncement of a new cultural concept. In 1517, Martin Luther posted on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg a copy of his famous 95 theses. These 95 theses were quickly printed and widely distributed, making the controversy one of the first in history to be fanned by the printing press. Within two weeks, these papers spread throughout Germany; within two months throughout Europe. Luther’s action deeply influenced the next cycle of the development of European civilization.
Although “The Arabic Book” may seem to be addressed to a small circle of specialists in Islamic history and culture, its overall context may be of interest to a general audience. Definitively it would be of interest to all those who are trying to find answers to such questions as “where is the today’s world going?” or “why are we faced with such a seemingly mess worldwide?” In accordance with the process outlined in “The Arabic Book”, it becomes somehow obvious that the invention of the internet must be a sign of the transition of our culture onto the next turn of the evolutionary spiral. This time, this transition takes place on the global scale.

Although this is a classic text on the development of the Arabic book it is now disappointing to read. It was originally written in 1949, translated and published in English in 1984. There are several corrections of fact and opinion contradicted by other evidence, footnoted by the translator. But it is also disappointing in not describing the basics. A collection of Arabic books such as the one exhibited recently in the Art gallery of New South Wales (The Arts of Islam: Treasures from the Nasser D Khalili Exhibition) in 2007 illustrates facets of books that are just not explained in The Arabic Book. These include the decorative features of so many pages, which are called hasps; the inclusion of commentaries, commentaries on commentaries, and interleaving of text, decoration and gloss or translation as a common feature in the design of many books. Pedersen is strong on the process of composition and copying, the production of books. For a bookbinder the short chapter on bookbinding has some snippets of information, but no great depth of insight.