Timbuktu in 1893, a situation that lasted until it became part of the current Republic of Mali in 1960. Presently, Timbuktu is impoverished and suffers from desertification. In its Golden Age, the town's numerous Islamic scholars and extensive trading network made possible an important book trade: together with the campuses of the Sankore Madrasah, an Islamic university, this established Timbuktu as a scholarly centre in Africa. Several notable historic writers, such as Shabeni and Leo Africanus, have described Timbuktu. These stories fuelled speculation in Europe, where the city's reputation shifted from being extremely rich to being mysterious. Over the centuries, the
Town & Country (magazine) the past decade, several etiquette, wedding and lifestyle guidebooks have also published by the magazine. Among the most recent books published by the magazine is "Modern Manners: The Thinking Person's Guide to Social Graces," released in 2005 and edited by "Town & Country" senior editor Thomas Farley. In 2003, "Town & Country" released "Town & Country Weddings", which is published twice yearly. The first international version, "Town & Country Philippines", was launched by Summit Media in 2007. A British "Town & Country" magazine was launched by Hearst Magazines UK, a subsidiary of Hearst Corporation, in May 2014. Town & Country