Book excerpt: “Return of the Sage” is the novelization of the life, discoveries, writings, and ruminations of Abu Nasr al-Farabi, the towering intellectual figure in the Middle Ages who was known as the Aristotle of Central Asia and the Middle East. During his many travels, al-Farabi intensively studied the subtle aspects of the various cultures he encountered and developed his philosophy, which he detailed in his numerous treatises. The leading contemporary Kazakh writer, Anuar Alimzhanov, has written an impressive novel about this legendary scholar. His keen eye and refined style will pique western intellectual readers’ interest and leave them as tranquil as one of the exquisite gardens described in this book.