Politics and Prose
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Joshua Hammer, "The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu"
Posted
May 8, 2016
Views
2,533
Likes
26
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1.03%
May 8, 2016
2,533
26
1.03%
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1:00:58Now PlayingIn 2012, a group of dedicated Timbuktu librarians, led by archivist Abdel Kader Haidara, risked their lives in a do-or-die mission to spirit away some 350,000 volumes—many of them irreplaceable ancient books—before the invading Al Qaeda forces could destroy them. How they planned, executed, and accomplished this feat is a riveting tale, as is the background about the literary heritage they preserved. Hammer, an award-winning writer and now a contributing editor to Smithsonian, Outside, and The New York Review of Books, is a skilled storyteller and deeply knowledgeable about Mali, having traveled there extensively and served as Newsweek’s sub-Saharan Africa bureau chief.
Founded by Carla Cohen and Barbara Meade in 1984, Politics & Prose Bookstore is Washington, D.C.'s premier independent bookstore and cultural hub, a gathering place for people interested in reading and discussing books. Politics & Prose offers superior service, unusual book choices, and a haven for book lovers in the store and online. Visit them on the web at
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