Maimonides

An exploration of Maimonides, the medieval philosopher, physician, and religious thinker, author of The Guide of the Perplexed, from one of the worlds foremost bibliophiles Moses ben Maimon, or Maimonides (11381204), was born in Crdoba, Spain. The gifted son of a judge and mathematician, Maimonides fled Crdoba with his family when he was thirteen due to Almohad persecution of all non-Islamic faiths. Forced into a long exile, the family spent a decade in Spain before settling in Morocco. From there, Maimonides traveled to Palestine and Egypt, where he died at Saladins court. As a scholar of Jewish law, a physician, and a philosopher, Maimonides was a singular figure. His work in extracting all the commanding precepts of Jewish law from the Hebrew Bible and the Talmud, interpreting and commenting on them, and translating them into terms that would allow students to lead sound Jewish lives became the model for translating Gods word into a language comprehensible by all. His work in medicinewhich brought him such fame that he became Saladins personal physicianwas driven almost entirely by reason and observation. In this biography, Alberto Manguel examines the question of Maimonides universal appealhe was celebrated by Jews, Arabs, and Christians alike. In our time, when the need for rationality and recognition of the truth is more vital than ever, Maimonides can help us find strategies to survive with dignity in an uncertain world.