Al-Jahiz
Book of Animals, Book of Misers — Abbasid essayist
The greatest prose stylist of classical Arabic literature. The Book of Animals is part natural history, part philosophical meditation, part literary anthology. The Book of Misers is social satire of Dickensian relish.
Key works
- Kitab al-Hayawan (Book of Animals)~860s— Seven volumes — natural history, theology, and literary anthology combined
- Kitab al-Bukhala (Book of Misers)~850s— Social satire — portraits of avarice with Balzacian relish