The Koran In English: a Biography

The untold story of how the Arabic Qur an became the English Koran

For millions of Muslims, the Qur an is sacred only in Arabic, the original Arabic in which it was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in the seventh century. To many Arab and non-Arab believers alike, the book literally defies translation, yet English translations are growing in both number and importance. Bruce Lawrence tells the remarkable story of the centuries-long quest to translate the Qur an s lyrical verses?and to make English itself an Islamic language. A translation saga like no other, this panoramic book looks at cyber Korans, versions by feminist translators, and even a graphic Qur an by the acclaimed visual artist Sandow Birk.