East of the Tigris River in the heart of Baghdad, Iraq, many bookstores open every morning. Some have been around for decades, despite war, sectarian conflict and insecurity.
According to Xinhua, al-Assriyah is one of the oldest bookstores on al-Mutanabbi Street. It was established in 1914. The owner, Ayad al-Qamousi, 60, said that the founder of the bookstore was poet Mahmoud Helmi.
“My father bought the bookstore from the founder in 1964 after the man became too old,” said al-Qamousi. The al-Assriyah bookstore has many old books, some of which date back to the 19th century. It also has many rare books.
Meanwhile, the Al-Assri Bookbinding Workshop, founded in 1920, is another long-standing business in the al-Mutanabbi Street book market. It also sells books. Abboud Mohammed al-Falluji, 80, inherited the business from his father and has decided to hand over the bookbinding workshop to his sons and grandsons. When passing through the nearby al-Saray market, people often stop at a small bookstore filled with memories and history of Baghdad.
Akram al-Filfily, in his 60s, owner of al-Filfily bookstore, listens as customers ask him about the oldest books and rare historical references. Al-Filfily bookstore was established in 1930 and is the only bookstore that has survived in al-Saray market since its inception.
The ongoing sectarian conflict and violence in Iraq has had a significant impact on the country’s book market. On March 5, 2007, a suicide bomber attacked the al-Mutanabbi book market, killing at least 26 people, injuring more than 50 others, and burning down several bookstores. The incident forced some bookstore owners to quit their jobs, while others switched to stationery after their properties were damaged.
The old bookstores provided valuable books and historical documents for Iraq’s intellectuals, writers and thinkers. Many families in the country like to have their own libraries in their homes because the book collection reflects the family’s level of education, said Jamal al-Bazzaz, a retired professor at Baghdad University.
Abboud Mohammed al-Falluji, 80, inherited the business from his father and has decided to hand over the bookbinding workshop to his sons and grandsons. When passing through the nearby al-Saray market, people often stop at a small bookstore filled with memories and history of Baghdad.
Akram al-Filfily, in his 60s, owner of al-Filfily bookstore, listens as customers ask him about the oldest books and rare historical references. Al-Filfily bookstore was established in 1930 and is the only bookstore that has survived in al-Saray market since its inception.
The ongoing sectarian conflict and violence in Iraq has had a significant impact on the country’s book market. On March 5, 2007, a suicide bomber attacked the al-Mutanabbi Street book market, killing at least 26 people, injuring more than 50 others, and burning down several bookstores. The incident forced some bookstore owners to quit their jobs, while others switched to stationery after their properties were damaged.
The old bookstores provided valuable books and historical documents for Iraq’s intellectuals, writers and thinkers. Many families in the country like to have their own libraries in their homes because the book collection reflects the family’s level of education, said Jamal al-Bazzaz, a retired professor at Baghdad University.
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