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Timbuktu is a 1999 novella by Paul Auster. It is about the life of a dog, Mr. Bones, who is struggling to come to terms with the fact that his homeless master is dying. The story, set in the early 1990s, is told through the eyes of Mr Bones, who, although not anthropomorphised, has an internal monologue in English. The story centres on his last journey with his ailing master, Willy G Christmas, to Baltimore, who hopes to find his former English teacher. Much of the details of both of their early lives are told in flashback. The title of the book comes from the concept of the afterlife as proposed by Christmas, a self-titled poet, who believed it was a beautiful place called Timbuktu. A major running theme in the book is Mr Bones' worry that dogs will not go to Timbuktu, and he won't see Willy again after death. The novella also draws on themes of existentialism, finding purpose in one's life, and a meditation on late 20th century America. It has now been made into a play by Croatian director Borut Separovic.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Notable quotes

““The Europeans came very late to Timbuktu," says Marie Rodet, lecturer at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. For centuries, they tried to reach the place because it was a mythological place of trade and Islamic scholars. It had been described in Arab manuscripts in the Middle Ages so they knew about the history but they never reached it because the population never allowed them.”
— Marie Rodet, lecturer at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, quoted on BBC News, "Who, What, Why: Why do we know Timbuktu?", April 2, 2012.
“It is a place where many, many things happened since the 12th Century. A place of knowledge... a place that tells us a lot about how great the African people were and continue to be. We need to save Timbuktu.”
— The head of the mission to rebuild Timbuktu, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, quoted on BBC News, "Timbuktu damage to Mali historic sites 'underestimated'", June 11, 2013.
“The city is quite calm nowadays, even though residual criminal acts remain. On terrorist issues we bet on Serval. People rely on Serval for this kind of issue, much more than on the UN soldiers.”
— Aboubacrime Cisse, president of the council of Timbuktu localities, quoted on Bloomberg, "Timbuktu Seeks Rebirth After Islamist Militants’ Destruction", March 31, 2014.

Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.

Notable quotes

““The Europeans came very late to Timbuktu," says Marie Rodet, lecturer at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. For centuries, they tried to reach the place because it was a mythological place of trade and Islamic scholars. It had been described in Arab manuscripts in the Middle Ages so they knew about the history but they never reached it because the population never allowed them.”
— Marie Rodet, lecturer at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, quoted on BBC News, "Who, What, Why: Why do we know Timbuktu?", April 2, 2012.
“It is a place where many, many things happened since the 12th Century. A place of knowledge... a place that tells us a lot about how great the African people were and continue to be. We need to save Timbuktu.”
— The head of the mission to rebuild Timbuktu, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, quoted on BBC News, "Timbuktu damage to Mali historic sites 'underestimated'", June 11, 2013.
“The city is quite calm nowadays, even though residual criminal acts remain. On terrorist issues we bet on Serval. People rely on Serval for this kind of issue, much more than on the UN soldiers.”
— Aboubacrime Cisse, president of the council of Timbuktu localities, quoted on Bloomberg, "Timbuktu Seeks Rebirth After Islamist Militants’ Destruction", March 31, 2014.

Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.

Overview

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Timbuktu

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Timbuktu

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Timbuktu across IJR

Overview

Notable quotes

Notable quotes

Overview

Timbuktu across IJR