Book excerpt: Oxford University Press is proud to present the most up-to-date and comprehensive encyclopedia in this field. In three illustrated volumes with more than 1,500 entries, the Encyclopedia deals with all aspects of this important area of study, ranging from the Middle East to Central Asia to Southeast Asia and Africa as well as Europe and North America. The Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture covers all subject areas including: artists, ruler, writers, architecture, ceramics, sculpture, painting, calligraphy, coins, textiles, and much more. The Encyclopedia offers fully-updated articles and bibliographies that draw upon the expansive scholarship of The Dictionary of Art, as well as more than 500 plans, maps, diagrams, illustrations, and color plates. This exciting reference work is accessible to scholars, students, and general readers, making it a reliable and essential resource covering this topic of burgeoning importance in world history and the visual arts