Explores the intricately crafted rhetorical strategies used by al-Jāḥiẓ - a true pioneer of Arabic prose The 9th-century essayist, theologian and encyclopedist 'Amr b. Baḥr al-Jāḥiẓ is one of our richest and most entertaining sources on the intellectual and social life of the early centuries of Islam. He has long been acknowledged as a master of early Arabic prose writing and his rhetorical inventiveness and provocative introductions, in particular, have been celebrated by readers and scholars alike. Yet only passing notice has been given to the fact that many of his most engaging writings are presented as letters to individuals, even though they are clearly meant for a broader readership. This study takes a new approach in interpreting some of al-Jāḥiẓ's 'epistolary monographs', focusing on the varying ways in which he shapes his conversations with the addressee as presented on the page, in order to guide or manipulate his actual readers and encourage them to actively engage with his complex materials. Key Features - Provides a fresh angle for understanding the texts of one of the most important innovators in Classical Arabic prose writing - Relates al-Jāḥiẓ's experiments with the letter frame to his views on occupations, human geography and other issues of his day - Examines the role of self-parody in al-Jāḥiẓ's fictional conversations with his addressees - Explores the rich interplay of contending voices in texts that cover sectarian and ethnic rivalries, ethical questions, intoxicating beverages and daily life from one of the most unique minds of the 'Abbāsid era Thomas Hefter is Assistant Professor of Arabic at the University of Oklahoma. Cover image: Manuscript with depiction by Yahya ibn Vaseti, found in the Maqama of Hariri/Image courtesy of BnF. Cover design: [EUP logo] www.euppublishing.com