Into the Forest discussion

Our winning theme this time is: Djinn /Arabian Mythology

Everyone can make 3 nominations that fit the theme:
One original tale ( can also be a short collection of tales )
One young adult novel
One adult novel

After one week the polls will go up to vote for the books.
New members please don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions!

I'm going to be unoriginal and nominate something from the Arabian Nights.

I have The Arabian Nights II: Sindbad and Other Popular Stories, which I've been meaning to read ever since the The Arabian Nights buddy read...

I was tempted to nominate Ala al-Din (Aladdin), but it looks like "The Story of Qamar al-Zaman and His Two Sons, Amjad and As'ad" has Ifrit in it, so I'll nominate that.

I'd like to nominate the following:

Original Legends of the Fire Spirits: Jinn and Genies from Arabia to Zanzibar by Robert W. Lebling (description reads like it contains originals amidst its historical discussion).

YA Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton.

Adult Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson.

I was trying to decide whether to nominate Alif the Unseen or Requiem for adult since I have both on Mt. TBR. You've saved me the decision!

I'll nominate Requiem.
It does deal mainly with Christian mythology, but multiple reviews indicate Djinn are involved.

I'll nominate Castle in the Air for Young Adult.

Melanti wrote: "I'm going to be unoriginal and nominate something from the Arabian Nights.

I have The Arabian Nights II: Sindbad and Other Popular Stories, which I've been meaning to read ever sinc..."

It's not unoriginal at all! Arabian Nights was the inspiration of so much literature later to come!
I was going to nominate it too, so I'll second it!

If we want to read only one tale we could just read , "Aladdin" or "Ala al-Din and the Magic Lamp" because it definitely features a Djinni.

For adult I'd like to nominate One Thousand and One Nights by the Lebanese author Hanan Al-Shaykh. It is a retelling of the traditional Arabian Nights.
It's a collection of tales rather than a novel. I am not 100% sure about Djinn, but considering it's a retelling of Arabian Nights I assume there will be. I discovered this author earlier this year and really liked her style. I found about the book I nominated from this article:
http://www.blueabaya.com/2016/02/15-m...

For YA I nominate The Wrath & the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh it's also a kind of Arabian Nights retelling.

Original: Aladdin (in The Arabian Nights)
Adult: Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed
YA: The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

Too many to choose from.
Other ideas for myself to think about:
Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
Master of the Jinn: A Sufi Novel by Irving Karchmar
Alamut by Judith Tarr

Kathy wrote: "Too many to choose from."

For sure! How will I pick just one book to vote for?!

It was difficult to pick the ones I nominated. I also have One Thousand and One Nights by Hanan Al-Shaykh in my TBR list, so I'm happy Lila nominated it, too.

And I also have The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud in the (neverending) TBR list. I loved The Screaming Staircase, figured I'd probably like anything by him.

My flight from San Fransisco back to Ottawa via Toronto was delayed 4 hours. I finished my book, so have time to look up some of the Goodreads lists
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
There are certainly a lot of Djinn themed romances!
And YA books https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...
It's interesting to note that the majority of the authors are not of Middle Eastern ancestry, not that they have to be, but I would hope they at least researched the cultural aspects.
That is why in part the Hanan Al Shaykh retelling is appealing. I've been reading some of the reviews, its gotten a lot of very good ones, but I have still not found out if there are any Djinn in the stories. Not all the stories in Arabian Nights have theme and the Mythology of Djinn is much older.

Lila wrote: "My flight from San Fransisco back to Ottawa via Toronto was delayed 4 hours. I finished my book, so have time to look up some of the Goodreads lists
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1......"

Yes there are A LOT of romance books. I found that out during my research. Same with non-Middle Eastern authors. I first tried to find books by people at least from those countries. It's sad how few I found. So now I'm just sort of crossing my fingers the ones I've found (mostly by US writers) are written with respect to the folklore/ mythology.

A couple Arabian-themed books I was really excited to find are below. I'm not nominating them, just sharing them in case others are interested too.

