In the 1980s, Abdel Kader Haidara - a young adventurer and collector for a government library - journeyed across the Sahara Desert and along the Niger River tracking down and salvaging thousands of ancient Islamic and secular manuscripts. Journalist Joshua Hammer tells the incredible story of how Haidara became one of the world's greatest and most brazen smugglers.<br><br> In 2012, thousands of Al Qaeda militants from northwest Africa seized control of most of Mali, including Timbuktu. They imposed Sharia law and threatened to destroy the great manuscripts. As the militants tightened their control over Timbuktu, Haidara organized a dangerous operation to sneak all 350,000 volumes out of the city to safety in Mali.<br><br> Hammer has visited Timbuktu numerous times and is uniquely qualified to tell the story of Haidara's heroic and ultimately successful effort to outwit Al Qaeda and preserve Mali's - and the world's - literary patrimony. Hammer explores the city's manuscript heritage and offers details about the militants' march into northwest Africa. Above all, <I><i>The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu</I></i> is an inspiring account of the victory of art and literature over extremism.
