Al Muthanna, the store discussed in today’s main story, has been at the center of literary life in Baghdad, Iraq for 70 years. These rare photos, from the store’s archives, offer a unique glimpse at the literary life of 20th century Iraq.
Arabic Publishing News: Iraq to Officially Censor Books
By Chip Rossetti The Iraqi Ministry of Culture has just taken the unexpected step of launching a program of official censorship of books imported from abroad. The new rule also applies to books published within Iraq, as publishers are required to obtain authorization before printing. Needless to say, this has provoked a hostile reaction from Iraqi publishers and booksellers, calling …