The Middle East and other Arabic-speaking regions are of central importance in the world today. This handy booklet, designed to be carried in ones pocket, presents the basics of reading and understanding Arabic script. It begins with an introduction to the alphabet and the pronunciation of Arabic characters. The book also features the rules of reading and writing the language, including reading direction, consonant-vowel elisions, and, of course, letter linkages or ligatures, notoriously the most difficult aspect of the script to learn. It is an essential tool for travellers, business-people, and military personnel in the Middle East and other places where Arabic is spoken.