Uncovering the professional secrets of con artists and swindlers in the medieval Middle East
The Book of Charlatans is a comprehensive guide to trickery and scams as practiced in the thirteenth century in the cities of the Middle East, especially in Syria and Egypt. Al-Jawbarī was well versed in the practices he describes and may have been a reformed charlatan himself. Divided into thirty chapters, the book reveals the secrets of everyone from “Those Who Claim to be Prophets” to “Those Who Claim to Have Leprosy” and “Those Who Dye Horses.”
The material is informed in part by the author’s own experience with alchemy, astrology, and geomancy, and in part by his extensive research. The work is unique in its systematic, detailed, and inclusive approach to a subject that is by nature arcane and that has relevance not only for social history but also for the history of science. Covering everything from invisible writing to doctoring gemstones and quack medicine, The Book of Charlatans opens a fascinating window into a subculture of beggars’ guilds and professional con artists in the medieval Arab world.
An English-only edition.
Betaal eenvoudig met kaart, Klarna, Apple Pay of Google Pay. Niet tevreden? Je hebt altijd 14 dagen bedenktijd. Lees meer in onze voorwaarden. Heb je vragen, mail ons dan via hello@memmo.org.
Memmo maakt studeren makkelijker – waar je ook bent ter wereld. Wij brengen je cursusboeken en slimme studietools samen op één plek: samenvattingen, quizzen, podcasts en flashcards. En Ted, je studievriend die antwoord geeft op alles wat je je afvraagt. Meer dan 50.000 studenten studeren hier al – gebouwd om je sneller te laten leren en minder stress te geven.