Arabian Nights and Days by Naguib Mahfouz (retelling)

In Arabian Nights: A Caravan of Moroccan Dreams by Tahir Shah (non-fiction/ memoir)
"In this entertaining and penetrating book, Tahir sets out on a bold new journey across Morocco that becomes an adventure worthy of the mythical Arabian Nights. As he wends his way through the labyrinthine medinas of Fez and Marrakesh, traverses the Sahara sands, and tastes the hospitality of ordinary Moroccans, Tahir collects a dazzling treasury of traditional stories, gleaned from the heritage of A Thousand and One Nights, The tales, recounted by a vivid cast of characters, reveal fragments of wisdom and an oriental way of thinking that is both enthralling and fresh."

You might want to consider Tahir Shah's The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca, a non-fiction/memoir. I read it in October this year. His house is occupied by a she-jinn called Qandisha. My review on goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Tamara wrote: "You might want to consider Tahir Shah's The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca, a non-fiction/memoir. I read it in October this year. His house is occupied by a she-jinn called Qand..."

Thanks! I've been wanting to read that book for sometime Tamara!
If anyone else is interested, we can also have a non-fiction read.
The other option is I can just set up a "buddy read" thread for The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca or In Arabian Nights: A Caravan of Moroccan Dreamsin the Djinn group read folder.

I am not quite sure if my nomination One Thousand and One Nights would count as an Adult retelling or an original tale collection. It seems Hanan Al-Shaykh translated the original tales, but I don't know to what extent she added to it.
I will have to do some research!

For adult I'll nominate Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie.

I don't have nominations for the other categories! I've also been wanting to read The Arabian Nights II: Sindbad and Other Popular Stories by Husain Haddawy.

These reviews of Hanan Al-Shaykh's One Thousand and One Nights make me really want to read it! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
But I'm still not sure if it should count as Original tales or Adult retelling!

Lila, from what I've read it was marketed as a retelling. For example on Penguin Random House site, "Retold in modern English by the acclaimed Lebanese author Hanan al-Shaykh, here are stories of the real and the supernatural, love and marriage, power and punishment, wealth and poverty, and the endless trials and uncertainties of fate. Bringing together nineteen classic tales, in these pages al-Shaykh weaves an utterly intoxicating collection, rich with humor, violence, and romance."

Has this group already previously read The Golem and the Jinni? If not, I'll go ahead and nominate it for adult.

Hi Kelsey, yes, we have. Check out the Previous Group Reads folder at https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group... there are spoilers and spoiler-free threads.

Lila wrote: "These reviews of Hanan Al-Shaykh's One Thousand and One Nights make me really want to read it! https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
..."

It's very confusing because so many reviews call it a translation. Yet, it's on goodreads lists of retellings that don't have any original tales, and it calls itself a retelling.

My thought it it's probably a retellings.

However, I just found an excerpt, which reads like it's a translation: http://www.npr.org/books/titles/18953...

Sounds like how I remember the original collection starting.

Leah wrote: "Hi Kelsey, yes, we have. Check out the Previous Group Reads folder at https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group... there are spoilers and spoiler-free threads."

Ah, thanks! I saw that it was on the group's "Bookshelf," but I couldn't find the discussions on it, so I was confused!

Margaret wrote: "

It's very confusing because so many reviews call it a translation. Yet, it's on goodreads lists of retellings that don't have any original tales, and it calls itself a retelling.
My thought it it's probably a retellings.
However, I just found an excerpt, which reads like it's a translation: http://www.npr.org/books/titles/18953...
Sounds like how I remember the original collection starting."

It is confusing because One Thousand and One Nights sometimes called a retelling sometimes a translation!
I've read a little more on it and asked one of the reviewers. It seems Hanan Al-Shaykh translated the original tales and wrote them in a more contemporary language.
She also selected the stories so that they are not necessarily in the original order and there are not as many tales, 17 I think. She selected the stories so they match the theme telling alternating tales of the treachery of women then men. That's what I understood anyway.

Kelsey wrote: "Leah wrote: "Hi Kelsey, yes, we have. Check out the Previous Group Reads folder at https://www.goodreads.com/topic/group... there are spoilers and spoiler-free threads."

Ah, thank..."

It's the Goodreads settings. When on our home page only the most recent posts are visible. In order too see all the threads click on "discussions" on the right hand side of the home page.

Or you can use the search box to look for where the book is named in discussion, and there's a toggle there to search only thread titles.

(Both these features are on the desktop site - not on app or mobile.)


