Molla Nasreddin

This is an important book [...] and the authors have clearly taken considerable pains to treat carefully, even delicately, and indeed to anticipate, areas of possible controversy. -- Stephanie Cronin * Middle Eastern Studies *
This is a beautifully produced book. The text is erudite but readable, and the authors have clearly taken considerable pains to treat carefully, even delicately, and indeed to anticipate, areas of possible controversy [...]. -- Stephanie Cronin * Middle Eastern Studies *
The authors’ masterful analysis touches on such pivotal issues as modernist critique of clerical Islam, women’s subordination, calls for modern education and shifting diasporic identities. With many illustrations and nuanced narrative, this book is for any reader interested in the role of the press in shaping national and trans-national identities. -- Abbas Amanat, William Graham Sumner Professor Emeritus of History, Yale University
Lucidly written and generously illustrated, Afary and Afary’s book offers a richly textured and compelling account of the periodical Mollā Nasreddin (publ. 1906-1931). The study presents a holistic analysis of the periodical’s contexts of production, development, its literary and visual forms, social criticism and anti-colonial discourse, and traces complex connections across media, regions, and languages from the Southern Caucasus and Iran to the Ottoman Empire and Europe. -- David Roxburgh, Professor of Islamic Art History, Havard University
The road to development runs through knowledge, critical thinking and civic activism. The periodical Molla Nasreddin illuminated this road, not only for Azerbaijanis but for the entire Muslim world. Readers of this book can follow the thorny life courses of its editors and writers during the rise of nation states in the Muslim World. -- Farda Asadov, Professor of History and Economy of Arab Countries, Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy
This work is a rich and pioneering exploration of cultural transmission and cosmopolitanism during the early twentieth century in the Caucasus and neighboring regions. It focuses on the legendary satirical illustrated journal Molla Nasreddin, which was published in Tiflis Georgia and read across the Muslim world. The journal was an early champion of social and religious reform, women’s rights and democratic ideals. Compellingly written and lavishly illustrated, this publication lays the groundwork for all future studies of the subject and is indispensable reading for the Middle Eastern scholar and general reader alike. -- Layla S. Diba, Independent Scholar and Curator