I am thrilled to announce that my much-awaited my book, The Oud: An Illustrated History, is to be published by Interlink Books in November this year, 2023. I have collaborated with oud players, oud collectors, museum curators and luthiers to present the oud’s history in the context of its visual beauty, with numerous pictures of its elegant pear-shaped body, intricate rosettes and ravishing ornamental veneers. The volume thus showcases stunning illustrations and photographs of the oud’s varying forms and styles over time.

The oud‘s alluring sounds (which you will hear by following QR codes) have captivated travellers, scholars, and musicians in far corners of the world, from the bustling streets of Baghdad to the shores of the Pacific Ocean. It is now a global instrument. Illustrations of players from the past and the present testify the oud’s ability to transcend geographical boundaries and foster cultural exchange. The multiple and entangled histories presented in The Oud: An Illustrated History allow readers to immerse themselves in the world of the oud as never before.

Order diret from the publisher, Interlink Books, from your local bookshop, or from online platforms.