The Golem and the Jinni is excellent, by the way!

Yes, seconding how great The Golem and the Jinni is! I loved it.

Lots of interesting nominations here. Did the whole "Arabian Nights" theme not too long ago in another group so I won't be joining in that one (if chosen). I do have Throne of the Crescent Moon on my reading list (nominated by Kathy) and will add in a couple of the others.

Monica wrote: "Lots of interesting nominations here. Did the whole "Arabian Nights" theme not too long ago in another group so I won't be joining in that one (if chosen). I do have [book:Throne of the Crescent Mo..."

Monica wrote: "Lots of interesting nominations here. Did the whole "Arabian Nights" theme not too long ago in another group so I won't be joining in that one (if chosen). I do have [book:Throne of the Crescent Mo..."

Because the theme is Djinn and not Arabian Nights there are several books that have Djinn but are not Arabian Nights related.
Please feel free to vote for them or nominated anything else you'd like to read because it would be great to have you join us!

Finally I am still going to nominate One Thousand and One Nights by Hanan Al-Shaykh as a collection of original tales rather than as an adult retelling.
I've asked several people who read it and had it confirmed that Hanan al-Shaykh's did not write the stories, rather she selected original tales and translated them with a gender issue theme.

So up to now we have:

Original Tales
The Arabian Nights II: Sindbad and Other Popular Stories translated by Husain Haddawy
Legends of the Fire Spirits: Jinn and Genies from Arabia to Zanzibar by Robert W. Lebling
One Thousand and One Nights by Hanan al-Shaykh
Aladdin in The Arabian Nights by Andrew Lang

YA
Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton
Castle in the Air by Diane Wynn Jones
The Wrath & the Dawnby Renee Ahdieh
The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

Adult
Alif the Unseen by G. Willow Wilson.
Requiem by Graham Joyce
Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed
Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nightsby Salman Rushdie.

Those are some great nominations! Does anyone have anything else? Please let me know if I left out anything!

Robyn wrote: "I think you're missing Kathy's original tale nomination."

It's on this list now! Thanks for pointing that out! When I was Kathy's nomination I did not click on the link and assumed it was from the same collection Melanti nominated.

What about The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca? Is that not being considered as a nomination? I definitely want to read it.

Shomeret wrote: "What about The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca? Is that not being considered as a nomination? I definitely want to read it."

I do too Shomeret!
In reply to Tamara I said that if anyone else is interested, we could also have a non-fiction read, or else I could set up a buddy read.

Lila wrote: "I do too Shomeret!
In reply to Tamara I said that if anyone else is interested, we could also have a non-fiction read, or else I could set up a buddy read."

Me, three, but I'd prefer it as a buddy read.

Polls are up!
https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/3...
The version of Aladdin that Kathy nominated is in The Arabian Nights, but I was unable to put just the story a link, so I put the entire collection in.
I will set up a buddy read thread for The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca

The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye by the fab A.S. Byatt is wonderful and I think it fits this theme perfectly.

wild~rose wrote: "The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye by the fab A.S. Byatt is wonderful and I think it fits this theme perfectly."

Sorry Wild Rose! The polls are already up! Hopefully there will be other occasions to nominate it!

wild~rose wrote: "The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye by the fab A.S. Byatt is wonderful and I think it fits this theme perfectly."

Too late for the polls but this one does look good. Thanks, I'll use it as a recommendation.

I read that one a few years ago, and it is wonderful, I agree!

Melanti wrote: "I read that one a few years ago, and it is wonderful, I agree!"

I thought it was here but then I remembered we read it in the Endicott group.

Was it? I know it was an Endicott book, but I don't think I read it for a Group Read.

I looked because it seemed so familiar and when I could not find it here I looked in the Endicott group https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I remember I read some of the stories but had to return the book to the library.

Ah! Makes sense. I read it on my own long before the group read, which is why I don't remember the discussion.

wild~rose wrote: "The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye by the fab A.S. Byatt is wonderful and I think it fits this theme perfectly."

Yes, it's a good collection. The titular story didn't rock my world but there was one story in there, involving a glass coffin, that I particularly enjoyed and have been wanting to re-read but I can't find my copy anywhere.

The results are in!

