"A fable of what happens when saving the world's books from destruction depends on the worst mule in history. The Caliphate has been blessed with a period of peace, culture, and science for nearly sixty years. The Caliph Abd al-Rahman III and his son al-Hakam II made Cordoba the Western capital of learning. But al-Hakam II dies young, and his son is only ten years old. One of his viziers, Amir, seizes the opportunity to take power. Radical clergymen,...