The Prisoner of Al-Hakim - Bradley Steffens [guest host]

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Details
Despite being one of the most brilliant mathematicians in the Abbasid caliphate, Alhasan Ibn al-Haytham makes a quiet living in Basra as a scholar and copyist. He's preparing to write a new treatise on vision and light when a strange man wearing unusual clothes kidnaps him and takes him to Cairo, for a meeting with the caliph, Al-Hakim. The "mad king" of the Fatimid caliphate wants Alhasan to utilize his brilliance to dam the mighty Nile River.
What follows is the kind of adventure that the quiet, reserved Alhasan could never have imagined. Alhasan's incredible journey will lead him to the brink of ruin – and perhaps to his most monumental discovery. A novel about one of history's most overlooked scholars, The Prisoner of Al-Hakim (2017) is filled with vivid characters, thrilling scenes, and rich philosophical debates. It's a story about how love, faith, and knowledge are ultimately intertwined, and tells us as much about our contemporary times as about bygone eras.
Bradley Steffens, the author of The Prisoner of Al-Hakim, guest hosts for our discussion about his book.
To order a personalized and autographed copy of the book direct from the author for $12.50 (plus shipping):
- Go here
- Provide your email address
- The author will email you with payment details
The Prisoner of Al-Hakim:
Supplemental:
Extracts:
- "’Twas Hakeem’s deed, / Mad Caliph (founder still of creed / Long held by tribes not unrenowned) / Who erst the pastoral hight discrowned / Of Helena’s church." (Clarel, 1.35)
This meetup is part of a series on The Crescent and the Cross.

The Prisoner of Al-Hakim - Bradley Steffens [guest host]