Naguib Mahfouz is a favorite author of mine. His Arabic tails base themselves on real living in Egypt. Sadly, this nobel prize laureate has recently passed away on August 30, 2006. But his words live on.
Wedding Song is a wonderfully quick read, but designed with characters described so that you could imagine meeting them on the street. The story is broken up into four sections. Each section is told by a different character of the story, from his/her perspective. The setting is Egypt, at an actor's theatre. What is interesting is how a person's point of view changes the reader's perception. The wedding song is about the son of two actors of the theatre marrying an older actress of the theatre and the lives that are affected because of it. (An Arabic man marrying an older woman is considered a huge faux pas.) Masterfully crafted, this story is sad, to be sure, and not a typical 'wedding song' one recently married would recommend as a 'pick-me-up'. But Mahfouz's stories are hardly any one should pass up.
Showing posts with label Arab. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arab. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan
This work of nonfiction describes two different perspectives of the same historical place.
One history, that of Bashir Khairi, is one of a lost memory when his family is forced out of their home by Israeli occupation forces. It continues through his life and his struggles to get back to his homeland, which his ancestors have owned for centuries.
The second history is that of Dalia Eshkenazi, a Bulgarian Jew. She and her parents moved from Bulgaria into the house of Bashir's family. Dalia's life is forever changed when she opens her door to 26 year-old Bashir wanting to revisit his home.
The author makes sure to note the common symbolic element--a lemon tree, which is planted in the backyard of the home.
The story is of both people's history and gives great detail of the accounts that give life to the Middle East conflicts that most Americans pass over. I must admit I had many "Aha!" moments that helped me better understand the conflict, frustration and actions of both histories.
I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone, especially our age, who has not been taught the history of the creation of Israel and the consequences
One history, that of Bashir Khairi, is one of a lost memory when his family is forced out of their home by Israeli occupation forces. It continues through his life and his struggles to get back to his homeland, which his ancestors have owned for centuries.
The second history is that of Dalia Eshkenazi, a Bulgarian Jew. She and her parents moved from Bulgaria into the house of Bashir's family. Dalia's life is forever changed when she opens her door to 26 year-old Bashir wanting to revisit his home.
The author makes sure to note the common symbolic element--a lemon tree, which is planted in the backyard of the home.
The story is of both people's history and gives great detail of the accounts that give life to the Middle East conflicts that most Americans pass over. I must admit I had many "Aha!" moments that helped me better understand the conflict, frustration and actions of both histories.
I HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone, especially our age, who has not been taught the history of the creation of Israel and the consequences
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