Ya: Castle in the Air
Adult: Alif the Unseen
Original: One Thousand and One Nights

What book are people thinking of starting with? All of these are available at my library, but I'll probably check them out one at a time so I can keep up with the other books I want to be reading.

I'm starting with Alif the Unseen (once it comes in from the library) because I'm already reading two short story collections that I want to finish before I start One Thousand and One Nights. Then I'm going to read the following Djinn/ Arabian-themed books over the next four weeks. Rebel of the Sands, The Amulet of Samarkand, and The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca.

Well, it'll probably depend on if my Kindle survives.

I already own a Kindle copy of Alief the Unseen and my library only has the ebook version of Castle in the Air and not the paper version.

One Thousand One Nights, the city library has in paper format but the nearest branch is closed for renovations so that will depend on when I get the spare time to make the longer drive to a different branch.


Leah wrote: "Then I'm going to read the following Djinn/ Arabian-themed books over the next four weeks. ... The Amulet of Samarkand ..."

That's an amusing one! I ought to read book #3 as long as we're reading Djinn stuff. But, again. Kindle.

I may start with Alif then, for similar reasons. I just started The Djinn Falls in Love & Other Stories, but then I realized I want to read The Starlit Wood: New Fairy Tales next (I read 2 books at a time). I would rather not read 2 short story collections at the same time, so I may put down Djinn Falls in Love in a couple days to read Alif and Starlit Wood.

Djinn Falls in Love is very good so far, FYI!

Hm. You know, considering the price of gas for two round trips to a further away library plus the hassle of having to deal with rush hour traffic on a freeway that's under construction, I'm probably better off just buying a copy of One Thousand One Nights.

Too bad you're so far away! At least you're supporting the author by buying.

I'm gonna brag here: I live within easy walking distance of a library branch. :)

Whenever I tell people about where we live (it's our 1st home), I'm all like, "I can walk to the library!" Their response is generally, "That's nice," and then a bored look, haha.

Now I feel bad about bragging. I think I've even mentioned this in another post!

Leah wrote: "I'm starting with Alif the Unseen (once it comes in from the library) because I'm already reading two short story collections that I want to finish before I start .."


I am currently reading The Amulet of Samarkand because I saw that it probably was not going to win and thought I could read it quick. I was correct & should finish today.

Then I will probably read Alif the Unseen because I bought that book quite a while back & haven't read it yet. I also have a copy of Castle in the Air and that should be a quick read. But I'm wondering if I should read Howl's Moving Castle first?

I'll probably buy a copy of One Thousand and One Nights.

From what I've read, Castle in the Air works well stand-alone, and the characters from Howl barely appear. However, I've read Howl's Moving Castle and it's very good, so I don't think you'd regret reading it.

I read The Amulet of Samarkand many years ago, and quite liked it. I gave it to my nephew and it became one of his favorite books ever. It's quite funny.

Margaret wrote: "I'm gonna brag here: I live within easy walking distance of a library branch. :) ..."

I'm so jealous! I USED to live within easy walking distance of a city library branch.

But, alas, urban rent prices started skyrocketing and I bought a house out in the suburbs. And the suburbs around here don't have sidewalks. Sigh. I really miss being able to walk everywhere.

Anyway, I'm now about 2-3 miles away from a county library branch, but it doesn't have good hours or much of a selection, so I usually drive an extra couple miles to go to a different county branch a bit further away that's a lot better. Still, only about 6-7 miles, which isn't bad but I still don't visit as often as I used to when it was just down the block.

It also doesn't help that the county library system doesn't have near the selection as the city library system does.. They try, but they just don't have the resources.



But now the closest city library branch is about a 20 mile drive using a toll road. I usually try to go to the one that's only about 5 miles from work so I can stop by on my lunch break, but that one is closed, so I'd have to find a different one.

Margaret wrote: "What book are people thinking of starting with? All of these are available at my library, but I'll probably check them out one at a time so I can keep up with the other books I want to be reading."

I am starting with Alif the Unseen and then
One Thousand and One Nights
My library does not have Castle in the Air or The Caliph's House: A Year in Casablanca. So many have requested inter-library loans for them. I never know they will take. Sometimes the books come within a few weeeks, other times months, sometimes they can't be found at all, although I don't think that will be the case with these books.