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Maimonides
Faith in Reason
An exploration of Maimonides, the medieval philosopher, physician, and religious thinker, author of "The Guide of the Perplexed", from one of the world's foremost bibliophiles.
Moses ben Maimon, or Maimonides (1138-1204), was born in Cordoba, Spain. The gifted son of a judge and mathematician, Maimonides fled Cordoba with his family when he was thirteen due to Almohad persecution of all non-Islamic faiths. Forced into a long exile, the family spent a decade in Spain before settling in Morocco. From there, Maimonides traveled to Palestine and Egypt, where he died at Saladin's court.
As a scholar of Jewish law, a physician, and a philosopher, Maimonides was a singular figure. His work in extracting all the commanding precepts of Jewish law from the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud, interpreting and commenting on them, and translating them into terms that would allow students to lead sound Jewish lives became the model for translating God's word into a language comprehensible by all. His work in medicine – which brought him such fame that he became Saladin's personal physician – was driven almost entirely by reason and observation.
In this biography, Alberto Manguel examines the question of Maimonides' universal appeal – he was celebrated by Jews, Arabs, and Christians alike. In our time, when the need for rationality and recognition of the truth is more vital than ever, Maimonides can help us find strategies to survive with dignity in an uncertain world.
Moses ben Maimon, or Maimonides (1138-1204), was born in Cordoba, Spain. The gifted son of a judge and mathematician, Maimonides fled Cordoba with his family when he was thirteen due to Almohad persecution of all non-Islamic faiths. Forced into a long exile, the family spent a decade in Spain before settling in Morocco. From there, Maimonides traveled to Palestine and Egypt, where he died at Saladin's court.
As a scholar of Jewish law, a physician, and a philosopher, Maimonides was a singular figure. His work in extracting all the commanding precepts of Jewish law from the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud, interpreting and commenting on them, and translating them into terms that would allow students to lead sound Jewish lives became the model for translating God's word into a language comprehensible by all. His work in medicine – which brought him such fame that he became Saladin's personal physician – was driven almost entirely by reason and observation.
In this biography, Alberto Manguel examines the question of Maimonides' universal appeal – he was celebrated by Jews, Arabs, and Christians alike. In our time, when the need for rationality and recognition of the truth is more vital than ever, Maimonides can help us find strategies to survive with dignity in an uncertain world.
About the author
Internationally acclaimed as an anthologist, translator, essayist, novelist, and editor, Alberto Manguel is the best-selling author of several award-winning books, including "A Dictionary of Imaginary Places", "A History of Reading", "With Borges", and "Reading Pictures" (Finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award for Non-Fiction). He was born in Buenos Aires, moved to Canada in 1982, and now lives in France, where he was named an Officer of the Order for Arts and Letters. His most recent book is "The Library at Night", also published by Yale University Press.