Daily Life in Ancient and Modern Timbuktu (Cities Through Time)

It's not easy to give an accurate, balanced overview of a city's long history in just a few illustrated pages, and the title on Beijing in this Cities through Time series is not recommended. In the case of Timbuktu, however, this account is a welcome corrective to prevailing images of the West African city as a ridiculous, primitive jungle outpost. In fact, 400 years ago Timbuktu was an international center of learning with two universities and 180 schools, a place of trade and culture, wealthier than Rome or London. Brooks describes that golden age and then the historical forces that led to the city's decline; he concludes with a quick look at daily life there today. The book is heavily illustrated, and the original, double-page, color illustrations are sometimes obtrusive; more effective are the occasional quiet historical photos and paintings. A map is not included, but a time line and a bibliography are appended. Hazel Rochman

In the Cities Through Time series, a history of the fabled city at the edge of the world, from its beginnings in the 12th century as a seasonal camp for the nomadic Tuaregs, through its heyday as a center of commerce and learning in the middle ages, to its gradual decline through colonization and independence to its current frayed but proud condition. Brook provides a fascinating glimpse into a distant land, age, and culture. He covers aspects of history and daily life during various periods, including the impact of Islam. Illustrated with large drawings and photographs (though unfortunately lacking any maps except a reproduction of a 14th-century rendering), and containing quotes about the city from writers of different eras, this is an engrossing introduction to a place children hear of, but rarely study. (chronology, further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 9-13) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.